Isn't it Lovely?

Location: The forest
Date: 30th of March 2021
Time: Late afternoon
Outfits:
- Seraphina: Link
- Tatia: Link
Topic for:  @Tien &  @Eden

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She just needed to get out. Get some air, fresh air far away from the city. Her heart ached again, realizing how close she was to the guilt again. The guilt never loosened it's grip from her, but this was different. Here she had been having a good time, with a guy that was great and now she realized how much pain she had caused him. She still was causing him, realizing she had been the one to rip his brother from him and his family. She had been inside their house, laughing with his younger siblings even talked to his parents. But, she was not that person anymore if they found out, she would be the monster, the brutal killer who had murdered their family member. She could feel the energy around her grow unsteady, one of the reasons she had started running. Seraphina had in the beginning not even realized that Tien was following her, it wasn't till they reached the forest that she looked back. "Go away Tien," she cried out and waved out with her hand. She loved her siblings but none of them could possibly begin to understand the guilt she carried. The guilt that already made her crumble. She heard something behind her again and turned around while saying, "I mean it T-" Seraphina opened her eyes as she watched a demon in it's demon form come closer. "Get down," she yelled before used her powers to push the demon back. "Fuck," she mumbled to herself and ran over to Tien. There was more around them, coming in closer. Even if they seemed to be more interested in the light angel rather than the fallen, it didn't really help her settle at all. "Stay back," she warned the demons as if she actually was able to do anything. She could keep them away from herself, but not without pushing Tien away as well.

Tien had been applying nail polish, having a quite good time with the family. She had left the drugs in her hidden compartments and was somewhat sober. She had even been sitting with Seraphina on her lab, while the had been checking out the neighbor boys. Seraphina had already gotten to know them quite well, and showed them to Tien, picture by picture. Tien still didn’t trust herself to go out and meet new people alone, but she had hoped that one day, her and Seraphina could go to the neighbors together.
As Seraphina scrolled down to the next picture, it seemed like she froze. Tien wondered, and tried to look over Seraphina’s shoulder to see what was going on and she saw the R.I.P. text. Before Tien was able to say anything to comfort her sister, she was already out of the door. And Tien had followed as quickly as she could.

She didn’t say a word, all the way that she followed her sister. She simply didn’t know what to say, because she feared that Seraphina would only just disappear again – and that couldn’t happen. Tien wouldn’t allow it! As soon as she was spotted, she was told to leave, but Tien just shook her head. “No,” she protested before she could feel how the dangerous aura seemed to be quite intense. Was there demons somewhere around here? The paranoid hit, and she started to look over her shoulders for answers, while she tried to follow her little sister. Get down! As the turtle Tien was, she had to look towards Seraphina before she could act; this was much too slow and Tien immediately fell to the ground, as if someone had pushed her with all of their might. She could hear how her sister approached her, as she slowly sat up, already feeling how sore her body was. Aching. Her body wasn’t doped for any kind of pain experience. Even though Tien was quite alright, she felt dizzy and her whole body felt like it had been dragged behind a bus. With a dizzy look, she looked around seeing multiple demonforms. “Shit,” she cursed trying to get more or less onto her feet, so she could stand next to Seraphina. She didn’t really think about the fact, that the best tactic would’ve been to be under Seraphina. The ground and Tien’s ability would’ve made it impossible for Tien to take damage towards the ground. Tien also felt quite too busy to call for help on her phone.

Neither of them was used to being in this field, it wasn't like survival skill was a subject at the academy - which most likely would be something she would suggest the board should she get out of here. She didn't have much time, actually they had very limited time before the demons would get to close to them. Quickly she just thought of their mother and shared her vision with her, looking around them, letting her see what Seraphina was seeing, and looked over at Tien as well, so she knew they both were there. Then she blinked letting the connection go away again. Seraphina had used her time since the accident to train her powers more, the worst thing she could do was deny them their existence - it would only make controlling them worse. So, even if she wasn't a skilled fighter or even practiced in that area, it didn't stop her from keeping a protective field of energy around them, pushing away the demons as they got too close. But it was limited how long she could keep doing that, especially with demons in their demon forms. She could already feel the waves of exhaustion starting to tire the power of her pushes, and they got closer and closer.

"Get down," a hoarse voice sounded from their left inside the woods, and Seraphina didn't think twice about jumping to the ground, grapping Tien on the way down. It didn't take long before one of the demons had a knife thrown at him hitting him perfectly in the heart. Seraphina watched the giant return to a human shape, dead. The demons turned their attention to the shapeshifter that had come out to play. "Get the Hell out of here." Tatia yelled at the angels. Seraphina looked around them, more demons seemed to show up from the woods as if they had waited for a party to arrive and just wanted to show up fashionably late.

Tien was used to it. She was used to be thrown around, feeling pain, which the drugs suppressed, and just wishing to get out whole and alive. Something about this situation seemed somewhat more life-threatening, than her usual stunts, or maybe it was the lack of drugs, which made her realize what was actually happening. She felt her heart beating against her chest and felt how her tummy seemed turn upside down. She was scared. The numb feeling that she usually felt was not present. How she wished she wasn’t sober right now also scared her. She had been so used to feel nothing; that actually feeling was scary.

Somehow, Seraphina managed to keep demons away from them, pushing them like if they were a leaf in the wind. Tien did her best no to be in her way of her sister. She felt absolutely in the way and to no use at all. She was just present, being bait for the demons, and giving her sister a much more difficult time to protect herself.

