Mavobella: The Angel Of Death

Chapter 18

Retribution—a word that signified revenge on the Imperium.

Isaac, the deity of war and a seer above all, claimed that he had fallen because of a double-cross by the current army commander, Xavier. Or at least, that’s how Isaac told the story. For years, he had waited, watching the horizon for the right person to hand his map to. And guess who that person was. According to him, I had the makings of a hero. Old fantasy movies bullshit.

I hated to break it to him, but I was no hero. I was the deity of death, backed into a corner. A hero wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare of an island, contemplating stabbing everyone at the back if anything. I was the devil herself, if not more, and all I needed at this point was a way out.

I unfurled the map he had given me across Nicole's table, feeling an odd sense of amusement as it opened up to reveal the irregular shape of Anubistopia. The hills, rivers, mountains, forests—every contour and shadow—was clearly drawn. It was a place full of secrets.

“So,” Nicole began, staring at Marion across the table. “You’re human?”

She said it like she couldn’t sit still with the idea, as if repeating the words would somehow settle it in her mind. She was asking for the I don't know…hundredth time, and here she was, asking again, needing confirmation that she wasn't imagining things.

“Yeah,” Marion answered, a rare patience in her voice as she dealt with Nicole’s incessant questions. “I’m human.”

“And how did you get here?” Nicole pressed, eyes flicking back and forth between us, searching for cracks in the story.

“My mom…” Marion hesitated, and I caught the flicker of pain on her face, as if the words tasted wrong in her mouth. “She worked for the Imperium. She disappeared a year ago. I think they killed her. I've been looking for her since then, and I knew that the angel of death would be here. I needed to find my mom in the afterlife, so I snuck after the Imperium guards when they were teleporting a guy here.”

The hairs on my neck bristled at that. “How did you know I would be here?” I asked, my focus torn from the map in front of me.

“Like I said,” Marion replied, her voice steady. “My mom worked for the Imperium. She had a list of victims they were targeting. You were one of them. I saw it about a year and some months ago.”

The revelation struck like a blow to the gut. My fingers curled tighter around the edges of the map. “You mean your mom knew that I would get apprehended?”

“No,” Marion clarified, her brow furrowing. “She only documented what the Imperium was up to. They knew.” She went silent for a second, letting the words sink in. “I think they set you up.”

Her words sent a shockwave through me, a stray bullet ricocheting around my skull. “No.” I stepped back, clutching my head, the weight of it all too much to bear. "No, they couldn’t have.”

“I…” Marion hesitated again, her voice trailing off, cautious. “I think they did.”

No. It couldn’t be. I had been a loyal servant to the Imperium, doing their bidding, taking souls when commanded. Trading my life for that task hadn't been easy, but I’d never questioned it. The Imperium wasn’t supposed to punish angels. It was there to protect us. But now… now the puzzle pieces seemed to fit too well. Too perfectly.

“So, how do you survive around here?” Nicole asked, as if my entire world hadn’t just collapsed. She didn’t seem particularly bothered by the fact that I might have been framed.

“I apply this oil that gives me an aura similar to a demon’s—” Marion’s words faded, growing blurry in my ears as I tried to process the implications.