Absolution

5: Reapers

Cassiel

Raphael came to help me patch up Azrael's burnt wings, we healed him when he is asleep. But he didn't leave, and asks me a couple of question about Azrael's mission.

To be honest, I am not even aware if the mission is confidential or not. But I trust Raphael so I told him every detail, I know Az will be iritated when he learned about this. However, Raphael treats us as friends and I know that he is also concerned about Az's well-being.

"Well, that's complicted, I never thought that Azrael will be this powerful." he chuckled. While petting Azrael's good wing. He is still asleep like a baby, but this works as an advantage to us to heal his wings. He thought the burnt is not that fatal, he is wrong.

The flames of that demoness can turn everything into ashes, and Az is one hell of a lucky angel for his wings are still intact. I frowned, I am almost certain that his wings will have some fatal injury but only the first layer of the skin is burnt.

"By any chance, do you know how did he avoid such worst damage?" Raphael asked. I shrugged "Nope. I don't know how, because I am not in the scene when the demoness tried to burn him."

I stopped, my mind recalls something about those 'shadows' he is talking about. I honestly doesn't know anything about that stuff, and I only see Az using his abilities in a minimal encounter.

The worst part is, I am not even there when he fought those demons that's why he got hurt in the ruckus. And I did not even saw what those shadows are, damn it.

"They saved me." we both turned our attention to Az, who's already awake and sitting on the bed, looking bedraggled.

"It's better if you stay on the bed, you're not that well yet." Raphael said, gently.

But knowing Az he won't listen to anybody, and I hope that he will listen to me.

"You know what Az, you better listen to Raphael. He knows what's the best for you and we couldn't afford the readers to know that you are being a brat again." yeah, I just have to inform him that you guys might witness how hard headed he is.

He frowned, "Readers? What the hell Cas?"

"Yeah Cas, what the hell?" Raphael asked too. I jabbed my fingers to Raphael, "You are just imitating him!"

"Don't try to change the subject, Cas." Az said, calmly.

I sat on the bed side "Nothing important that will worry you. So, care to tell us how did you survived from being a roasted angel back there?"

He sighed ,"That is nothing for you to worry about."

"They have the right to know, Father." Raphael and I turned our attention to the newcomer who is sitting on the window pane with a cigarette in his lips.

I frowned, he doesn't look familiar but his aura is kinda weird. Not angelic nor demonic so Raphael just remained silent, but his dark eyes are still focused on the strange person. Still alert and so do I.

But wait, hold a second did he just called Az 'Father' like what Michael's Seraphim regarded him? I couldn't help the pang of betrayal creeping up to my system. But who am I to feel betrayed we're just friends, yet still we have our own secrets. Right?

"Father? Are you his son?" Raphael asked. I took my time to assess the guy's appearance, well he is surprisingly tall like almost the same height as Michael. He could rival Netzach's muscular body but he is leaner. Then he has somewhat curly blonde hair that reaches his shoulder and cerulean blue eyes.

Az frowned "I didn't called for you, Zehel. What are you doing here?"

The man he called Zehel just shrugged, "Can you blame me? We are also worried because we thought you will gonna be burned into crisp." then he hopped down from the window pane and he sat on the other arm chair inside the room.

I regarded Zehel with my curious eyes "Like what Raphael asked earlier that you choose to ignore, are you Azrael's son? Who is your mother?" the last word taste like venom on my mouth.

"He is my--"

Zehel interrupted him "I am one of his Reapers, we worked under him and we treated him as our Father and our leader. Like what that Michael dude is in Heaven." he said casually, leaning back on the chair.

So wait, this Zehel dude is--

"Cas, I know what you are thinking. I did not fornicated with other women and knocked them down to produce Zehel. No. He is my reaper, if the other archangels have their choir I have my reapers and they look up to me like their father." Az explained.

Raphael leaned forward, "Then how are they created? I am sure they are not angels like us. Nor demons because his presence is very different. Not a human either."

Azrael stood up and fixed his bed, then he sat again, "Zehel came from my 'shadows', he wanted to have a chance to walk here and I gave him the chance he wanted. His role on earth is not yet done, and he is brutally murdered when having a crusade. He is a priest by the way."