A horse female voice sounded to the left of them, and instead of actually doing like she was told, she turned her head to see who it was. Seraphina on the other hand, was quick to tackle Tien, pulling her down to the ground. Tien once again felt pain spread through her oversensitive body, which made her gasp for air once. Her brown eyes looked in the direction of what seemed to be a savage amazon warrior. As soon as Tien heard the woman yell at them, Tien wished to tell her, that she would, if she could. She sat up, “Let’s go,” she said to her little sister trying to pull her up, unfolding her own purely white wings. She was ready for takeoff if she could get a clear shot.

The white wings only seemed to anger the demons even more, and Tatia wanted what or who had made them so vicious and reckless. Of course, demon nature was for her always reckless but for a while they had acted more like threatened animals - she would know. "Pull does wings back in, or are you trying to get yourself killed," the shapeshifter yelled after the angel. She understood the need to flee and run, and if anything she wanted them both out of here. One thing that would be easier would be to change into her dragon shape, she could burn the entire place down in that form, but it was way to risky especially since she didn't have the intention of hurting the two girls. Her fighting experience was also at its peak in her human shape, it happened after spending over hundreds of years of fighting every single day with out a break. When you life had been about surviving for that long, you stayed aware and it was hard not to go full on those instincts.

Another angelic aura filled up the soon to be battle field the forest was the center of, yet Tatia didn't put her focus away from the demons. One wrong move and things could go awfully wrong. "Mom," the voice sounded like shattered glass in an empty room as Seraphina saw her mother in the battle field. Even that sound made Tatia look to the side for a second, any mother would - even if it wasn't the shapeshifter's child, she reacted for that short amount of time - which was enough time for one of the demons to knock her on the ground.  Tatia managed to kick one of the demons away before jumping back on her feet. She should have brought her sword, and she would have if it hadn't been for her not knowing this was going to happen. "Nice for you to join the party Eden," Tatia chuckled a bit as the red eyes glowed from the wolf in her longing to get out to play.

Seraphina had a tight hold of Tien, but in the end she let go - mostly afraid of hurting Tien in the process, her emotions were all mixed up and her body ached to let the energy she held back out even the ground underneath her was shaking. "Come on," if they could just make it to the tress they could hide there - Seraphina wasn't going to leave here without her mother.

Tien only just got her wings out, when the shapeshifter changed her mind. No wings, but they had to get the hell out of there. She turned to look at the Shapeshifter, “What do you want me to do?” she said with a hoarse voice, letting her wings collect themselves, not pulled away yet. Tien was a live bait and she needed to disappear as soon as possible, before something would happen to her. Both the shapeshifter and Sera stood a better chance of surviving the demons. She was fragile, compared. She couldn’t fight, and she couldn’t push them away with a blink of an eye.

A well-known angelic aura approached and some of the demons was blown away from the newly arrived. Tien turned her eyes to see who it was, but Seraphina was quicker to call the title than Tien. Her little sisters voice muted her, filling her throat with a lump of guilt. She should’ve stopped Seraphina so much earlier and brought her home. Tien should’ve been the grown up, who had calmed her sister down, so she didn’t get hurt. And now they stood in what seemed to be a battlefield, with Seraphina calling on their mother as if every hope for survival was lost before she came. It was hurtful.

The shapeshifter was knocked to the ground but shortly after got to her feet. They knew each other. Who was this savage woman? Tien had held her sister as well as she could, doing her best to let her feel protected and valued. The sisters arm loosened, and she looked down towards her, to see if anything was happening. Without a word, Tien followed her sister towards the trees, keeping an eye out for any demons who would be tempted to approach them.

The shapeshifter watched as Eden ran to make sure that her children were safe. Tatia would after all had done the same, she had been standing in Eden's shoes a few too many times. Neither of those times had any good story to follow. Tatia however, did her best to keep Eden's back clear, but it was difficult when some of them were armed and she wasn't. It didn't stop her however; it had never stopped her before. The shapeshifter could hear the words Eden spoke to her children, it was like Tatia's ears darted into hearing it and it stung her in her heart. Saying goodbye like that, it was to make sure you had said your final words. Every warrior knew what a warriors death looked like, and you had to be willing to sacrifice the things you held dear to keep it safe. She could see the youngest had a hard time letting her mother go, and then the demon came too close.  Tatia could even smell the blood as the blade tore up the angel's back. Despite that it seemed like Eden was handling it, so she wasn't too worried. After all she had seen Eden fight before, she was good.

Totally consumed in the fight she didn't think about the angel's health, you fought to live, or you would die, it was the mentality that had kept Tatia alive all these years. Everything that was a threat towards that, was seen to be dead soon. "There has been quite the trouble in the woods the past months.. They are just pissed .. but so am I," she hissed a little underneath her breath before she changed out of her human shape. The giant wolf merged with its snow-white fur and blood red eyes, ready to jump the first demon on it's way. The wolf had been waiting for this moment to arrive.

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Cecilia had felt odd most of the day. Like something was going on, but she had at first mostly just kept on at work as it was nothing. But it was not nothing. She took a deeper breath in and just let the vision take over her. First it was strange, the forest like a blur - then she heard the scream and her eyes looked around her. Then she saw Eden and a wolf fighting demons. She had seen a demon in it's demon shape before, but she didn't even think about counting how many there was in this setting. She could see how badly Eden was hurt.. The scene made a swift - another scream. She could feel the sadness burn in her eyes. Eden on the ground, the wolf howling in sorrow.. and wasn't that Tien.

