Syn’s POV

The war could break out at any given moment and my commander was mingling in some dark corner with my adviser. I wouldn’t say I was too surprised by the outcome, but what I was truly surprised about was the fact that it was Shads who was being the Casanova instead of me. Why was I the one to seek the solution for the ‘winter is coming’ situation? Was I truly that afraid of the outcome? Had I become cautious?

Bloody hell.

I had. I didn’t want to sacrifice another being over this meaningless beef I had with my father. Over the years I had learned to look at the whole thing a tad differently from my followers. All I wanted was to live peacefully. He had his beloved Silver City with his followers, I had... this human infested planet called Earth. Maybe that was what he was so fed up about? That I had claimed his creation as mine, that I didn’t remain in Hell like a good lad.

But why would I? I wasn’t one of his angels. I wasn’t going to blindly follow his lead.

Instead... I was sitting all hunchback over the glass desk in the library of my house, trying to up my game with the Drakorian symbol’s in God’s journal. It was a more than three hundred pages symbols and script only a madman was capable of reading and what was I trying to do? Translate the fuckery. How was it going? Well... I had partly translated those first five pages of his, resulting into more than fifty pages of English in my journal.

This was going to be a long night.

My head raised to the sound of intrusion. Who the fuck was stupid enough to break in my library? The angel. Teek. I swear I’m seeing shit. There’s an angel who’s having a sort of victory dance in my fucking library. Gates... the Drakorian has fried your brain. Was I really willing to see her so bad that I actually started hallucinating? In the oddest way possible?

I fell back in the leather chair, a chuckle escaping me. The angel stopped in her tracks and looked at me like a deer in headlights. Hell, I’m not hallucinating. She’s actually here... Why?

„You just couldn’t stay away, could you?” I grinned. What now my sweet little angel? It seemed nobody had told her not to poke the beast.

„I... I’m- I...” She stuttered her way through the night, making me shake my head as I laughed. She stopped and dragged a deep breath, „I’m here for the books.” She finally managed to get out with a small nod.

„The books?” My eyebrows rose as an amused expression took over my face. „Are you... certain?” Hell, people had come to me with the most bizarre requests and even willing to sell their souls for them – why would I need a filthy little soul if it’s gonna turn up in Hell one way or the other? But never has anyone come banging at my door and demanding for books.

„Yes... I’m certain.”

„I’m afraid I don’t have Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, but... I do, however, have a playroom,” I winked as I smirked. Tempest took a few slow steps forward, eyeing the large bookcases surrounding the room. Really? Books? I rested my forearms on the glass surface as I followed her with my eyes. „Is there something specific you’re looking for?”

„Yes.” She said as she stopped by one of the bookcases, her finger drawing over the backs of some ancient books.

„Can I know what is it?” I raised an eyebrow. Something she’s looking for and I have it? That was highly unlikely.

„N-no...” I could barely catch the answer. She turned to look over her shoulder at me, before she pulled out a book from the shelf. „I’ll tell you after I find it.”

„Okay then.” I shrugged, returning to the translation nightmare on my desk. After a couple of minutes she flunked down in the armchair across from me, holding four different books. Demonology, The Book of Enoch and two of my older journals.

I tried my best to leave her alone and ignore the fact that she’s going through my thoughts, my observations and my regrets since she’s paging through my journal at the moment. Why would she feel the need? I was honestly afraid of what she’d stumble upon in those.

„I was meaning to ask you...” She seemed to be struggling with a Shakespeare-esk dilemma – to ask or not to ask. I raised my eyes from the book I had in front of me to look at her and see her with a small frown etched into her features.

„Shoot.” I said, before I wrote the translation from God’s journal down onto my own.

„What happened all those years back?” She leaned forwards in her seat, showing the genuine interest in the matter. What had she found in the journal?

„Which specific era interests you?” I cocked an eyebrow. What on Earth was she talking about? Many things had happened throughout the years, she had to be more specific if she truly wanted the answer to her question.

„Era?” She asked all confused, shifting in her place. „I’m asking about you and... Pandora.” Oh so... that’s what she found in the journal. Or at least a fragment of it, ‘cause I know I didn’t document what actually happened.

„What about it?” I pulled my brows together, dropping the pen over my journal as I leaned back in the chair.