Raphael and I looked to each other, so Az is this lenient when giving a chance? I don't know if it is fine but still, cannot help to worry.

"I know what you two is thinking, I will let Michael know about my reapers after this mission's done. I did not decide on this alone, Phanuel and Zadkiel knows about this." he looked to Raphael, "Even Gabriel."

I cleared my throat, "What are their purpose? So they are technically dead?"

Az nods, "Yes, they are technically dead. Their purpose is to help me harvest the souls."

"So they have their abilities or what?" Raphael asked

"Yes, they have their own abilities." Azrael stood up again and went to the window.

Zehel, it is a pretty weird name. I wonder what that means.

I almost jumped to my sit when I noticed Zehel standing beside me "My name's meaning is the cutting spirit. I am the one who is cutting the soul's connection to its body." he explained to me. Strange, so they can read minds too?

I still couldn't process everything, even when Az explained it already. So he have his own choir without our knowledge? His kids are pretty chaotic, I wonder who are more chaotic. The seraphim or the reapers?
----
Raphael left us after his work's done, we are still inside the room with Zehel sitting on the corner. You could've mistaken him as an angel because of his looks and the way he carries himself with confidence.

Damn Az for having a bunch of peculiar children.

"Father, Freis said the girl's not waking up for 3 days now." Zehel said, with a grim expression. He scratched the back of his nape and I noticed the strange mark on the back of his palm. What was that?

What? So Alice's soul is not in her body or somewhat like that?

Az's eyes widened in surprise "What do you mean?"

Zehel sighed "I don't know the exact details but Profeis said she is somewhat having a nightmare. Don't worry father, we will try our best to locate her soul."

Az run his hand on his hair, I can see the tension forming up on his system and how he pinned his wings behind him. But I still wonder how this reapers will help us in our situation. No offense, I still didn't trust them.

"I want you to locate her, as soon as possible." Az said to Zehel.

Zehel just nod and he took out a very huge scythe. He tap it on the floor and a huge cloth covered his body and he disappeared in a whim. That's a pretty strange of disappearing unlike us, it makes me wonder what their real form is.

"Come on, Cas. We need to go to her house and check what's really happening."

Oh, Azrael has a lot of explaining to do.
---
Alice

After a few hours of swinging and jumping, I finally see where that "Hatter" is. That's what the caterpillar said to me that I should go.

A very long table with lots of food and drinks. My stomach growled to the sight, indeed I am very famished and that small panacotta didn't helped to my hunger.

I walked towards the "tea party" and there I saw the only person sitting at the head of the table with his enormous top hat and black overcoat. I am still small and I couldn't see what's above the table. But while I was walking, I noticed a bottle similar to the bottle that is inside the room where I came from.

I did not hesitate to reach for it and drink the entire golden liquid. The liquid tastes like champagne and I noticed that my body is getting bigger, but what's more surprising is that the dress that I am wearing is stretchable. It didn't tear into pieces, amazing huh.

"Do you like how that dress fits you?" a singsong masculine voice said. I turned my attention to the speaker and now I was eye to eye to the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

His golden eyes regarded me with full of intelligence, and wait. Is that wings? I wasn't so sure because he leaned back on his chair, somewhat like covering what's behind him.

He gestured for the chair beside him, and I obeyed him, surprised to myself. I don't know but his eyes are so hypnotic and I obeyed him without any questions.

"Have a drink, little Alice." he poured a tea on a tea cup and offered it to me.

There is something else telling me that I shouldn't eat or drink any of the food here on this table, but I am so famished.

"I uh.. By any chance. Do you know how to get out of here?" I did not decline the tea but I did not drink it either. I just let myself savored the sweet smell of chamomile from the drink.

"Hmm... I know the way out of here, but in one condition." he leaned to me, and now I can closely see how handsome he really is and I feel a rush of blood coming up to my face.

I averted my gaze "W-what is it?"

He just smirked and leaned back again "I just want you to eat the food on this table. That simple."

I frowned, there's something wrong in here to be this simple. The food looks so yummy, but I couldn't trust this man easily.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked. I shook my head, there's really something wrong in this place.