She jumped a bit back almost falling into the table behind her. Cecilia moved her hands up to her eyes whipping away the tears that kept running down her cheeks, with a panicked expression she looked around herself. A few people looked oddly at her, and she excused herself and rushed down to the changing room. Her hands shaking uncontrollably, and her heart was running away from her. There was no time to begin worrying about not being fast enough. She needed help. Eden had once before told her if anything were to happen to her, there was one person Cecilia should call upon. Remiel. "Okay here it goes.. Remiel.. I pray you because I'm worried. And you might be my only hope in this matter.. Something bad is going to happen to Eden, I had a vision of her fighting some demons in the woods and I'm afraid she might die." Her voice cracked a little bit, she had to do this. "So, please.. I really hope you hear this. It might be her only chance. Please." She breathed out and let herself fall down to the ground. There was no way Cecilia was going to move till she knew Eden would be okay.
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Seraphina looked at her mother with a pained expression, she wanted to believe there was going to be a good way out of this. However, she wasn't utterly optimistic, and she wished that Laila was here to come with a its going to be fine sentence. Her body felt so heavy watching this happen around her, like everything just tumbled down and all she could do was hold Tien tight and not letting her go. "Mum watch out," she cried out, as she watched the demon behind her mother. But before anything, the demon had forced a sword through the warrior angel's from the back. Seraphina just screamed, having lost the touch of Tien as the scream created one of her energy fields pulling everything around her away from her in a blast. Pushing everything away, even Tien who was the closest to her right now. Even the wolf was pushed slightly away, and had to get up, but the tumble of demons made it easier to bite their heads off before Tatia finally could reach Eden. She quickly changed back, not caring much about the skin she showed. "Eden," she looked quickly up at the crying children before her eyes turned back to the angel on the ground. "You fought well.. it's okay, take it easy," she whispered to her friend. There was no fire here, Tatia wouldn't be able to heal her, there was nothing more she could do.

Seraphina ran out from the hiding and stopped a few steps from the shapeshifter and her mother on the ground. Her lips shivering and she could barely find a way to breathe. "Mum," she sobbed as she lost fell on her knees in front of her mother looking over all the blood and the sword still in her back. It would be stupid to cry removing it. "Do something," she looked up at the shapeshifter. "Do something.. please." Seraphina didn't even dare to touch her mother, she was just sitting there not knowing what to do.

Eden approached them, fighting demons on her way. The almost tightly packed wings along her back, could feel how the hands of a demon was about to grab around her wings, but Eden approached just in time to cut off its head. Her mothers hand wrapped around Tien’s arm, and she was pulled faster towards the hiding spot. It hurt, the grip around her arm, but the adrenaline from the fight reduced the pain, as of now. Tien almost felt like she was thrown into the hiding spot, and she quickly wrapped her arms wound her little sister. Tien nodded, understanding that it was too dangerous for the girls to be out there. Her mother’s words were almost cutting her heart into pieces. Eden wasn’t sure that she would survive this. “I promise,” she yelled back to her mother, even though the lump in her throat made her voice sound trembling.  She would do anything to keep her siblings safe. She had always wanted to be there for them – her methods just hadn’t been proper. “Mom!” she yelled shortly after, as she was pulled back into the fight. Tien made sure to hold tight onto her little sister. She didn’t want her to see this and she tried her best to cover Seraphina’s sight, as Tien saw how Eden’s wing was torn off her back. Her whole body was shaking. Fright and the and the urging feeling of wanting to help. She couldn’t just stand there and watch how her mother was tortured in battle. Eden got to her feet, but she didn’t rest for long, as a demon penetrated her torso with a weapon. Tien was fighting to keep herself quiet. No one could know they were in the hiding spot. They had to stay safe, so Eden wouldn’t have more take care of. It was more than enough to take care of her own back and having two stupid girls running around wouldn’t make it easier. Eden killed the demon and stood on her legs, fighting on.

Everything both went so fast and in slow motion. Suddenly her mother was pierced by a sword from the back and everything seemed to stand still, just until Seraphina screamed. Tien was pushed away from Seraphina, directly into a tree, which caused her lungs to empty themselves for air. She fell to the ground on all fours, gasping for air. Her neck hurt and it felt like she had received an instant headache. She was unable to keep track on what was happening to any of them. As soon as she looked upwards, dizziness hit her, and forced her to look down into the ground. Seraphinas voice seemed more distant, had she left the hiding? Still somewhat unable to breathe, she tried to call Seraphina back, but it was only a wheezing sound that left her, leaving her to gasp for air again. She tried her best to rest somewhat, so she could get more air, until she tried again, screaming, “Sera, get back.” She had to watch over her sister and make sure to keep her safe – She had promised.
After a short while, Tien stumbled upon her legs, swaying around like a drunk towards the savage shapeshifter, sister and mother. As she got closer and closer, she felt how the lump in her throat grew bigger and bigger, making her unable to speak. A small painful sound left her, as she tried to get her sisters attention, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. Seraphina had seen more than enough. If Seraphina gave in, Tien would pull her in for a hug, feeling her heart shatter.

