FORTUNE FAVOURS ELYSIA | ᴀᴅᴀᴍ x ʟᴜᴛᴇ

12 | ABSCONDER

𝚅𝙰𝙶𝙶𝙸𝙴'𝚂 𝙿𝙾𝚅 —

𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩-𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

The trial hall is grander than I had ever expected. Marble detailings and adorned with gold, all the seraphim's, thrones, and select archangels of the council seated in their rightful places. After a rather short discussion, it seems that the verdict was decided. Sera was to read out the summary of the case of Lute, who had gone missing during the eve of the extermination without reason or rhyme. My heart is pounding, my hands gripped to the table as the silence that settled over the room crept us closer to the jury's decision. I didn't want to hear it, I didn't want their ignorance to budge into it. They weren't in Hell, they never saw what happened. Neither did I, but I was friends with Lute. She wouldn't up and leave, and if she did, that wasn't on her own will. She was a bold one for certain, but her loyalties had settled with us, all of us exorcists. She wouldn't throw that away so easily.

As the scroll was brought to Sera's eye level, a clearing of her throat extinguished all below breath whispers that echoed on the granite walls. I could see her scan the contents momentarily, before her graceful yet commandeering voice spoke outwards to us our curious ears.

"Based on the evidence provided by the High Council and eye-witness counts of certain exorcists, the jury will no longer handle this case as suspicious. Layla Nightingale, known as Lute, has chosen to betray the Kingdom of Heaven, and fall from grace. Her actions lead to the conclusion she purposely chose to remain in Hell, and leave behind her life as an angel. Thusly, she will no longer be considered divine, no longer a winner, and will face the rest of her eternity in Hell, as to her wishes. Lute is to be forgotten, discarded, as she is no longer in our jurisdiction."

All visitors of the court and the council members erupted into shushed chatter, nothing I was able to hear from where I was. It wasn't like I could hear very much anyways. The more Sera spoke, the more the ringing in my ear began, the disbelief in my mind. It was like she was talking about a complete different person. Lute couldn't have done this, what evidence was there to show she was to betray Heaven? Any exorcist who knew her would know that wasn't, and would never be the case. I wasn't buying any of this.

"Case closed, the court is adjourned."

Sera's words as sharp as a whip, ended any further chance of discussion to be had. I pushed myself from my chair, fighting tears that stung my eyes, and walked out of the court— bumping into some people in my abrupt exit. I can't think straight in this court, I can't accept this overall negligence to the case.

I may be hurting, but I know someone who is taking this a lot harder than me— Adam, who had been locked in his apartment since the end of the extermination. He had refused to show face to celebration parties, to the beginnings of training, not even to the draft where some select exorcists get the opportunity to become one of Gods personal guards. Opportunities he had once adored to host, avoided like the plague.

In some ways, I felt like his sister. He's an asshole but I know him well, and he knows me well. I feel a sense of responsibility for Adam, and I wouldn't be lying if I said I was outright worried.

A few hours later, I sit in my car, driving down the road towards his home. Adam's apartment is at the top floor of this exquisite looking building, one out of many peoples pay grades. The street lights are the only thing offering illumination besides from the few windows with their lights on. It's late, of course, I made sure to come over when there was no one else to interrupt. I pull the vehicle beside the curb to park it, close the popup headlights, and shut the car off. Stepping out, I'm wearing baggy acid washed jeans, with some old shirt tucked inside. I could always get new clothes, but having imperfections to my looks makes me feel like a human. I never was one, I envy the winners to some degree, because they got to experience the good and bad of life, the raw human experience. There's bad things here, but it overshadowed by this divine perfection I was designed to be.