Darksiders: Falling to Grace

Chapter XXI

Strife ran as fast as he could to Emm's place. He's witnessed Andromeda and Michael's shitty battle and also noticed that Andromeda burst into the ancient home screaming whilst holding her shoulder. Her exposed back broiled with her blood. Strife was astonished Andromeda could still stand.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are, dear sister." She toyed. "It's Sister Fun Time." A maniacal laughter pierced the air. 

Quickly the Nephilim followed Andromeda to the top floor. Emmanuel stayed in the corner, shocked with horror, tears never seeming to cease. Her sister was a mess. Leaving nothing but crimson streaks upon the broken floor and in her shattered heart. She never expected this to happen.

Andromeda gripped Áre with her bloodied hand and held her shoulder with the other. Strife unholstered his guns, taking aim.

"You wouldn't dare." Andromeda chuckled again. "If you can't shoot Kikyo, what makes you think that you could shoot me?"

The Nephilim narrowed his eyes at a pleading Emmanuel. Fear was the only emotion she showed. It made Strife uneasy and deeply sorry. Truly she feared for not only her life, but all their's. But, all three knew only two would survive - if they were lucky enough.

Emmanuel rose her hand, "dearest Sister. Please. I beg of you. Don't do this." Hotter tears soon became a monsoon upon her features.

Andromeda's eyes filled with joy. "I like you begging. Do it again." She ordered.

And so Emm did. "I beg you Ayil-"

"My name is Andromeda!" She shouted and clawed her sister in the face taking an eye with her. The demoness screamed in pain and hissed at the Fallen One. Blood spouted from her left eye socket and she covered it with a free hand. Strife swallowed hard.

"Call yourself what you will. It makes little difference to me, and him." She said daringly. Strife stalked closer to Andromeda and placed the barrel of the gun to the back of her head.

"Go ahead. You know you want to." She laughed sinisterly. The charm around her throat started glowing brightly. Faint yellow eyes were made out by the demoness and she jumped from the corner snatching the thong from Andromeda's neck. "No!" She gripped Emmanuel by the forearm and flung her into the wall causing her to drop the sapphire charm.

Strife staggered at their rivalry. By what Emm always said, he assumed they deeply loved each other and would never do...this. He pulled the trigger and the bullet embedded itself within the muscle of Andromeda's calf. Ignoring the pain she stalked closer to the demoness.

"How does it feel to die in this home again? Hmm? I'm done with this - and you."

"Please," she pleaded once more. She coughed spitting up specs of blood. "Sister. I'm sorry for the daemon I've become. I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me. I apologise for the cruel things that I did. And most of all, I'm sorry for causing every wrong thing in your life." Tears exploded from her crimson eye once more. This time out of sorrow for Andromeda instead of fear.

"I'm all out of forgiveness." Was the final words Emmanuel heard. Andromeda sliced Áre across the demoness' neck taking her head clean off. Instead of her soul being drug into hell, it ascended back to Heaven, for she had redeemed herself. Her useless body was now a hollow shell of the angel Andromeda once knew.

"I love you." Came the final words she uttered above a whisper to her now deceased older sister.

And Strife witnessed it all.

From the blood loss, Andromeda fell beside the corpse. Her very pale hands reached for the charmed necklace just inches away.
The Nephilim mumbled something, and aimed - unloading the clip of both guns into the Fallen One's chest.

Seeing as though they were friends once upon a time, he would give them a proper burial. It was more than they deserved. Finding a shovel on the ground floor, he moved to the back of the house and dug two holes side by side. Six foot deep and wide enough to hold their wings. First was Emmanuel. He glided up the stairs to the top floor picking the demoness up. The Nephilim cut off her wings for easy placement. He carried her, wings and all, out the back and carefully placed her in the ground.

Strife said a prayer, covering the hole and carved a cross from two tree branches. He placed the thong he retrieved from around Emm's neck and set it over the wooden cross. Now it was Andromeda's turn. First he placed her bloodied wings into the hole and trudged back up the stairs. He grabbed her and the charm from their floor doing the same. A single tear slipped down either cheek.

"Requiescat in Pace."