His mind was still awfully clouded. Remiel had no idea of how long he had spent in the little safe oasis that Imera had created for her Veelas. Days came and went and some days he would be awake for no more than a few hours making it hard to track how much time he had spent trying to regain his strength. At least he had stopped vomiting the strange black liquid a few weeks ago and had sincerely hoped that that meant a faster road to recovery. Alas, he had been mistaken. It was painfully, dreadfully long. The only hopefulness in his days were the bright moments where Melian visited him, and they tried going for little walks in the forest surrounding the little oasis. Nature hadn’t changed one bit. Even if he had. The sound of birds helped shoo the bad thoughts away and the smell of spring broke through the cloudy thoughts in his head and secured him a few moments of clarity and peace before the pain returned. It was on one of those little walks he had heard the prayer. The first prayer since it had all happened.
I pray to you because I’m worried and you might be my only hope in this matter.
Even though it hadn’t been sharp, and it had sounded like she was under water, he had immediately recognized her voice. Jezebel. Or Cecilia, of course. Cecilia, yes. Her prayer had made him stumble forwards feeling a sharp pain in his side. At this point he had almost gotten used to the pain in his body, but this was different. So very different.
Imera had taken pity on him, luckily reacting fairly quickly even in his panicked, scattered state and had sent a wave of healing energy through him, boosting his body a little. He had not even surveyed the area where Eden was and had only spent energy on locating her before finally teleporting.
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The most magical boost of energy could only do so much. His teleportation was way off target and as he landed in the dark forest, he stumbled forward gasping for air as he tried to find a tree to steady himself on. He saw stars. Then he heard the scream. The whole forest moved dangerously, and a blast of pressure pushed him hard up against the tree he was holding on to. He was already out of breath from the teleportation and once again had to gasp for air, feeling a strange burn in his lungs as he did so.
“No.” The hoarse whisper pushed a shivering sob through his entire body and the entire atmosphere of the forest shifted drastically. “No!”
He ran.
Whatever elegance Remiel had always possessed was entirely gone. He stumbled through the forest ground, grabbing onto rough bark, blundering through tangled twigs, cutting himself repeatedly as he did so. Nothing stopped him until he reached the clearance. And then everything seemed to stop. The air around them became heavy and humid as the sky clouded up within seconds. Clouded like his head. The low rumble of thunder could faintly be heard. Then, it erupted into a vibrant clash of bright blue lightnings, cracking the sky open above them finally allowing the humidity to turn into rain. A drizzling, heavy, all-consuming rain.
Remy let out a wail, stumbling forwards. Although he couldn’t see her in the midst of the four others as the cradled over her, he knew that it was Eden. A roaring cry of pain as he felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. He ran to them, grabbing onto whichever shoulder he could reach first. A naked shoulder. He was too weak to even push them all away even if that was what he wanted deep inside.
“Let me through,” he begged raucously hoping they would hear his rough voice through the squalling wind that tore through the treetops. He pushed on the shoulder, not caring a single bit about who these people around him were as he finally gained access to her. To his Eden. He fell on his knees and reached for her face.
“Edie.” Her name was overpowered by a loud sob. Once the first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream, leaving wet drops all over her mixing his salty tears with the fresh rain as the water slowly cleansed her body from the dirt and the blood. “No, no, no,” he whimpered, grasping her face feverishly, touching her body to find where the pain came from. It was everywhere. He couldn’t locate it. His powers were to weak and out of his hands and the sky above them trembled with his breath. “The Lord gives sight to the blind,” he prayed through the sobs. Sobs, that he feared would consume his body as he tried to push whatever light he had left in him through to her. Remiel’s entire body glowed ever so slightly in the darkness and without control of anything around him, his ivory white wings pushed out of his back, folding above them to shelter from the heavy stream of waterdrops. He could barely push any words out of his sore throat. “He lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. Do not fear, your Lord God is with you. Do not be dismayed. He – oh please! - He will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with his righteous hand.” The sobs took control of his raspy voice, slurring the last of the verses as he bowed down, grabbing onto her hand and lowering his face to her body; his tears uncontrollably falling from his eyes. Who could he pray to? Who could help? What was he supposed to do?"He will strengthen you. Oh please. He has to." How in this very moment he spited his powers. He spited Samael for making him weak. He spited Lucifer for ever creating evil in this world but most of all he spited that he had not been granted the powers that his brother had. If he had been Raphael he could save her. If only.

Get back, Tien's voice sounded so faint in her head and everything was spinning around her and the pain in her heart just ached more by the second. She barely felt the touch on her shoulder till Tien pulled her in, and she just began to cry uncontrollably while just holding onto Tien - not know what to do with herself. Finally, their mother spoke, but the voice was so weak, and she knew it was a bad sign. This is not your fault, this isn’t anyone’s fault – please remember that, she shook her head as if it were the only thing she was able to do at this moment. "No.. mum.. you will be fine.. you will be fine" she tried to breathe but ended up just gasping for air, before once again just falling into tears. The strong angelic presence made her teary eyes up for a short second. Maybe there was hope out there yet. However, the angel seemed like anything but too weak to do much. Was there really nothing they could do? It wasn't right.

Tatia had noticed him, but it wasn't in her place to do anything but stay here till they wanted her gone. She knew Eden, but she wasn't that close with her, not like the rest of them. But as the air changed around them, she also knew how much it affected him. It started to rain, and she felt the rain like heavy sadness on the entire scene as her green-blue eyes turned to Seraphina and Tien, who cried for their mother. Let me through, she felt the archangel's hand on her shoulder and got up from where she had been sitting. "I'm sorry. Her fight is over," she took a deeper breath in and looked at Eden one last time. "May we meet again," she wrapped her tired blood strained arms around her naked body, looking at them grieving. The rain was falling hard, washing most of the blood out of her hair, away from her skin. Washed everything about but the sorrows that had forced into the skin like a scar. Even if she wanted to go let them grieve alone, the mother in her couldn't anything but sit back down closer to the girls before her gaze met Remiel again. Tatia knew she couldn’t comfort the girls, and it didn’t matter right now, she just wanted to be there for all three of them.

