When The Fall Comes

Chapter X

It was as if the atmosphere was choking her. The child could barely sit up straight. In her hands lie the once breathing child who defended their reality from this sickening air. Her teary, brown eyes searched the space, seeing that everyone fell onto their knees. Her eyes soon meet the elite angel's. The grim and fear in his violet hues told Nomed that he knew what was happening. 
Nomed gave a violent cough before squeezing Autumn's corpse as if the little miss was a lifeline without batteries. She wanted to cry, but her muscles could not move. She began to choke on the poisoned air. They were doing so well… so very well… She should have known it was too good to be true. 
You know what to do… 
Nomed jumped as she heard his voice within the inner depths of her mind. She whimpered before she frantically shook her head. Even though she wasn't entirely sure what Azrael meant, deep inside, she had a feeling that she did. 
I can't do it. 
Forgive me … But, I am afraid you have to… 
Nomed sniffed before she looked over at Diaval. The demon, unfortunately, appeared to have finally succumbed to his injuries. Lucky him, the older child thought. Dying right there, before her eyes, in an odd way, was like an act of grace… Of mercy… The child felt her small body move away from the demon and move closer to Feyril. She wasn't surprised that Feyril's eyes continued to stay on her. Nomed felt strange as she grew even closer. It was as if she had suddenly turned into a robot on autopilot. When she drew near the angel's grasp, her new purpose finally dawned onto her. She whimpered as she took Feyril's bracelet off with ease, much to the angel's dismay.  "What are you doing?" the angel had to whisper this as his voice was nearly depleted due to the toxic air. To his surprise, Nomed did not give an answer. She sniffed as she moved over to Autumn and removed her bracelet as well. She knew what she had to do. But, could she muster the strength to do it? There was no argument in her mind. Its only conclusion: only one way to find out… 
The darkness surrounded them before reaching down to grab Nomed. The child stared at armageddon as tears flooded down her face and tainted the floor with her pitiful soul. As she found herself holding the bracelets close, she closed her eyes and began to press her fingers onto the gems of the bracelets. She heard a small crack and felt something warm flow down them. She raised one of her hands, her lifeforce and white liquid flowing down her fingers and decorated her hand. 
With a touch from her hand, the ground quivered and cracked. Agony hit her, Feyril, and everyone else like a freight train. The humans began to cry and scream. All the angel could think was the time one of the realities was destroyed. Something deep inside of Feyril shattered as his mind went to Latis and Raug. The idea that this world was going to be destroyed because he wasn't there. Poor, poor Autumn… She was so young.
For the first time in a long the angel began to cry as he felt himself getting pulled apart. He felt so ashamed, pathetic… An angel like him couldn't save not one, not two, but three people, whose deaths could have been avoided had he been there. He had failed all three of them all because he wasn't there. He couldn't excuse himself, is what he went through his mind. It could have been prevented. It could have. 
He felt something warm as his body grew numb from the pain. This warmth could only belong to one person. 
"Azrael…" 
Feyril felt his pathetic voice leave his sore throat. He embraced the warm touch from his friend as he felt a metallic taste in his mouth. 
"I'm so sorry…"
He heard the voice humming gently. The angel could picture the Caretaker shaking his head. 
You did your best… Rest…
The screams grew louder, but Feyril didn't hear it. It was as if Azrael had covered the elite angel's ears while the blissful atmosphere returned to Feyril. Even though he was losing consciousness, he managed to stay calm. He curled up as if he was going to bed while the world crumbled around them. 
"Will i see you again?"
"Yes you will. You always will."

…

~*~
...

There was a crash, and then there was silence. Black shards fell from the sky and disappeared once the ends touched the invisible ground. A woman with red hair stared at its remains. Her eyes were slightly puffed and the muscles around them were aching. She hugged herself as cloth danced around her.
"Another one, huh…?" She asked softly. She wasn't given a response which was understandable. She spreads her wings and floats around. One of her hands touched a reality. The bracelet on her hand gives a lovely pink hue. "Is there any hope to defeat this thing? I mean, I get that your energies cancel out, so you can't really do anything… But, there has to be more that we can do…" 
This has taught me a few things.
"Like what?" 
The system in place doesn't work. 
She was surprised to hear this. She retracted her hand and followed the golden light. "What do you mean?" 
If the characters are not in sync with themselves, they will be at conflict with one another. So, having a binary-soul for the guardians is inefficient. 
"So, sync up on the go? That does sound like a better idea," said the woman. "We do need everyone in top form. Especially my brother. Um… if he wants to come back to us…"
She heard the Caretaker hum which caused her to fully stop and look at the light.
"There's something else, isn't there?"
Yes.
"What is it?"
Some silence…
I… Need to interact with everyone.
"But, that's risky! Your energies will cancel out!" 
Not in that way. 
The Caretaker paused once again. 
I mean, I need to know what's going on. I need… a herald so to speak. Binary-soul characters won't suit the guardians. But… 
"It may work for you…" said the woman. She pondered about if before smiling. "Well, it is worth the shot. What do we have to lose?" 
Always optimistic, aren't you, Rina?
The woman in question nodded while giggling. "Well, someone has to keep the hopes up. Especially for Azrael's sake," she said. 
You have a point. 
"So… will you pick someone of the dimension?" 
… Perhaps. I am not entirely sure...
Rina tilted her head to the side before staring at a dimension. 
"I have an idea," said Rina. "But, we may need to improvise."