The End of an Era

Lexianna

     Lexianna sits in her garden. Mulling over the choice before her. Zaak. The oldest being in existence. Even her oldest incarnation is young compared to him. Yet he is beautiful to her. A cosmic force that understands emotion, kindness, and compassion. He is truly unique.
     He has his problems though. After all no one is perfect. As much as Lexianna embodies authority she has reservations on certain aspects of his nature.
     She is The Eternal Lotus. The ever present divine cosmic authority over the natural order, life, and creation itself. She safeguards all galaxies in the universe. She watches over earth and the heavens, both literally and figuratively, with a motherly kindness. Defending the realms against cosmic harbingers of doom and the wicked hordes of hell spawn.
     But even she has a dark side. The Second incarnation created a malicious congregation of dark emotions and thoughts, The Dark Lotus. Each subsequent  incarnation is susceptible to corruption from the Dark Lotus. Cruel beyond measure. And powerful enough to threaten all life on earth.
    Lexianna shook her head as she thought of Lexi. The dear child had never asked for this. The elemental nephilim who dreamed of love and adventure. 
     Lexi has had a harsh life. Being the child of an angel and an Elemental Eldritch made her the target of The Corp of Elites. An enigmatic militant society that "collected" and enslaved beings of great power.
     They tortured her. Cloned her. Caged her like an animal. And killed her father. Lexi was no stranger to the harsh realities of life. But she was also bright. Cheerful. Optimistic and eager to help those in need. Even if it meant fighting. She would kill for her friends without hesitation. But had enough of a heart to fall in love. Yes. Lexi had been quite love stricken. Lexianna gazes up to the tower where Zaak stays. Where she often finds herself. She sighs a long and contentedly deep sigh. Lexi may not be the only one. Lexianna did feel guilty that, on her behalf, Lexi had gotten drawn unceremoniously into even more danger. Unfortunately, neither one had a say in the matter. For some reason this time when Lexianna manifested she wasn't complete. Lexianna's soul was tied and locked away inside of Lexi. The girl had something Lexianna needed. As it turned out, the girl needed Lexianna too. She had a feeling her incompleteness was caused by fluctuations Zaak put reality through. After tampering with it that much, there were bound to be repercussions of some sort. Either way, Lexi had become Lexianna's vessel. 

    In the end the choice and ultimate sacrifice was Lexi's to make. She had to agree to give into Lexianna's soul, to give all of herself so that Lexianna could manifest fully. Lexi would be remade as a part of Lexianna. The girl would be more memory than anything. Lexianna recalls one particular night where she noticed something about Zaak. He always seems so tired. Not physically. But mentally or emotionally. She lie in his bed as he stood at the window gazing out at the endless green fields surrounding the castle. 

     Night had fallen. The stars lit his deep crimson eyes. And in his star lit eyes she saw a terrible gouging sadness. It clung to him like a thick moss. Weighing down his every movement and haunting his every waking thought. In that tender moment she embraced him. Hoping to silence the roar of his misery. And for that moment. It did.

     Yet his weariness persists. And Lexianna cannot always be at his side. As much as she'd like to they are beings of great power and responsibility. Such mantles mean work is never done. Always a threat to extinguish. A world to save. Peace to broker. Or war to wage.
     Lexianna has wondered what she can do to alleviate the weight on his soul. After all he has done so much for so many. He rights the wrongs of all existence yet is plagued by misery and guilt. She thinks back to the incident with the angel brothers.

     At this point Lexianna had not manifested. 

     Mykal had come to Lexi  with tears in his eyes. "Please, you have to help me. He's taken her. He's chained her up and is using a demon relic to control her." Mykal threw himself to his knees and pleaded to her to help.
     "Stand Mykal. The ground is no place for someone of your power." Zaak said appearing instantly. "Tell us everything."
     Mykal explained that his brother Arthur, who he thought was dead, was building an army to conquer heaven. He explained that during the old war with the fallen, they had built Demon Arms. Powerful weapons made specifically to battle angels. One such weapon had been thought lost. The Soulbreak Vice. This "weapon" was a halo of a Seraph that had been corrupted and fed cherub souls. Then bound to the body of an Ophanim Throne. (An ophanim throne is the third highest rank of angel. They appear as a wheel within a wheel with hundreds of eyes lining their rim.)
     As if this horrifying abomination wasn't enough. They attached countless ethereal barbed collars and chains to the spokes. The "shackles" weren't a physical thing. Rather they were spiritual in nature. Reacting to the wish of the wielder they would clasp around the neck of any angel and subjugate their will. Making mindless puppets of all angels in the Second and Third tiers.
     Arthur had stolen it from the vaults of hell. Which he stormed singlehandedly. Cutting a swath of carnage through demons and damned alike. He faced all the most powerful fallen angels and crushed them under heel as if they were no more than insects. Leaving Hell a desolate ruin he went to earth. To find his long lost brother and ask for assistance.
     But Mykal wanted nothing to do with heaven. An incident involving cruel angels and the removal of a young angel's wings ended with Mykal renouncing his angelic title of Dominion. And in an act of defiance and anger he cut the wings from his body and threw them at the feet of the Council of Lordships.
     He, along with a contingent of angels under his command, vanished after these events. Only appearing briefly in the incident with The Corp of Elites.
      Mykal had sought to mend the wings of the young angel Stella. His research, however, revealed that even when an angel is wingless they retain their power. Albeit in a vastly different form.
     An angels wings grant them heavenly jurisdiction and converts their power into Holy Light. When the wings are removed their power is volatile and similar to that of a god. They themselves can alter fate and unravel destiny.
     When an angel losses their wings the shock scars their body and their power is weakened. This, however, is only temporary. Once they heal and become acclimated to the influence their presence has on reality they can dictate the laws of their own existence at a whim.
     For Arthur this means he can choose what does and does not touch him. This may seem trivial. But choosing not to be touched by an enemy would give one a very keen edge in battle. Likewise such an individual could go where they pleased. What use are barriers against a person that chooses not to be hindered by them?
     Arthur came seeking aid. And when Mykal refused Arthur walked over him just as easily as the demons in hell. Arthur enslaved the angels and Angelus Faux (artificial angels) that followed Mykal. Arthur even bound Stella despite pleas from Mykal to spare her. And Arthur left just as quickly as he had come. Taking his new soldiers to seek retribution on Heaven.
      Lexi had to be calmed. She shook with rage and Zaak had to physically restrain her to keep her from bolting to heaven. She was worried about her mother who resided in heaven.
     Zaak wanted to have more people from the group but everyone was out on missions. He cursed under his breath and sighed. Zaak had not been at full power for a while now. Fighting quickly depleted his reserves and left him drained.
     "Alright lets go. But nothing reckless. Let me deal with Arthur." Zaak said seriously. Lexi nodded with an angry pout.