Seraphina looked with teary eyes at the archangel. She assumed Remiel, she had heard a few stories, small stories. Seraphina didn't even notice the movements from the shapeshifter or that she was close by her and Tien. She only looked at Remiel, as she waited for some kind of miracle to happen as he started praying. His wings pushed out above them, as he sheltered them from the rain. The young angel held her breath still watching him as if he was last thing she had to believe in. Seraphina didn't blink she didn't breathe, she just looked at him, trying not to melt down by his sobbing. Wasn't there anything he could do? She breathed out and shook her head once again. "No," she whispered breathlessly and reality kicked in. This was the end. "I can't.. I can't just say goodbye."

Both names were called, and Tien let them approach slightly, while Eden tried to find something to grab onto. Tien let her hands stroke her mother’s arm. Her mothers voice was so low, and Tien was already on her way to accept the fact that her mother wouldn’t be following them home. Her sister started to build up a fake hope. You’ll be fine. It ached in Tien’s heart to hear it, and she pulled her sister slightly closer, to comfort her. Tien didn’t even let a tear escape her eyes, but the corners of her lips, made it clear that she was grieving. She was just present, making sure her sister wouldn’t get too hurt – even though that task was impossible to complete. She had to be there for her. Her own mind was racing with memories, good and bad.

An intense angelic feeling reached them, and she wondered if this was the person who was going to take her mother away forever. Even though the presence of the angel was intimidating, Tien didn’t let her eyes remove themselves from her mother. It was first when he was begging with a sorrow filled voice, that she looked up. The weather was going crazy and resembled the chaos in every mind. Her heart sank even more and let her eyes sought her mother yet again. He seemed completely ruined by the fact that her mother was dying. Her fight is over. She pulled Seraphina closer. Hope was gone. She didn’t think much of the shapeshifters movement but focused on grieving in silence. The way he aggressively, grievingly placed his hands on her mother made Tien nauseous. She wanted him gone. She wanted herself gone. She wished for everyone to be back at home. She wished for everything to be over now, but that wasn’t how the world worked. The angel’s sobbing, begging, and praying made it feel like he had known her mother for a long time; this also made Tien shut her mouth and keep herself from interfering. He obviously had a hope that he could stop what was happening before them.

Tien’s drug-fried brain remembered nothing about him, but maybe her mother and the angel had been connected in some way, before Tien was born. It was a possibility. With that thought, her mind started spiraling about how she never asked about her mother’s youth and how less Tien had expressed to her mother, that she was the most important person in her life. Tien never stood a chance to tell her mother how she felt. This made her eyes look irritated form tear building up in her eyes. She felt how her worlds seemed to be standing on the ledge, teasing her to jump, dancing around like nothing mattered. I can’t just say goodbye, somehow it made Tien’s subconsciousness pull her world back onto safe ground. She looked at her little sister, “W-what?”

"I'm not strong enough to take away the pain," he wailed in frustration, the tears steadily flowing from his eyes. How was he this weak!? How!? He was one of the oldest archangels alive. He was seven-hundred-thousand years old and one of the most powerful beings to exist. For the first time in what felt like eternity he felt utterly weak. He looked to his side, catching onto the naked shapeshifter. It was Tatia. "Blake!" He shouted through the pain. "What did you do?!" He looked back at Eden, his face pale and pained. "I'm not strong enough," he repeated in a broken mutter. He knew it was unfair to blame anyone but his body filled with so much pain and hatred lashed out violently. His best friend and the person he had relied on for so many years was in pain in front of him and he couldn't seem to help her. His aura kept flickering; sometimes making him glow in the dark but others seemingly sucking in the energy around him in hopelessness. As she touched his hair he seemed to shine a little brighter than before; pushing a wave of light from him allowing the rain to still to a soft drizzle. It's okay.
No it wasn't. It wasn't okay.
He lowered himself a little more, allowing her to grab onto his face as his beautiful wings fell down behind him, weakly smeared in the muddy forest-floor. He sobbed loudly as her fingers touched his skin and he felt overwhelmed by the lack of her angelic aura. He had felt it countless times before; that feeling right before a soul left a body.
North star.
Another sob quavered through him and echoed in his voice as it broke hoarsly from the emotions and the hopelessness consuming his mind.
“I only just found you, chaim sheli! נשמה שלי - my soul You can’t leave me already, Edie, please!”
As he spoke those words it dawned on him that it wasn't only him she was leaving behind. My god. She had children. She had many children. For the first time he looked up. His eyes red and puffy from crying and he febrilely took them all in, still clenching onto Eden's cold hands. Their pain and hopelessness hit him like a punch in the stomach. They were her children. Although his body hurt. Although his mind hurt. Although he had never felt such earth-shattering pain in his heart - not even whilst being held captive by Samael. Although he could barely breathe or walk or think; the managed to pull what was left of him together, as he witnessed the two young girls hugging each other as they said goodbye to their mother. How selfish of him. How utterly selfish. "You can't leave them," he whispered.
Her hand fell.

