Chapter 377: Memories of bandages, butterflies, & a meeting is soon underway

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Crossfire: by Stephen
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Azrael is in Sloth in the early morning hours after a potato sack soul delivery. He should be long gone, but he's currently huddled in the dirt and grime of an inconspicuous looking alleyway, silently crying his eyes out through shaking breaths.

He calms himself down enough to lift his voice to sing after silencing everything around him and hiding his presence. He sings solely for himself and himself alone.

He'd trade his guns for love
But he's caught in the crossfire
And he keeps wakin' up
But it's not to the sound of birds

The tyranny
The violent streets
Deprived of all that we're blessed with
And we can't get enough, no

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back against the brick wall.

Heaven, if you sent us down
So we can build a plague around
For the sinners
To play as saints
You'd be so proud of what we made
I hope you got some beds around
'Cause you're the only refuge now
For every mother
Every child
Every brother
That's caught in the crossfire
That's caught in the crossfire

He saw blue butterflies within his mind and sighs as he opens his eyes.

I'd trade my luck to know
Why he's caught in the crossfire
And I'm here wakin' up
To the sun and the sound of birds

Society's anxiety
Deprived of all that we're blessed with
We just can't get enough, no

Heaven, if you sent us down
So we can build a plague around
For the sinners
To play as saints
You'd be so proud of what we made
I hope you got some beds around
'Cause you're the only refuge now
For every mother
Every child
Every brother
That's caught in the crossfire
That's caught in the crossfire

He closes his eyes and sings the words of a little boy who was so fearful and distrusting of the world.

Can I trust what I'm given
When faith still needs a gun
Whose ammunition
Justifies the wrong?

And I can't see
From the backseat
So I'm asking from above
Can I trust what I'm given
Even when it cuts?

A frozen tear fell from his right eye.

So heaven if you sent us down
So we can build a plague around
For the sinners
To play as saints
You'd be so proud of what we made
I hope you got some beds around
'Cause you're the only refuge now
For every mother
And every child
Every brother
That's caught in the crossfire
That's caught in the crossfire
Who's caught in the crossfire
Who's caught on the crossfire baby, baby
Who's caught on the cross...

He opens his eyes and just sits there with a faraway look. Today's the big day that'll undoubtedly test Jinlong's loyalty to Dread Keep and the other's abilities to keep him unaware that they know more about him than he does. It's Aikia that's worrying Azrael's confidence in how well this all plays out.

On top of all that Azrael has also been thinking about how Aciano told the inhabitants of Castle Dread about his past with Jinlong.

So yeah...there's also that.

He has so much on his mind right now and yet...

He turns his head to the right as he numbly gazes down at the spot on the wall that his heart knows is spotless...but his mind still conjures up the image of a nine year old little boy wearing a blood stained cerulean blue cloak...

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