On Broken Wings

Chapter 22

Lucifer 

"My lord! My lord, you must see this!"

My head warrior's voice echoed off the stone walls followed by the sound of his feet slapping the ground as he rushed to find me. I paid Malik no mind, instead staring dully at the ceiling. What could be so important for my mourning to be interrupted? For my time remaining with Cassius to be cut short before his lifeless body is burned upon a pyre.

Malik kneeled a respectful distance from the doorway. "My lord," he greeted, head bowed deeply.

"Leave." I have no interest in what lies beyond this bedroom, beyond Cassius. The world meant little to me now. What happens to it is no longer any of my concern.

"Please, my lord. Malik begged. Many white bandages stood out starkly against his dark skin. "Just look outside the window. That is all I ask. I promise it is worth it."

The window?

His request was simple enough. Perhaps if I did as he said, he would leave. Gathering what little energy I had left from not eating for so long, I titled my head to look out the circular window. The simple movement was enough to drain me. It took my eyes but a moment to adjust to the change in lighting, and when they did, I was left starstruck.

"What... is that?" I breathed.

It seemed as if the stars themselves were descending in a shower of glowing orbs. Hundreds of miniature suns fell through the sky slowly, as if traversing in thick water, shimmering a new light upon the land, filling the air with such density the vast blue background that stretched out infinity behind them could hardly be seen. The radiant spheres pulsed softly with a lustrous illumination, no bigger than a clenched fist, fuzzy along the edges but certainly solid. Their colors ranged from pristine white to subdued cream to brilliant gold, all radiating the same warm glow.

"They appeared not but a mere hour ago, my lord," Malik said, head still bowed.

"What are they?" I could not seem to tear my gaze from the sheer brilliance of those spheres.

"No one knows, but I suppose we will find out soon enough."

Indeed, the lowest of the orbs was minutes away from brushing the tallest tree. What could they be? The stars? That does not seem possible—they have never done this before, not even when they left shimmering streaks across the sky at night. They reminded me of when Micheal and the angels descended, that same glowing light filling the heavens. But these took shape unlike that time.

"Go back to the village should anything happen," I told Malik. "They appear to be harmless, however, I will not take those chances."

"Yes, my lord." Ever so the loyal warrior, Malik turned to go, bowing deeply one more time. "I apologize heavily for your loss. Cassius was dear to all of us. He is our savior." With that, he was gone.

The orbs continued to descend down to earth like lazy motes of dust floating in the air. I stroked Cassius's hair, arranging it in the way he always liked; it was messy from lying in bed so long. I knew I should let him go. That his body would soon begin to deteriorate, that the smell would be enough to chase me out. But I am a selfish man. I could not bear to watch his body turn to ashes, alone, on that pyre. For then he would truly be gone from this vast world, as if he had never existed in the first place. His scent was already fading from the sheets and his old robes that had yet to be washed. I clung to it desperately. It was my only salvation.

"What should I do, Cassius?" My voice was pathetic, broken. I hated the way it sounded, wishing instead I could be strong the way he wanted me to be. "I cannot do this without you." Grief twisted inside my gut, my eyes flooding once more with tears. They tasted salty as they dripped on my lips, settling onto my tongue like a heavy blanket of misery.