Absolution

7: Withered

Azrael

I successfully snuck into the girl's house, odd as it sounds but I don't feel any presence inside.

My grip on the knife's getting tighter, and my heart pounds against my chest. Demons are sneaky shits, who knows that they are just lurking here inside the house.

Primarily Hecate because I just kicked her ass when we're inside that house in the forest, it's natural if she hold a grudge against me.

But she's not the only one, Ose is much vile than her. Since he can inflict insanity to anybody, and that's I should be careful.

I trotted carefully, not making a sound inside this house. Every move's calculated, particularly now since Cassiel's not with me. Damn it, I didn't meant all the words I said to him and now my guilt is eating me.

My body froze when I heard a door creaked open, I instantly hid behind the door to see who it is. Minutes later, a copper head and petite form came out from the room. Walking lifelessly along the corridor, I frowned.

So it means that she's not yet well? Then it is an illusion, they're fooling us.

I walked behind her carefully, but when I took another step that's the moment my heart fell to the floor. Her wrists are bleeding like waterfall, and her eyes are staring vacantly to my face. She looks sickly pale and I noticed how her body's shaking.

I was about to reach for her, when she tried to slash me using a razor blade but I jumped back to avoid it. She keeps on slashing and slashing till the blood from her wrists, splatters all over the place. Even in my face, so the demons are making a move again but this is much aggressive.

The wounds looks fatal that it worries me, she might die of blood loss.

"Alice, calm down." I said, gently. While trying to approach her cautiously. But she slashed me using the blade that caused my palm to bleed.

I winced because of the wound as her eyes are now pitch black and emotionless. But the moment my blood fell on the floor, I feel a sudden dizziness washed over me. Like something's being activated inside the house, I pulled out my knife from my belt and I stabbed my hand again.

I cried out in agony as the archangel blade grazes my flesh, but the dizziness are slowly dissipating.

"Your archangel weapons are such a pain." I lifted my gaze to see Ose standing behind Alice while holding a cane in his hand. "Ah, curious... That reaper of yours is pretty powerful too."

I returned my knife back to my belt "Leave the girl alone, demon. Let's settle this between us, coward." I snarled, flaring my black wings.

I honestly feel weak at the moment, I don't know why but it seems my strength has been sucked out when Cas left me.

Oh God why am I being such an ass to him. I hurt him emotionally and now he left me for good. I am already good as dead and I couldn't stop the tears that is streaming down my face.

I fell to my knees, not because of my wounds but I hurt the most important person to my life. Who lift me up when in my down times, and my light in my shady path?

What have I done?

Cas laughed as he glided with me, "You are so slow, Az.Uriel is much a better flyer than you!" he bumped me on the elbow and now I almost lost my momentum.

I grunt, "I will whip your ass once I caught you." I pinned my wings on my back and I dived down to catch up to him while grinning ear to ear.

Cassiel's laugh is so contagious that I even laughed too as we race in Scotland's luscious forest. His sky blue eyes are twinkling in happiness and I couldn't help but be happy too.

At the end of the day, I won against him and now we are taking a break on the side of a river. We are both grinning and he is fixing the broken feathers in my wings.

"Look at you, you are so dumb for not dodging those leaves." he said while laughing again. I groaned but the smile on my face never leave.

Cassiel laid down above my chest, "I like the rhythm of your heartbeat, it makes me think you are not the Angel of Death. You are full of life."

I run my fingers through his hair, "Just say you never leave me, Cas." He looks up to me, smiling "I won't."

"So you do really love spacing out, Azrael?" the demon's voice are becoming blur in my ears. I feel numb like the the life has been sucked out from me.

I replied, "Just kill me now and get over with it." because my life doesn't matter anymore, without Cas by my side.

He tilt his head to the side, staring at me curiously, "Is it because of love?" he laughed "The formidable Angel of Death is brokenhearted? Oh dear, if you became fallen you will never experience that and all the women will throw themselves at your feet." he offered.

I chuckled bitterly before grabbing my own knife from my belt and I stabbed myself with it. The last thing I've heard is Uriel's voice before the whole darkness swallowed me.
----

"Please tell me he is not dead." my eyelids fluttered as I feel myself awake. But I did not open my eyes yet, because I am afraid to see that he is not the first one I will see.

"Come on, Az. Don't die on us." I recognized the voice, it is Raphael's. So he is here to heal me again? Why can't they leave me be to die?

A hand tapped my cheek, "Dad, please open your eyes. We cannot afford to lose you. Not ever."

My eyes slowly opened and a worry face of Uriel is the first thing I saw, I opened my mouth to speak but there are no words coming out.

"He is awake! Raphael, he is awake!" the healer rushed to his side and placed his palm against my forehead.

He sighed, "He is having a fever."

"B-bring me to Cassiel, please." I croaked as I slowly sitting up. Uriel bit his bottom lip nervously while Raphael let out a heavy sigh.

"Cassiel's been confining his self inside his house. He didn't even attend any archangel meeting, but Kushiel is checking on him from time to time." I balled my fists and fury surged within me.

"K-kushiel?" I hissed. That bastard, what does he want with Cassiel?

I forced myself to stand up, but I winced at the pain from my chest. I gritted my teeth and now I see that my shirt is stained with blood.

Raphael pushes me down back to the bed, "Lay down, Az. You need rest, your wounds are not yet healed. And you almost died because of blood loss."

I tried to push him off away from me, but he is too strong and now I feel my chest are soaking wet because of blood.

"N-no... I need to see Cassiel." I said again.

Uriel and Raphael exchange nervous glances before Uriel answered, "He doesn't want to see you, dad."

My world crashing in but I know better to believe him. But these traitorous tears are back and now they make my eyesight blurry.

My shoulders are shaking as I sobbed while bringing my knees close to my chest.

I feel that Raphael and Uriel left me, when I finally feel that they are not in the area. That's when I decided to sneaked out and wear a fresh change of garbs.

I opened the window and fly away from the house when I was being healed. I fly till my joints are tired while clutching my bleeding chest.

I don't care anymore, as long as I see Cassiel.

I fly past now in Purgatory and I can already see the Gates of Gabriel, a small smile graced on my lips. I landed almost staggering and now all of the angels are looking at me like I've gone lunatic.

While walking I see the sky blue wings that looks so achingly familiar to me and I was about to rush towards where he is standing.

I felt my heart is shattered into pieces as I saw him laughing with Kushiel.

Looking very happy.
---

A/N: *sprinkles salt*