Chapter Three
Sep. 30th, 2004 07:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrChapter Three
The Rebels
The Rebels
"You have to let me go. Please, you just have to." Gabriel's voice was hoarse, weak, but still somehow melodious. Dried blood ran the length of his forehead, and there were nasty bruises on his right eye and left cheek. Dark bruises in the shape of fingerprints marred his pale throat. His mop of gold hair was tangled and matted with more dried blood. On his back his four pearl white wings were broken and limp. Rough rope secured his hands behind his back, and the battered Archangel was curled up in a corner of a room that was lit only by one lamp. There were no windows, and only a single door.
Two figures regarded him with disdain. Both had chestnut hair and hard amber eyes; one kept his hair cut close to his head and was slightly taller than the other, who wore his hair slightly longer. The taller one responded to Gabriel's pleas, "Shut up."
Gabriel ignored the order. "You got what you wanted from me, so I'm begging you - let me go."
"Oh, that was nice," the shorter twin said maliciously. "I don't think I've ever heard an Archangel beg. Do it again, I liked it. Though I guess even you would beg to avoid another thrashing."
"It's not the beatings that concern me," Gabriel said, ragged voice almost desperate sounding. "It's your lives I'm worried about. Harut, Marut, please. I don't want anyone to die. You have to let me go!"
Harut, the taller of the two, responded by backhanding Gabriel hard across his right cheek, "We're not scared of your Archslave brothers. Keep your concern to yourself." The brothers dismissed him, and returned to their tense silence.
"It's not my brothers that concern me..." Gabriel said softly.
Some time later three sharp raps on the door broke the silence. The brothers waited, until a beat later four more raps sounded.
Harut rose and released the seal on the door, opening it to admit a wounded and furious Azza. Long, blue-black hair disheveled, dark violet eyes sparking murder, Azza half stalked, half dragged himself to the couch. Harut and Marut stood over him. "What happened to you?"
"The bastard Recorder caught me. I'd forgotten how sharp his claws could get." Azza winced as he gingerly peeled off what was left of his dark gray shirt. Four long gashes stretched from his right shoulder to just short of his left hip. "Bloody Deaths and their blasted Poison." Careful he touched the tips of fingers to the wound, each one deep and roughly an eight of an inch wide. They bled slowly, and the skin around them was red and angry, somewhat swollen.
"At least it can't kill you, even if it does hurt."
"Hurt? That's putting it mildly. And if he'd gotten in another scratch or two I would be dead." Azza said sourly. "These will take forever to heal. He's going to pay for this once I'm strong again."
"I doubt it's Ruman you'll have to contend with," Gabriel spoke up quietly from his corner. Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him.
"What does that mean?" Azza demanded.
Gabriel just looked at him. "You've been Punished for a long time, Azza. There's a lot you still don't know. Such as the fact that Ruman took two lovers."
"Oh? I should have expected something as bold as that from Ruman. Who?"
"Nakir and Munkar."
The three Punished angels froze; Azza paled. "What! How did that happen? Those three were never more than comrades..."
"Things change."
Azza groaned and buried his face in one hand, "I'm guessing their tempers haven't changed at all. Whoever made them Deaths was stupid. They should have been made Wraths."
Harut and Marut were silent, glaring resentfully at the angel who had dared give them such bad news. Someone rapping on the door prevented whatever they might have said. A pause, and then four more knocks followed it.
Marut admitted Rabdos. The Fallen opened his mouth to say something, but the sight of a wounded Azza distracted him. "Who got you?"
"Ruman."
"You should have been more careful."
"How was I supposed to know that bloody angel would decide that on toward midnight was the prime time to do a bit of extra reading? In Azrael's study, no less."
"You should have been more careful."
"Yes, I know. Shut up." Azza glared at Rabdos with dark violet yes. "Did you get it?"
"No." Rabdos made a face. "I was doing well enough, until Nakir and Munkar crashed the party."
Azza winced at the mention of the black twins.
Rabdos quirked a brow at his expression, but didn't ask for elaboration. He pressed his fingertips to the scratch on his cheek. The bleeding had finally stopped, but he would most likely be left with a scar. Clearly he'd been in Hell too long, if the Poison was able to harm him. He'd have to be more careful. With a soft sigh, he turned to speak with Gabriel.
And went rigid with rage. He whirled back around to confront Harut and Marut, "What did you do to him?"
The brothers frowned. Harut answered, "He was getting mouthy. We put him back in his place."
"YOU FOOLS!" Rabdos lashed out at them, his blows sending them crumpling to their knees. His gray eyes flashed dark silver. "You stupid, stupid fools. Has being Punished addled your brains?" When I said not to hurt him beyond what it took to take the Star, I meant it."
"Calm the fuck down, Rabdos." Azza said with a puzzled frown. "Granted they shouldn't have beaten him, but what's the big deal? It's not like we're aiming to make friends."
Rabdos' glared cowed all three into silence. "Stupid Punished! Why did I suggest Gabriel to you as the one to kidnap?"
"You said his absence wouldn't be immediately noticed," Harut replied, voice faint with pain.
"Yes," Rabdos said icily. "Because they're used to him wandering off for unknown reasons."
"But what reasons?" Marut asked. "You never did tell us."