Remiel's bewildered eyes left the mourning girls and feverishly grabbed onto her hand. No, no, no, no. This feeling he knew only too well. Only too well. This time it was so very personal and it threw him off. He knew what he had to do. That was what he had been created for. To seek people out as they went through the pain of leaving the Earth; to give them peace and hope as they did so and to relieve their pain. To prepare them for death. To show them the beauty of their lives and to allow them to realise just how proud they should be of it.
And although he was painfully weak he found a moment of clarity. His wings expanded outwards in a heavy shake to get rid of the mud and dirt it had collected. It blasted a bright flash of angelic light from him, making the treetops sway loudly above them. He managed, thank God, to push the last bit of hope he had left through his hands and into hers, hoping it wasn't too late to reach her. Hoping it was just enough to spark all the happy memories she had from every part of the long life she had lived. He hoped that the light he radiated would be enough so that her daughters saw it too. Saw it with her. Everything. From the excited little girl he had trained with a sword; the flicker of hope and proudness she had felt every time she had beat him. The same annoyance when she had lost in chess repeatedly. The joy she had felt at her first job in the Host amongst the heavenly armies. Every victory. Every love. How she danced with her sword and how she lend her hands to every comrade and soldier. How she was the northern star of ever so many people. He saw Cael. He saw their firstborn. And the next. And the next. He saw a girl dancing ballet. He saw a young kid dancing on the livingroom floor. Felt every moment of proudness.
Remy weeped loudly and without shame knowing how much he would miss her. How much the world would miss her. The unfairness. The years she should have had left. She couldn't leave now! There was too much for her to do. Her children needed her. He needed her. As he felt her soul leaving her body, his light slowly dimmed and his wings fell back in the mud. He had been on his knees, nearly laying over her, but pushed himself up so that he could look up with eyes flashing like the angry lightnings that ripped through the sky.

The injustice hurt worst of all. He had to do something. Her children were watching him. He could not afford to be this weak in front of them. With a roar of emotions - anger, sadness and fear - he shouted at the sky. How could he. Was this Remiel's own fault. Was this what he had to pay. Hadn't he suffered enough for his sins.
"AZRAEL!"  
Remiel knew that it was different when angels died. They wouldn't resurrect like humans did - either in Heaven or in Hell. They simple went back to the nothingness where they had been before their creation. "Azra! Please! We - we. We need to get her to Heaven!"

Tatia looked at Remiel but didn't answer him. There was nothing she could say or do to make this easier on him. Pain of losing a loved one was worse than any torture, worse than anything. Her face didn't show much emotion, even if she did grieve over a fellow warrior - she didn't believe she should mourn her just yet. Right now, that was for the close family to do. All she could do was influence the area around them with courage to stay strong in this intense storm of emotions. One single tear managed to fall from her eyes, as she watched Remiel fall apart. Tatia wished she could do something, but there was nothing she could do here, and it would be too dangerous to move Eden to the pack area. The shapeshifter could even hear how her heartbeat slowed down, it was almost time. Her fight was over. She closed her eyes shortly and took a deeper breath in, wished for more to be done.

Seraphina couldn't breathe it was hard to even try, and the tears ran down her cheeks like a waterfall. Like her tears had no end, the pain had no end. It ached in her stomach as she hung onto her sister's embrace. She waited for this nightmare to be over, to just wake up. Everything around them just felt so hopeless, like a void of nothingness. Seraphina felt fatigued from the crying from feeling so heartbroken. Her red eyes looked shortly at the shapeshifter, this stranger who had not done enough to save her mother - but the only one she could blame was herself. She had been the one running out here. She was the one being reckless and wanting to be alone, not thinking about her actions. She shook her head a little bit of all the pain she had caused the family. Seraphina watched the hand fall to the ground, and it was like her own heart stopped beating. The young angel held her breath. Once again Remiel's wings expanded and she breathed out again, still waiting, still hoping for some kind of miracle would happen. She closed her eyes for a second by the light reaching her, even if it turned her skin slightly it didn't matter.
She saw it. It didn't feel much different than when she showed people what she could see, other than this time it was reversed. It wasn't her showing something. A small smile reached Seraphina's lips, as the tears ran silently down her cheeks. She was seeing her mother in a totally different light; Seraphina had never known this story. She wished she had. It was a long time since Seraphina had been capable of seeing the good things, holding on to any good memory. And just as the light had been there, it was replaced with angry lightning from and frustration. The sadness returned, as the exhaled. It was impossible not to hear Remiel yell a name out loud, Azrael.

Azra! Please! He had heard his name the first time it was called. It was a long time since any of his siblings had called upon him. He couldn't recall the last time or if Remiel ever had called upon him with such hopelessness to his voice. He didn't think twice and teleported to the location, in a big bright light almost enough to settle the intense atmosphere around them with his calm presence. The grief hit him right in his soul, but he took it in and walked closer. He placed a hand on his brother's tired shoulder. His dear brother looked exhausted enough at it was, and he could tell it wasn't just from the grief - but he knew he could get that story another day. Azrael disliked strongly seeing beautiful souls getting wasted, it was one of the reasons he back in the day had healed souls from Hell to get them to Heaven - till he was caught. Angels didn't have the same chance; their souls would become a part of the night sky. Azrael could hold her soul for a while, not letting it vanish into nothingness. He could get the soul to Heaven, but he looked at the shocked children sitting there. One of them fallen - grief didn't discriminate between species, it didn't care it just took. But could he leave two grieving children, of course there was the shapeshifter sitting close to it all - but he didn't know what role that person had in this. The fallen angel wouldn't be able to follow them to Heaven.

He walked over to the two girls and sat down in front of them and looked at them. His entire aura was calming, it was why was created, to make it easier for people who had lost someone to be in the hurt. "We will take her to Heaven.  She is in good hands, okay?" His words soft-spoken, as he looked at them before looking shortly at the shapeshifter. Then Remiel had his full attention. "Are you ready? Let's get her home." He stood up back up letting his wings unfold from his back in a divine light, letting a burst of his calm essence surround them as he bend down to to lift Eden up in his arms. With one arm under her bruised and scared back and the other under her knees. He turned his gaze to Remiel, "hold on."

