Xachariel : The Fourth Brother ✔

Five

Five
• • •

Darkness shrouds around me as I stand on the tower in quietude. I crave to bar my emotions from overcoming my thoughts but it has always been near impossible. It's hard... When you are torn between who you are and what you have become. And it's a hundred fold painful when you know that there no longer is hope for you and you will never be who you are again.

But I am expected to survive with that pain. That is now a part of who I am. And I want to prove Lucifer that I can.

And it is also what I do, my duty, but I wonder why Lucifer didn't want me to hunt as usual. And oddly enough, today itself, I feel a wilder passion to set for land and twist some souls.

This odd feeling of desperation is driving me wilder than ever. The whole of my being feels as if it's being consumed by a flame of desire. Its heat course through me rendering me unstable. My hands shake. The height of my desire feels too strong that at some point it seems like the core of my existence is revolving around it; the center of my universe, my soul of my soullessness.

So I unfurl my wings, leap off from the balcony and fly straight for the West of Land despite Lucifer's command. My desperation for the hunt and my desire to prove to Lucifer that he can trust me has given me the strength to disobey his command; an act I never thought possible, never thought I would dare do no matter how many counts of eons I may exist in eternal death. But I did it.

Qol follows me like always and he makes terrified, piercing sounds to stop me.

"I will prove to you, Lucifer," I mutter under my breath in response to Qol.

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On the way to the West of Land, I run into a meek flock of Michael's army in the devoid that hovers above land. We come to stand face to face. They all have a bluish opalescent glow of energy around their features. Ahh, the heavenly halo, I used to carry them myself.

Mine was slightly more beautiful than theirs though, comparatively; golden white and as bright as Lucifer's, since I was his brother. We, the four of us, Michael, Lucifer, Gabriel and I had the same as brothers. How I miss them and how I cringe at it now. It is indeed ironic.

"Xachariel!" One of them recognised me.

"Well, well, well, could it be my long lost friend, Joel? What a sweet surprise!" I mock a delighted smile.

"Alone in the road. What is the purpose?" Joel return with a question.

"Now, now, Joel. Is that a kind way to greet your friend?" I sneer.

"Xachariel. Where are you heading to?" His voice is stern.

"Curiosity has taken the best of my old friend, I see. I shall make it light for you then. I'm heading for the West of Land."

"You shall go no further," he says with a command.

I laugh and sneer in profanity, "By heavens! Did I hear it right? Joel, would you mind repeating that for me?"

"Xachariel. You shall go no further, I say."

I laugh again and then pierce my repugnant eyes into his, saying, "Who do you think I am to listen to your ridiculous commands? I am the Chief Commander of Hades. I do not listen to inferior creatures."

I draw my sword. They follow my action. There are seven of them. I am alone. Yet with few clashes of swords and a little cut here and there, I shame them in battle. All the other six has tasted the bitter poison of my sword in their chest. I left Joel out though for a purpose.

Standing over him with my right foot upon his chest, I say, "Ahhh, Joel. Such a pity. Serving Yehovah has not strengthen you much, I stand witness. It is a pitiful service to a pitiful reign, isn't it?"

"Do not mock the Lord, our God, Xachariel. You will be judged and penalized!" Joel shouts at me from under my foot.

How ironic.

"Your God. Not mine. And you expect me to care at all?" I seethe in between teeth.

"Xachariel," the tone of his voice softens, "How have you fallen?"

We stare deep into each other's eyes. I did not answer. Nobody need to know. There was no point in telling it at all now.

He says again, "You did not want this."

As though he....

"Do not speak of what I want or how I was. You have no idea what I am anymore."

"Come back home," he says and it shakes me from within my core.

"Have you lost your mind!!" I scream at him.

What is he thinking?!! Does he think that it is as simple as he says? Does he think saying the impossible that I long so much for on my face will redeem me? It had not! In fact, it makes me sin more. It makes me angry. Because there is no other way for me but to serve Lucifer.

"Michael mourns for you! Gabriel mourns for you!" He tries to stand up as he speak but I kick him back with my foot.

"Enough! You don't have to say more," to my shame, I hear my voice falter.

"Xachariel, my friend," Joel says.

I scoff before he continues further, "Softening me, eh? I am no more the Xachariel you used to know."

"You have sinned, of course, but I sense you haven't changed."

I should get this over in the shortest time possible. Qol is with me and if this conversation prolongs and Qol sense any emotion from me, Lucifer will cease to trust me forever.

I inhale a breath and calm myself.

"Don't be ridiculous, Joel. I have changed. You shall not taste my sword today but I assure you, if ever we meet again, I shall not spare you then. Now do not get the wrong idea as though I have left you out of mercy. I want you to deliver a message for me," I smirk, "Tell Michael I am eternally grateful for his teaching and that he shouldn't be disappointed about me. Tell him, I keep my routine perfect, that I practice well in time and that I have improved manifold and have grown much stronger than he could ever imagine and that if ever we cross path, I am willing and ready to challenge his sword. Tell Michael, I am no more a weakling."

I step away from him and watch him feebly flap his wings and wobble up to stand.

"I am deeply sorry about your companions and that I can't be of help," I fake sadness and teased, "Maybe I should call upon Beelzebub to help you take them back to the sweet, holy sanctuary. Nevermind. I have to rush for land now. Well then, until we meet again."

I flap my wings and continue my journey. When I am far enough from their sight, I look back at them. The haloed creatures against the blackness of void seem like a huddled group of stars. Joel is tending to his companions' wounds as they wait for help to come and get them.

How have I fallen, Joel? We used to dream and talk of battling side by side against the beast that Jeremiel foresaw. Alas, that I have fallen along when the Light Bearer fell, dragged down by sworn loyalty. We shall meet again in battlefield, that I am sure, my old friend. Sadly not as brothers but as foes.

• • •

Jeremiel - Angel of Prophesy and Divine Knowledge.

The Beast and The Light Bearer refers to Lucifer.

Thank you for reading again!!

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Hermyne