„Well...” Her eyes lowered to the book she was holding in her lap, before she put a lost strand of hair behind her ear. „Correct me if I’m wrong, but she was your right hand? You even claimed her your commander...” Her eyes fixed on something in the book, „It says here, and I quote ‘Pandora would never fail me and therefor she will command the infernal legions from this day until the end of time’—„

„I know what it says,” I interrupted her, before continuing, „And I did.” I agreed with a nod of my head. Why the sudden interest in the matter? What’s done – done. Me and Pandora aren’t on speaking terms anymore. My eyes not even once trailed away from Tempest’s beautiful face as I wagered with myself, before I finally spoke, „It’s not a fun story, you sure you want to hear it?”

„I don’t care.” She shot out, her eyes meeting mine. Why did she feel the need to know? And more importantly, why did I feel the will to tell her? „I just... need to know who I can trust. Please...”

„Okay, but, please, don’t judge me before you’ve heard the whole story.” I squinted my eyes on her, before I took a deep breath, „It was the day of the final battle. The one which would decide which side had won... I damn well knew I couldn’t win a war without casualties, I had counted on losing at least eighty percent of the fallen’s who were fighting for me, but never in my worst nightmares had I imagined losing my commander. And the war.”

„She had to be back by now...” Remiel paced around my office, shotgunning yet another glass of wine, before he took the decanter and after a few long chugs emptied it dry too. „Something’s wrong...”

„Relax... a war is not won in one day,” I tried reasoning, but deep down in the pit of my stomach I knew something was off.

„SHE HAD TO BE BACK!” He turned around and roared, his glare shooting daggers at me. I should’t have let her go alone, I should’ve gone with her. My fingers ran through my hair as a heavy sigh rolled over my lips, before the decanter Remiel was holding had a shattering impact with the nearest wall. „You shouldn’t have sent her alone...”

„Heaven is empty... The majority of angels are dead...” I explained, brushing my hands over my face. „Only archangels remain... Everything’s fine,” I said as if trying to calm him down, when in fact I was trying to calm myself. What if our calculations were wrong? What if the angels who we killed were only a third of what God had actually prepared for the war? If that’s the case then Pandora’s not coming back.

„What if you’re wrong?” His hands landed on the surface of my desk, before he leaned over, glaring at me.

The double doors of my office flung open as if somebody had kicked them open, forcing us both to look at the intruder. It was an angel. One of the old ones. One from our time. Astaroth. And he was holding a body. It was hard to say who was the one he was holding since his wings shielded most of the body, leaving only a loosily hanging arm to our vision.

„The war is over.” He declared. It was quite obvious who had one, if an angel was standing in my doorway. I couldn’t even describe the sea of emotions which ran through me at that single moment. We had lost... I had lost. Fucking Hell...

„Fuck me...” Remiel mused pushing himself off the desk as he turned around, his shoulders tensing. I had no idea why the angel was here, led alone who the fuck he had brought with him. I stood up from my seat and walked further.

My jawline tensed and my fists clenched as I glared at the angel. „And your reason for being here is...?” I bet I would’ve found out that we lost the war even without this pesky worm declaring their victory. The right question was- how the fuck did we lose? We had overpowered them, so what the hell?

Astaroth just stood there, his bright purple eyes narrowed on me, before his wings dispersed into a cloud of light, revealing the person he was holding. „I thought you’d want her back.”

„Fucking hell...” I mused right as Remiel dropped to his knees besides me.

„Is she...” He whispered in desparation as I walked closer only to see her skin glowing. I looked up at Astaroth with wide eyes, before my attention shifted back to Pandora. I touched her cheek and it instantly lit up underneath my fingers. She radiated a warm light. She wasn’t dead. Far from it.

„What did you do to her?!” I roared as Astaroth walked past me and set her down on the loveseat by the wall and the shattered decanter. „I asked you a goddamn question!”

„I heard you.” He shot me a quick look over his shoulder. „She met God.”

„God?” To say I was taken back was an understatement. My eyes fixed on the golden ends of her hair.

„And what? She decided she wants to serve Heaven and begged God onto her knees for him to change her?” Remiel had finally gotten to his feet and now was glaring at Astaroth. The theory seemed a bit ridiculous, knowing I had branded Pandora.

„You’re the angel of wisdom, you tell me.” Oh so this is going to be a bloody cock fight? I didn’t have time for this! My commander is glowing for fuck sake!

„Don’t play smart, angel.” I warned, before I continued, „What exactly happened?”