Seraphina looked at the Azrael, taking their mother to Heaven seemed so strange to say and yet. It seemed like to be where she would want to go, she could argue against that, or she could - but she already felt selfish enough as it was. "Goodbye mum," she whispered underneath her breath, she didn't move. She was scared to move, scared that if she made any movement she would cause the area around them to explode.

Tien wished for the comfort of her mother, the way she treated the angel. A mother’s touch on her skin, to calm her, to reassure her, that even though she wasn’t going to be present anymore, everything would be okay. Everything would be sorted out. The greedy angel looked up at them, and Tien simply wasn’t pleased with how he was hovering over her mother, even if they were friends. He included them by mentioning their presence. He didn’t want her to leave them. It felt like her heart stopped beating. Everything stopped.

If Tien had the power, she would tie her mother’s soul to her body. She would never let her mother die and yet, here she had only caused problems, standing in the way, making the demons angrier and been in the way for everyone. If she hadn’t been there, she was sure that Seraphina would’ve left with no problem and their mother would’ve never been there. It was all Tien’s fault. Her mother was dead because of her stupid presence. She was never to any good use and only caused more and more problems to the family. She started to spiral through all of her problems, which all tied to Judas. She wished she had never met him. Her life would’ve been completely different. She knew – or believed - that she had been a reason why Seraphina had developed the behavior she had. If Tien had been calm and collected all of her life, as she would’ve been if she hadn’t met Judas, Seraphina wouldn’t be a fallen angel, her parents wouldn’t be split, and they would all be living happily together. Tien was the root of every problem to the Nelson family.

Eden’s hand fell to the ground. It is over. There was no hope. She tried to keep herself collected, making her lips quiver. I’m so sorry mum. It’s all my fault. Her grieving brain had already forgotten her mother’s words about not blaming anyone. It wasn’t the truth.
Though everyone else saw the memories of her mother's mind, Tien saw nothing, but how the angel sat with her mother. It was a hollow silence and she knew that there was something she wasn't a part of, since everyone seemed to shut their mouths for once. It was almost as if all of them were paralyzed by something – something good, the way her little sister seemed to get a small smile on her lips. She felt how her body felt more and more cold, as if it penetrated her skin, seeking in to freeze her heart. While everyone seemed occupied with whatever they saw, she wanted to see her mother close by, but she also knew that it would break her hard shell. She stood still.
The angel’s wings collapsed again, and the rain could pour onto her skin. The angel suddenly shouted at the sky, which caused Tien to tighten the grip around her sister as if it would protect her from the shouting. Tien was shocked by the sudden begging for help. Shivers ran down her spine. It only lasted a second, before a calming, overwhelming aura filled the forest – but she didn’t feel it at all. It felt like something that put pressure on her whole body but didn’t really seem to get anywhere.
The newly arrived angel approached and told them what he was going to do. He was taking her to heaven. Tien could follow, but she definitely couldn’t leave her sister standing alone in the forest with this naked shapeshifter lady. “Okay,” she said under her breath, agreeing to the plan. She was in good hands. He seemed like the most trustworthy person she had ever met. He simply just seemed calm all over. He was collected. He turned around and shortly after lifted her mother into her arms and heard how her sister said goodbye to their mother. “Goodbye,” she said, almost so quietly that it would be silenced by the rain.

As soon as the little forest clearing got lit up by Azrael's light Remiel felt... Nothing. Empty. The thunder stopped immediately as his brother's and found his shoulder and everything around them went remarkably quiet. Almost dull. The echoes of the thunder still rang for his ears and a broken sob pushed its way through his throat. Azrael had heard him. He finally let go of Eden's hand to feverishly and wholly panicked reach out to his brother, craving whichever sort of reassuring contact he could get.
He grabbed onto him convulsively as though in a cramp reacting nearly spasmodically. He couldn't breathe. "We have to - We - We have to save her, Azra!"
He knew it was too late, of course he knew. But if anyone could help it would be his brother. Right?
He felt nothing again as Azrael let go of him, meekly releasing his cramp-like grip on his hand to allow him to go to the girls. Being the bigger man. Putting them before himself. Things Remiel wished he had the strength to do. But everything hurt so much and so heavily and so all consuming that he couldn't think of anything except the pain.
"I'm sorry," he whimpered through the numbness that was taking over his mind. "I'm sorry." His bewildered eyes went to the two girls - the two daughters. They both looked so much like her. Especially the brunette. It hurt even more to know that he was too weak right now to help them. He couldn't even help himself. He remembered their names. Her children. Laila. Tien. Seraphina. He remembered the softly spoken words she had used to describe them - the pride she had had in everything they had done. Even the fallen one. Seraphina. His face twisted into another pained sob. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't - I couldn't help her. I couldn't." He wished with all of his heart, all of his essence, all of his being that he could have done more.

Let's get her home.
The world was still for a second. Quiet, calm and collected. It made sense. Home. Home was where she belonged. He wanted deeply for her children to come but knew that the fallen one wouldn't enter. He had to find a solution for that, he told himself. Seraphina had to be able to visit her mother when she needed to. Somehow. He would make it happen, he promised.
Then doubt flickered in him and he looked at his brother. The majestic wings and the bright light that Remiel had had before everything - before the goddamned corrupting liquid his body was fighting to survive.
Remiel knew he couldn't fly. He couldn't teleport for the life of him without harming himself. For the first time in his life he was happy that someone else took control.
He sent one look behind him at the girls and found the eyes of Tatia Blake. An old acquaintance that he had just mistreated most terribly. "I'm sorry," he told her. Then he was consumed by light.

