The Stag & The Fallen Prince (RadioApple)

A Stranger in the Night

Soon after Alastor finished the story, the young angel was resting peacefully with her toys. The man waited at her side, as requested, for her to fall asleep. When she did, he checked on her before he himself left the room. The tall man wandered down the hall but did not seem to be going to bed. Instead, he headed for the kitchen. There, he found a door in the back of the room with a silver key hole. His long fingers pushed into the collar of his house coat in search of something around his neck. He pulled a black chain out from his top, and strung on the necklace was a matching key to the door. He pulled the necklace up and over his head, using it on the old metal lock. He unlatched it, creaking it open, revealing a set of stone stairs. The steps were thoroughly cleaned, almost too clean for their age. He stepped inside, closing the door and locking it behind him before he decended the stairs. They went below the house into a large cellar. Lining the walls were many bottles of liquors, wines, and whiskies. The room also had storage for meats, cheeses, and other items that needed to stay cool. But what he seemed interested in was what was beyond that. At the end of the room in a corner alone stood a work bench that did not fit into the aethetic of the other items. He moved towards the bench, scanning the room as he did, though not obviously. Once he got to the table, he began to thoroughly examine it. Opening drawers, inspecting tools, and even going so far as to crawl beneath it to check its underside. Once he was satisfied with what he was looking at, he stood up, but as he did, something caught his eye. Something had gotten stuck under one of the legs of the bench. He easily picked up one side of the table and pulled what looked like a human ear from being pinned to the floor.

"Sloppy work, Nifty. That's unlike you." He examined the ear. "But I suppose a late night snack could be nice."

Suddenly, the brunettes face shifted and molded growing in leangth. His hair receaded and was replaced by red fur that splayed across his body, and now growing snout. From his head, Antlers grew and twisted liked gnarled branches. He had become like a deer, but not fully. The rest of his body didn't seem to change at all. With that, he unhinged his jaw unnaturally for a human or deer, revealing rows of long, sharp teeth overlapping each other. He plopped the ear inside his mouth, closing it as he chewed. It was clear now that this man was not human.

Suddenly, his plush deer ear pricked, moving side to side as it focused on something it heard. A window had been opened. He had heard the latch, and now a cold fall wind whistled through the halls of the home.

"Charlie!"

******

In the bedroom of the sleeping angel, a single lit candle began to burn brighter. Its flame became so bright that it woke the child from her dreams. She opened her eyes, blinking sleepily. She had only fallen asleep for a few minutes, but it felt like hours. She rolled over in her bed to see if Alastor was still in his chair. However, the light made her shield her eyes momentarily before they adjusted. Her heart sank when she saw her caretaker was not there.

"Al?" She called from her bed. But there was no response.

She rolled over onto her belly, dangling her feet over the side of the bed so that when she slid off, her feet would hit the floor first. They landed gently, quiet as a mouse. With that, she began to tip toe through the hall in search of Alastor's room.

Just as she turned the corner, the latch of her window clicked, the frame was pulled up and open. In the dark, a cloaked figure examined the room. When they felt the coast was clear, they began to crawl through the small opening. The boots of the mysterious creature clicked upon the hardwood floor, making them wince in fear of alerting anyone. But no one came. They stood up straight, looking around the room curiously. A heavy hearted sigh escaping their lips. The person reached out a black gloved hand towards the child's bed, picking up the two plush creatures laying there. It was almost as if the person was reminiscing over them, like they were familiar with them. However, their attention was quickly turned as a swift shadow slinked through the floor boards towards them. They took a step back, but as fast as the shadow was there, it was gone. The person looked around quickly and then jumped out of the way when it felt a large presence behind them. This was just in time as a dark whip like thing slashed at the ground stopping before hitting the floor. The intruder looked at what had caused the whip to see a massive humanoid deer. It stood on two legs, its Antlers scratched at the roof above it, it's spear like teeth bared. In it's hand it held a staff that seemed to be controlling the shadows around it.

"A furfur, huh?" The cloaked figure chuckled. "Whats a thing like you, doing in my daughters room?" The figure yanked off the cloak in a dramatic fashion. Behind it was a snow white male with rosey cheaks, slicked back blonde hair, and royal white garments. From his back sprouted 6 red feathered wings.

The deer figure began to shrink, returning mostly to its human form but keeping the red hair, ears, and antlers. "Well, well, well, your highness." He began to walk around the room. "I've been expecting an angel to come back for the child, but never did I expect it would be THE Lucifer Morningstar. So far from your thrown, are we?" He pointed at the once white wings.

A cocky smirk crossed Lucifer's lips. "I may have fallen, but that doesn't mean I'm any less powerful than before."

"Is that so?" Alastor held out a hand, gesturing for the man to come closer. "Shall we test that theory?"

"Happily." Lucifer chuckled. He stood still for a moment, then his wings flapped using the air to push him foreward lunging himself at the furfur.

Alastor kept up a calm demeanor backing away from the angels strikes. He used his staff to manipulate the shadows around him to parry the attacks. However, Lucifer was crafty. With the snap of his finger, he was able to change shapes. A snake to slide through the tight shadows, a small bird to fly over and through the vines. When he was close enough, he shifted into a goat kicking at the man who moved out of the way calmly. It was as if the two were in sync. Dodging one another's attacks, parrying back and forth like a dance. This went on for only a moment before Charlie returned to the commotion. Her eyes widened in terror at the scene.

"Stop! Please!" She reached out, but they hadn't noticed her calls.

They continued the battle till Lucifer finally landed a blow. A horse kick to Alastors back. The demon quickly turned to use his staff as a weapon. However, Lucifer returned to his human form, catching the staff in his hands. They struggled for a few seconds, but the space was tight. Lucifer tumbled into the rocking chair behind him, causing them both to fall as the weight pushed the chair onto its back. Alastor kept hold of his staff with one hand and used the other to catch himself. When he realized he was over the back ridden angel, he took up the opportunity to pin his six wings to the ground. He put the cane to his throat, pushing down on it. Lucifer quickly held the cane om each side, pushing it off his throat. He tried to push the man away, but he could not move his back, as his wings were keeping him down. He shuffled his legs between them, using his knees to pry the demon up. When he was able to free one wing, he quickly used it to swat Alastor off of him. Alastor was pushed into the side of Charlie's bed. He growled, looking up just in time for the angels fist to connect with his face.

"No!" Charlie called out.

But the angel continued throwing his fists wherever they would land. Alastor reached up a clawed hand, digging it into the ribs of the male over him who called out in rage that he had been able to penetrate him.

"Stop!" Charlie ran towards them. "STOP!"

In a flash, an unbearably bright celestial light escaped from her body. The two looked at her for only a brief moment before the light exploded from her body, sending the two flying into the walls beside them. The light shrunk back into her, and what was left was the two men, returned to their human forms, and fast asleep on the floor of the child's room.

Charlie slowly opened her eyes, looking around the now tattered room. She raised her hands to her mouth, gasping loudly. Then she began to cry, calling out for Nifty, who came running in.

"Whats goi- ah!! A bad boy!"