„She was supposed to cease to exist,” Astaroth started, shifting his gaze to Pandora, „The celestial light of God was supposed to disperse her to all seven Hells. The view was gruesome. The light tore down her skin, but... it grew back in a rapid speed, trapping the celestial light underneath it.”

„The fucking light is inside her?” Remiel’s jaw dropped open. Well, that explained the glowing.

„What does that fucking mean?” I questioned, trying to stay calm and avoid killing the bastard standing in front of me. I did owe him a thank you for bringing my commander back after all.

„It means either the light will kill her eventually – which will be a long and painful death, knowing she heals faster than most of us- or the light is going to wipe out the demonic energy of her.” Astaroth’s shoulders twitched. „I lean more to the first option.”

„We have to get it out...” Remiel demanded. No shit we have to get it out! Pull yourself together!

„How?” I questioned running my hands over head. „You want to tear off her skin? If that’s so – be my guest.”

„You should act fast,” Astaroth implied, „If the light gets to her heart and starts running through her veins, she’s as good as... let’s say gone, since I don’t know if it will turn her or kill her.”

„Samael, what other option do we have?” He took me by my shoulders, piercing deep into my eyes. Are you fucking mad, man? „You know I care for her, but now I speak as your adviser. What happens when an angel has power over the infernal legions?”

What on Earth was he--- oh. I closed my eyes and sighed. He was right. Fuck, fuck, fuck! We HAD to cut her open. Shit...

I took a deep breath as I walked back to my desk. „Get her to the chamber at the end of the hall...” I sat back down, pulling the drawer open. I raised my eyes to see both Astaroth and Remiel simply staring at me. Were they not speaking the language? I told them to fucking move! „Now!” I yelled, hitting my palm against the surface of the desk.

Surprisingly they obeyed and a single minute later I was left alone in my office. I was simply staring at the dagger laying in the drawer. I had to cut her fucking open... By then I wasn’t just angry, no... I was fucking furious and the result of it? Everything that sat on my desk was shoved off it.

„Always the sore loser, Samael,” A familiar voice sounded from the doorway. Michael. What the fuck was with these angels today? Had they forgotten where they’re fucking at? This was Hell! This was MY fucking home!

„If you don’t want a dagger between your pretty blues, I suggest you fucking leave,” I hissed, my hand reaching for the dagger in the drawer. The guy just grinned! He fucking grinned. Was God sure his place was in Heaven and not in one of my lovely torture chambers?

„I’m here on God’s order,” He walked in the office, inspecting each of the paintings I had on the walls. „There’s something important he wants to tell you.”

„If DAD has something to say to me, he could come down here himself.” I leaned back in the chair, squinting my eyes on him as I twirled the dagger between my fingers. „I promise I won’t bite.” The corners of my lips shot up in a fake smile.

„And who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor,” Michael shook his head, an amused smile mirroring on his face, „He did in fact create you.” One more word and I swear I’ll forget he’s my brother, „Anyway, it’s about the freak of nature dear Astaroth brought here.”

„I suggest you choose your words wisely, brother.” I warned, the smirk disappearing from my face.

„Am I wrong?” His eyebrow arched as his glance fixed on me. „You took an immortal human and turned her into a demon. As if that wasn’t enough – you put a pair of angel wings on her. Now tell me, what exactly does that make her?”

„My fucking commander.” I hissed through bitten teeth as I leaned forward.

A cheerful grin pulled at his lips, „For now.”

„Thread carefully, Michael.”

„I believe that our dear Astaroth has already informed you on how this all will end for you, if you try to save her.” For me? „Oh he hasn’t? Well then, trust me when I say this, brother, if your commander lives as the creation you’ve made her into, I’ll take the dagger you’re holding right now and I will end you. God’s order.” He sneered, „Hundreds of fallen angels will die because you decided to disobey once again. And even if you succeed at what you’re about to do and there’s no trace of celestial light inside of the girl AND you cut off the wings, she is damned for half of a millennium in one of your torture chambers.”

„Sorry... brother...” The word had such distaste, it felt like the worst profanity I had ever tasted on my tongue, „Neither of you have any power over Hell. So you can go and shove your threats and orders in the place where sun doesn’t shine.”

„Samael, why so rude?” He frowned, „Look, I do believe you are powerful, but... You can not command your legions yourself, so what happens when each archangel comes for you? You lost the war the moment you decided to send your commander to Heaven. You have to pay the price for it.”

