I'm on a role. The world must be ending.

[maderr]

Chapter Six
Violence

"Raphael's going to be pissed with us," Munkar said as he blocked Harut's swing, then sent his scythe singing out in a flash of silver. Shimmering liquid spilt through the air, hissing as it landed on anything living. A splash of it hit Harut in the face, causing the Punished to hiss in pain.

But it didn't slow his attack as he renewed his assault on Munkar.

To the side stood Nakir, grimacing as he took in the damage his brother had just mentioned. "Casualty of war?" He took his own swing at the furious Harut, but the Punished had once excelled at combat and was for the moment staying even with the twins.

"He won't buy that," Munkar swung out again, forcing Harut to retreat or get sliced.

"I suppose not," Nakir ducked a swing, then shifted so that Harut was stuck between them. "That's enough. You're coming with us."

"Not likely!" A voice from above interrupted then, then chaos erupted as two more scimitar joined the fight, Marut dropping down on a startled Nakir - who only just managed to avoid a slice to his neck.

"Might've known you'd show up."

"Harut, it's time to go. I was caught in Sandalphon's home. It's only a matter of time before they find use here."

"So be it," Harut said in dissatisfaction, pressed back to back with his brother, the dark twins grinning maliciously at them. "I hate to go; I was having such fun."

"Leave it," Marut said sternly.

"Ah, don't go." The twins renewed their attack, poisoned blades whistling, curved steel clashing against curved steel. "You haven't yet told us where Azza is," Nakir said between strikes. "Tell us that and we'll treat you kindly."

"You certainly can't treat us worse than you already have!" In a sudden, coordinated move the brothers launched themselves at Munkar, who had not been expecting the combined attack. One of Marut's twin blades sliced his shoulder, slowing him just enough that the brother's could move past him.

Away from the dark twins, they managed the spell enabled them to leave Heaven.

Nakir discarded his scythe and dropped to his knee beside his brother, "That was careless."

"I know," Munkar sat still as his brother healed the wound. "I guess we should have stopped playing and just done the job."

"Whatever. I think it'll be easier to figure things out if we don't have to resort to capture and torture. Given that the last time we imprisoned them is clearly the reason for all of this." Nakir's eyes glowed as he healed his brother's wound, fading as he finished. He pressed a soft kiss to the dark skin visible through torn fabric. "Come on, we'll report to Raziel and then go home for a bit."

Munkar sighed, leaning into his brother for a moment. "Unless they have something else for us to do."

"I don't care. We've been at this nonstop for a while, and I want to check on Ruman myself." Both brothers tensed at the thought of their wounded lover. They rose to their feet, and a moment later lifted back into the air.


*~*~*~*

"What were you thinking, Harut! Taking on both of them. They would have killed you! Or worse."

"I was fine," Harut snarled in reply. "I'm more than capable of handling those brats."

"No, you're not. You know you're not. They were playing with you. I think maybe you lost all your intelligence in that well."

"Whatever." Harut looked away, stiff with anger and, though he'd never admit it, some fear.

"I'm serious," Marut pressed. "First you beat Gabriel, now you're trying to take on Nakir and Munkar?" He shook his head, "I won't always be there to help you, or to cover for you."

"And I don't want you to!" Harut turned back, eyes blazing as he shouted at his brother. "I'll do whatever I want, and neither you nor one of those blasted Righteous is going to stop me. Over a thousand years they left us hanging upside down in that well!"

"Didn't we deserve it?"

"No, we did not. And you know it; don't try to back out on me now, Marut."

Marut sighed, "If you cannot trust anyone else, Harut, at least have some faith in me. You're my brother, I would never let you down."

"I know," Harut said more calmly. "I…I'm sorry. I just didn't like being back in Heaven. And those two are so arrogant; it drives me insane. They have no right."