"Because you didn't need to know!" Rabdos replied sharply. "But maybe it'll knock some sense into you. Gabriel disappears periodically to visit Hell - and his lover who dwells there. I will give you one guess as to who that lover might be."
A beat of silence, and then the brothers made choking sounds. "You can't be serious…" Harut said in a strangled voice.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Rabdos replied. "You three summoned me to help you, and I agreed on the condition that you not do anything stupid. If you weren't aware, just let me make it clear that beating the Morningstar's lover is abjectly stupid." The Fallen Angel looked suddenly weary, though he was still plenty angry. "We were going to have to deal with Lucifer at some point anyway, but if he finds out that not only did we kidnap his lover, but that you beat him and broke his wings, the best you can hope for is a slow death."
"Fuck."
"Brilliant rebels, you are not."
"Hey! How were we supposed to know--"
"You weren't," Rabdos snarled, cutting him off. "That's why you asked for my help, remember?"
"We're sorry," Azza said quietly from the couch. "They're sorry. I guess we all get carried away, now that we're free again and all."
Rabdos sighed, "Hopefully, you've now worked the stupidity out of your system. So no more of it, is that clear?" He glared at the brothers, eyes flashing a warning.
"Sure," Harut said.
"Right," Marut agreed quietly. They were both looking at the floor.
Rabdos ignored them, moving to kneel in front of Gabriel. "Are you all right, Gabe?"
Gabriel smiled faintly, "I'd be better if I had a bit of light to restore my strength and speed the healing, but I'll manage." He paused, then said carefully, "I'm surprised you care, Rabdos."
"I'm not out to kill or grievously harm anyone." He touched his nicked cheek again, "Though Az is going to get a particularly painful thrashing the next time I see him."
Ruefully Gabriel shook his head, "The two of you never could manage to get along. Too much pride on both sides."
"That would seem to be a failing in most angels," Rabdos said.
"I suppose so," Gabriel hesitated a moment. "You have to let me go."
"Sorry, Gabe. You know very well you're our leverage - as well as our chance to those of the Thirteen we don't already know about. I don't suppose you've reconsidered telling us?"
Gabriel shook his head.
Rabdos shrugged and rose to his fee. "Fine." He looked to his cohorts. "I'd be willing to bet that Nakir and Munkar possess Stars." Rabdos barred his teeth at Azza, "I think I'll let you handle them."
Azza groaned in resignation.
Rabdos glanced at the other two. "They probably aren't aware of your escape yet. The Deaths' home will be heavily guarded, so try searching elsewhere. I doubt anyone wrote anything down, but there's got to be some sort of clue or key to the Court of Thirteen somewhere. Search for anything that might help us."
"I still don't see why we can't simply summon more demons to help us search," Harut said sullenly.
It was his brother who responded, "Because if we summon too many, Lucifer and his men will take notice. There can't be many humans capable of summoning demons as strong as Rabdos. Just knock it off, Harut. Lets get going." The brothers departed.
"Nakir and Munkar are going to destroy me," Azza said with a moan.
"I guess you'll be more careful from now on, won't you?" Rabdos said ruthlessly. "Just be lucky you're facing Deaths, not Wraths. Knowing the way the Archangels think, a couple of Uriel's goons possess Stars of Passage. So be grateful it wasn't them you tangled with."
"That's wonderful. Deaths and Wraths to contend with. And, if we're really lucky, a thoroughly pissed Morningstar. I think maybe I should have stayed Punished."
Rabdos sighed again, "I'm going to go exploring. Stay here and heal, and once you're healthy again come and find me - if you can."
"What do you mean, 'if I can'?" Azza frowned.
"Haven't you three noticed?" Rabdos said scornfully. He crossed the room and rubbed strands of Azza's hair between his fingers. The strand he lifted was of a rich, dark brown - but it was sprinkled with several strands of steel gray. "You're fading, becoming Fallen. Right now the three of you might be in some sort of limbo, but all too soon you'll be completely Fallen. Which means you'll be trapped in Hell. Which is why you need to stop being careless and stupid and find those Stars."
Azza cursed, and watched Rabdos depart. He glared halfheartedly at the silent Archangel curled up in the far corner of the room. "Wake me if anything unpleasant starts happening," he muttered before stretching out on the couch and dropping off to sleep.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-30 06:39 am (UTC)I should SO make you write my fic for me. >D
Also, I'm sorry I missed you. T_T I was out for dinner with my parents.
Plus... EEEEEEEEEE, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. *bouncewuuuuuuuuuuuuuubs* (This is Jo-chan high on the angel-slashy EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.)
no subject
Date: 2004-09-30 10:11 am (UTC)Lmao.
I think I'm busy enough writing my own XP
No worries, I figured you were out somewhere.
Hee hee! More to come when I have a chance to do some writing.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-30 03:45 pm (UTC)*drools for more*
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Date: 2004-09-30 07:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-30 10:10 am (UTC)Lol.
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Date: 2004-09-30 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-30 04:45 pm (UTC)Heh, wait 'til I get home and if you're around I'll tell you what I've got planned. Maybe you can help me fine tune how to get from A to Z.
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Date: 2004-09-30 07:04 pm (UTC)please mam, can I help toooooooo?????
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Date: 2004-10-01 10:22 am (UTC)*fangirls*
Thank you.
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Date: 2004-10-03 11:17 am (UTC)*glomps*
^_^ Thank you