„Oh my god...” Tempest whispered, covering her mouth with her hands right after. Well, I warned her. She said she could take it and it would help with her judgement so I did in fact tell her the truth, but it seemed angels didn’t like hearing the truth. That was the single reason why I was proclaimed the devil and all my followers are now called demons although there’s nothing actually demonic about them. Hollywood has really lost the meaning in translation. „You locked her away...”

„Tempest?” I smiled sweetly at her. „You told you’re not going to judge, before you heard the whole story.”

Her hands lowered to her lap and she nodded. „Okay. I promise I won’t interrupt you. Sorry.”

„Good,” I said softly, „I did not lock Pandora away, however... what I did to her was probably even worse. I don’t know, haven’t asked her if she even remembers the whole ordeal...” I trailed away in thought, zoning out on some book in the shelf, before I shook my head – shaking myself out of the memories, „I... I did in fact tear off her skin... I broke her bones, I bled her dry because the light had taken over her cardiovascular system, but... she lived through it.”

„You... saved her...” Tempest mused. Yeah, I wish.

„Sometimes I think that’s the worst thing I could’ve done... I remained with her for six days... six days she laid with her head in my lap... six fucking days I watched her die a little bit more on the inside.” I was starting to get angry... at myself. I truly had abandoned her... shit. This was the exact reason why I didn’t reminisce. Never did like tearing open old wounds.

„What happened next?” You know what they say – curiosity killed the cat, Teek.

Right then and there I got a lump in my throat. I felt guilty because I knew I was left powerless as soon as I left Pandora alone in the torture chamber. It was inactive while I was there and I swear I had intended to be gone for less than five minutes, but as soon as I returned – the chamber was sealed off. With a Heavenly seal.

„Syn?” Her voice was quiet and her stare – cautious.

I sighed heavily, „God imprisoned her.”

„God?” Her eyebrows shot up. She didn’t believe me. Well, I may have chosen the wrong words for addressing the matter, but did it actually matter anymore? I believe not. She will believe what she chose and I could tell whatever I wanted – that’s not going to change her thoughts on me, since in Heaven they call me the devil and that’s what I’ll remain to these blind followers of God.

Actually... I needed this. I needed to fall for the angel to understand how wrong we were for each other.

For a moment I studied her carefully. It actually sickened me. She didn’t know anything, although the will of learning something about, well... the existence of things per say, did pleasantly surprise me, but... She didn’t believe anything I told her. I could see it in her eyes. She was still a firm believer of God and the mighty light that could turn all fallen back to Him. Funny fact – no light would ever make them go back to Heaven. It’s their choice – I respect it, unlike some other.

Here’s what you should know about me – I have never lied throughout my entire existence nor do I intend to. And neither me nor my followers were the first to attack Heaven. I wasn’t cast out of Heaven, I left on my own terms in search of our own Eden, for which God banned me and the rest of the fallen from entering heaven. Quite frankly – I didn’t want to return. And the upcoming war? I could see why the fallen would like to attack the Silver City, but I didn’t. My dad would never change, he was a pretty special breed of fucked in the head and if you’d held the Bible in your hands with a clear head on your shoulders, you should know where I’m coming from. All I ever wanted was to free my brothers and sisters from the chains of slavery my father held them in. The slavery also known as ignorance.

Too bad the angels liked living in ignorance and blindly obeying a fucking dick.

Tempest was still expectantly gazing upon me. I stood up from my seat. „I’m sorry... We’ll have to continue this story telling some other day, princess.” I sent her an apologetic smile. „Suddenly I feel like drowning in a barrel of whiskey.”

„B-but—„ She was about to push herself up from the armchair to which I simply held up my hand.

„You don’t need to leave. All these books you see here – they’re yours to read.” A corner of my mouth raised, „If you get tired, you can claim my room, I promise I will be a good pup and won’t disturb you.” My eyes trailed down to her lips and for a moment I gambled with the thought of kissing her. Of... kissing an angel. His puppet. A puppet which he had deliberately put in my way, knowing I would get obsessed with the thought of saving at least a single spirit from his mighty claws.

Instead my hand rested on her shoulder in a gentle squeeze.

I took a deep breath, before exhaling heavily, „Such a shame you’re an angel, Enepsigos.”

Notes