Seraphina looked over at Remiel as he whimpered, and she held her breath for a while, letting her silent tears just run down over her cheeks. She had lost her words, it was like she barely even knew how to handle whatever pain that just spread in her body. She couldn't even point out where the hurt was coming from, it was everywhere. Her heart torn into pieces; she couldn't even begin to think how anything would ever be okay again. She couldn't even figure out if she should try to speak or keep silent, no words seemed to be able to escape her lips. So, she watched the other angel pick up her mum, and the tears came heavier this time. Even if they said home, then home was where she couldn't go. She would never see her mum again. Seraphina followed Remiel's gaze towards the shapeshifter that remained in the background but gave the archangel a little nod.

Then both the angels were consumed by light, and they were gone. Completely gone. Seraphina looked around and got up on her feet. It was almost if she didn't believe what had been happening. Her green eyes looked around the battlefield. Demons on the ground, dead, weapons on the ground after a slaughter... all the blood, a few feathers on the ground. She could barely stand on her feet, and as she walked around it looked like she could fall anytime.

The shapeshifter didn't do much. How could she? There was nothing Tatia could do or say to ease their pain, and who were they to trust someone who they had just seen go off killing people. Tatia watched the youngest walk around trying to make sense of it all. Tatia didn't even know where they lived, and she wasn't sure they even would agree if she asked them to follow her to the pack. She could call someone - if she had a phone on her, but who would she call? She didn't know enough people in this town.

Even though Tien clearly heard the words of the angel, she didn’t look at him. She was focusing on her mother and tried her best to remember everything about her. Tien hadn’t been the lucky one to be reminded of every memory like the others, and therefore had to count on her semi-fried brain. It was difficult, and she was certain some memories would pop into her mind eventually. Tien kept her embrace around her sister, not wanting to let go of her, and trying to give her some kind of comfort. Tien could even feel as Seraphina’s tears ran down Seraphina’s cheek and onto Tien’s arm.

With a beam of light, the angels and their mother was gone. Somehow everything seemed to get lighter and less tense, since Tien was able to look around and actually see the chaos, they stood in. Seraphina got to her feet and started walking mindlessly around, looking like someone who had no control of their legs. “Sera?” she whispered, trying to stop her sister with her voice. Tien would be dead if Seraphina ran off on her watch. Tien got to her feet, feeling week in the muscles for a couple of seconds, and tried to follow Seraphina. If she got far enough, she would grab Seraphina’s arm and pull her close into an embrace. It didn’t even feel like Tien’s heart was beathing. “We should go home,” she whispered towards her sister’s forehead. She really hoped that they could head straight home, and Seraphina wouldn’t run away, like she had done earlier the same day. She prayed that they could fly home, because then the trip would be as long as if they just walked. Tein didn’t take notice of the shapeshifter lady. She was just present.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to explode with everything that was build up inside her. Why would her mother leave her behind like that? How could the world just turn out like this, it wasn't fair. She knew she had screwed up, she knew she had failed everyone, but this wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Seraphina didn't even hear Tien call for her, but just felt her sister pull her back into her embrace. We should go home those words echoed in her ears, but it seemed like the only thing they could do. She didn't say a thing, but took a step back, and gave her sister a small nod. Seraphina hadn't showed her dark wings to any in the family, she was too ashamed of them - but it would be the fastes way to get home. She didn't want to be here anymore. So she folded the raven black wings out, she still recalled the memory of the feathers turning from white to black. But right now, she didn't even have the energy to care or think about it. Seraphina pushed off with her feet and started flying home with Tien.

As soon as they were home she pulled her wings back, and just walked inside. The home, the entire space felt so empty and cold. How could all warmth be sucked out of a house, just like that? Seraphina still said nothing, but just walked upstairs to her bedroom and stood in the middle of the room for a few seconds. Till her legs no longer was strong enough to hold her and she just fell to the ground. Every inch of her body was hurting. She just fell to the ground, not moving, but starring blankly into the wall. There was no need to get comfortable, she felt like nothing would make her feel comfortable anyways. She felt empty inside. She felt the nothingness sneak up on her again.

A nod. They were going home. As soon as she saw Seraphinas black wings Tien unfolded her own. It was no pleasant sight to see black wings on an angel. Had it been a banshee had the story been completely different. But this was her sister. Her baby sister. Pure, holy, and golden. She didn’t deserve the pain she had been getting lately. She was too good for this world and all the pain and evil that floured in it.
Tien glanced over at the shapeshifter, “Thank you,” she said almost too low to be heard. Off they went, and soon they would be long gone from the crime scene, leaving the shapeshifter all alone.

Both feet on the ground Tien looked at the wet ground. She had to tell Zadkiel. He’d know what to do. She looked up at Seraphina who was already on her way inside. She chose to follow her, just behind her, until she could see that Seraphina went into her room. Tien found her phone and looked towards Seraphina’s room. “I’ll be right outside,” she said, not paying much attention to what her sister was doing in her room. Tien then went to the nearest bookshelf and found a hidden ziplockbag and stuck it into her pocket before she started to find Zadkiels number on her phone. She heard how her sister fell to the ground, and once again, it felt like her heart stopped. She turned around and rushed to Seraphina’s room, only to find her laying on the floor. Had she passed out? Tien went into Seraphina’s room, to notice how she was still breathing. That was a relieve. She squatted down to her sister. “Let’s get you into your bed,” she whispered and started to try and get her sister to sit up, so Tien could lift her and carry her somewhat awkward into her bed. Seraphina shouldn’t be laying on the cold hard floor.

If everything went easily enough, Tien would leave her sister to go outside and call Zadkiel.