I secretly pinched myself to know if I was really dreaming, and blast I did feel the stingy pain on my arm. I did not show that I am pretty alarmed to what was happening. But it seems that he felt my distressed and I could hear him chuckling.

I put on a straight face, "What's funny?"

"It seems that you didn't understand all of this." I am taken aback when his golden eyes became darker, "You are dreaming and this is your nightmare. And now your only ticket to get out of here is to eat these food in front of you."

"Yes, but my parents said I shouldn't eat any food from the strangers. I don't even know who you are." I said, honestly. But there is a dreadful feeling inside my system, I couldn't simply trust this man.

His lips curled down looks like he is about to pout and I almost pucker my lips to his cute gesture. Damn it, I shouldn't let this man swayed me!

Hey, that's right I don't even know his name and what did he say back there?

This is my nightmare? Wow, I didn't know that this 'nightmare' is very colorful and lots of food. Makes me not want to wake up anymore, lol.

He sighed, and fixed his tie "You're right, you don't even know who I am. Let me introduce myself to you, I am Lucifer. The king of Gehenna." and he gave me a sweet smile that I thought I could've had diabetes. Lol again.

But wait, did he said Lucifer? King of what?

My throat suddenly became itchy and I couldn't contain the laughter anymore, I laughed so hard that I even coughed. He is watching me like I'm gone lunatic, but that didn't stop me from laughing like a mental patient.

I wiped the tears from the side of my eyes, "I'm sorry what?" he clenched his jaw and narrowed his 24 karat eyes on me. Like seriously dude, he branded himself as that infamous so called "Light Bearer"? I may not be the most religious person out there, but I am aware who Lucifer is and now this nutcase in front of me branded himself as Lucifer. The "Lucifer".

"What's funny?" he hissed. Oh boy, he looks so livid. But hey, maybe he's the reason why I am becoming nuts in real world and I need this mofo to be out of this dream. Yes, that's right.

"I still couldn't believe that you called yourself such a name. That's fantastic." I chuckled.

He frowned ,"You don't believe me?"

I shrugged "I did not say that, I just couldn't believe the center of my insanity is really a beautiful man. Just like what Alice in Wonderland is right? The center of her insanity is the Hatter and now you are the Hatter in my dreams, so maybe destroying you is the only way out of here."

He scoffed, "Listen here human, I am real and now your soul belongs to Gehenna. Got it?"

I shook my head, still grinning like a maniac. I took the teapot and slammed it to his face. He sure is taken aback to my action but I suddenly feel the fear coming back. I just tried that if ever I hurt him, I might get back to the real world. Lol. What kind of logic is that Alice?

He wiped the tea on his face, and standing up with his full height in front of me. Knocking back his chair on the process, "You are a dead girl walking." his hands are so fast that I winced when he grasped my wrist so tight.

He dragged me up from my seat and I was squirming on his grip. Damn it, maybe he really is that 'Lucifer' and now I infuriate him.

I couldn't believe that the Devil is right here in my nightmare, well that makes sense. This is my nightmare and he is the very center of everything here.

He smirked darkly, "Damn Ose, he should thank me for helping them finishing their task." my eyes widened when his pure white wings is being spread on his back.

Shit, he really is that Lucifer. He really is Lucifer and by infuriating him is one way ticket to death.

He whipped his head to the left and just in time when a very gigantic scythe flew to our direction, making him lose his grip on my wrist. I stumbled and I fell to the ground, while he dodged the scythe completely.

I feel my body shaking in shocked, where the hell did that came from?

The scythe deeply impaled the ground, and I could feel the entire place is shaking. Like there's a small earthquake.

Lucifer pursed his lips into thin line, looking very upset. The scythe left the ground where is being impaled and it flew to the direction where it came from.

I scratch my eyes to see if I was hallucinating.

I could see eighth hooded figures with huge scythes on their hand standing and a black winged man in front of them looking intimidating, while glaring to Lucifer's direction.

But Lucifer regained his composure and smirked to the man's direction.

"Good to see you, Azrael."


A/N: Because I love cliffhangers. :D my reference from this is the anime 07 Ghost. Been inlove with that anime for the longest time huhu.