His brother made no reply, instead reaching out to finger Harut's hair. "We have to try again. We're starting to Fall; pretty soon we won't be able to wander about like this." He looked up through the trees at the stars, and then turned to look out over the field beyond the forest.

And went still.

"Harut…"

"What?" his brother asked irritably, before following Marut's gaze out across the field.

Two figures stood at the far end of it, slowly walking towards them. One had wings. Harut cursed. "How did they find us?"

"That's Israfel, she's the one who found me. I'm not sure who's with her, I fled before I could really see."

"Fuck," Harut swore. "You didn't tell me she was the one you were tangling with. And that's…." he started cursing again. "That's a Demon! Baalbeith, I think."

"That would be correct," Israfel called across the field. In her arms appeared a scimitar much like theirs. Her dress had been exchanged for a long sleeved burgundy shirt and brown pants tucked into low-cut boots of a slightly darker brown. She hefted her sword, and beckoned them with her free hand. "Come, Harut, Marut. There is no call for all this violence. Simply tell us where to find Gabriel and return his Star to us."

Harut sneered, stepping out of cover of the forest. "Why should we do that? Especially as it's now obvious that you have a Star as well? Maybe we were driven off by the black brats, but we can handle you - and the demon."

Smirking in cold amusement, Baalbeith pushed his gold glasses up his nose. "Indeed. But you will not have to worry about me. I seldom lower myself to something so crass as violence. When you are ready to talk, then I will bother myself with you." He flicked his cool gaze to Israfel, "I trust that will not offend?"

Israfel laughed, "Of course not, and I don't need your help anyway. No offense."

"None taken." Baalbeith slid his cool gray eyes to Marut, who had remained silent while his twin raged. His spectacles flashed and shimmered as words moved across them, "Harut and Marut, Punished for challenging god and failing. Hung upside down in the well of Babylon." He smiled, both amused and impressed. "However did you escape?"

Harut sneered at him, "None of your concern!"

"I wasn't talking to you.” Baalbeith returned coldly. "Remain silent."

"How dare you--"

"I dare all I like," the demon interrupted. "You are nothing but a silly runaway. Be. Silent."

Marut glared at his brother, then shifted his attention to the cold demon. "To put it simply, we summoned a Demon. It was sheer luck that it actually worked, because we didn't know the proper spells. I think Rabdos heard us and chose to answer."

"Mmm, I see…how very like Rabdos." Baalbeith nodded approvingly. "I don't suppose you'll give this up? With Lucifer running about the place, you would do better to cease your childishness."

"Never!" Harut said heatedly, putting an abrupt end to the discussion by swinging out at Baalbeith.

His attack was blocked by Israfel, and the two began a heated battle across the field. Their clashing swords and challenging cries shattered the stillness of the early morning.

Baalbeith quirked a brow at Marut, "Is this the part where you attack me?"

Marut shrugged, "I think I'm content to let them work it out." He frowned, "As long as you're not going to try anything."

"Not I," the demon said idly. "I follow the Morningstar's orders, nothing more. And as I said, I have no taste for violence. But tell me - why are you not as…passionate as your brother? Don't you want…whatever it is he's after?"

"I…" Marut hesitated.

Baalbeith's tone was encouraging, conversational. "What's the harm in sharing your motives?"

"I…I simply wanted out of Babylon. I hate being confined. So does Harut. But now that he's free, he's become a bit voracious about what he wants. Revenge has entered the equation now." Guilty Marut looked away, discomfited both by his own words and Baalbeith's storm-cloud eyes.

"How interesting. I guess all that confinement did one of you some good, and the other not."

Marut said nothing, merely watched his brother and Israfel fight.

"So what will you do if Israfel wins?" Baalbeith was watching him intently, thin arms folded across his narrow chest. Only his hair softened the sharp, bony lines of body, soft, dark gray ringlets scattered messily across his head and falling just shy of his gold-rimmed spectacles.

"She won't." Marut smiled, confidence and affection in his voice "These two used to do this all the time. Israfel never wins, though she always comes really close."

"I see." Baalbeith sighed, "I suppose I may have to get involved after all."

"Does this mean I'll have to fight you?"

"Only if you really want. You could just call this whole thing off; it's really quite ridiculous. Why not try being Fallen?"

Marut shook his head, "And be confined to the darkness? No, thank you. I told you - I don't like confinement."

"You'd be surprised," Baalbeith murmured as the combatants drew close to them. He stepped aside, grimacing as Harut's scimitar came too close. He glared at the feisty Punished, "Would you both please cease this? It's getting us nowhere. What is it with angels?" His glare shifted to Israfel, "Can't you just blast him or something?"

"No," Israfel said, panting. "He's not quite Fallen, you know it wouldn't work."

"Never hurts to try."

"Shut up!" Harut said impatiently, shifting his attack to the demon. "It's obvious you never fight, what right have you to criticize? I'd be impressed if you even knew how to hold a sword, Baalbeith. You always were as much of a book monger as Raziel."

Baalbeith narrowed his eyes, "I'd be quiet, if I were you. It's a child indeed that would threaten one of the strongest Demon's in Hell."

"Whatever," with a cry Harut threw off Israfel, ripping a gash in her arm, forcing the angel to drop her sword. He turned back to Baalbeith, "You're next, Demon."

Rolling his eyes, and looking extremely irritated, Baalbeith dodged Harut's swing, dashing forward to catch the man's arm before he could recover. With a quick twist he snapped Harut's wrist, and while the angel cried in pain swung up with his left fist to connect with the angel's face.

Harut crumpled to the ground. Baalbeith grimaced, and looked at Marut. "Take him. Go recover and see if you can't beat some sense into him. I despise violence, and there's only going to be more of it if you lot don't stop." He glared when Marut hesitated, "Go! And pray your brother and the rest of them regain their lost intelligence before Lucifer finds them. Especially if you've hurt Gabriel." He sighed, "I don't suppose you'd show me where Gabriel is? We could end all of this right now."

"I can't," Marut said unhappily. "This isn't just a game to us, even if it is to you."

"Then go." Baalbeith said quietly, "Next time, I won't be so kind."

Marut shook his head and hefted his brother up. He looked at Baalbeith in wordless thanks. The demon turned away in feigned disinterest, kneeling to examine the unconscious Israfel as the brothers vanished.

Comments

[thecookietheory.livejournal.com]

Think you can mebbie push that roll over to Embrace? XD; *is a writter herself and knows this is near to impossible* C'moooonnn.... Y_Y Please? xD;

~Hannah-chan
Erica: *shoves Hannah over to type* She's serectly obsessed with Sixpence.
Hannah: *pulls Erica off her chair* Mine. ButIstillwantEmbrace. ._.;;;

[maderr.livejournal.com]

For that laugh I will force Embrace to cooperate no matter what.

[kiyoshi-chan.livejournal.com]

You're dropping extra 's around, I think. I spotted one or two... Like "brother's" when it should be "brothers", near the front.

[/bitchy]

I skipped school~ :D

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Hrm...I do that a lot. Thanks for catching it, I'll go back and fix'em.

Yay! Skipping.

I seem to have acquired your inability to sleep X_X

[kiyoshi-chan.livejournal.com]

I seem to have acquired your inability to sleep X_X

Oh CRAP. Try drinking warm milk, or something? o_o;

[twilight-angel.livejournal.com]

Very nice, as always. I really, really hope that the next chapter is between the Ruman and his lovers? I hope? *puppy eyes...you can't resist the puppy eyes!*

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Hrmm...probably not seven. I have something else for seven. But I think you'll get the three in eight. Is that soon enough?



And you have a Deathnote icon. That is awesome.

[twilight-angel.livejournal.com]

Eight works for me, considering how fast you're typing these out and all!

Yes, I am now in love with Death Note. That's all your fault, you know. Thanks!