I was so, so angry! I couldn't remember a time on earth or from above when I'd been so upset!
We were fellow Angels! His own kind!
And he would treat us as replaceable pawns!?
If we died here, we were gone for good! Didn't he understand that!? We didn't get an afterlife, we just disappeared! Forever!
If he was so worried about the humans, he should be even more so about his own kind! What if we could be redeemed in the eyes of our Father? What if we could and every one of us lost is pointless? The humans had second chances, so why couldn't we? I had to believe we did, especially for the sake of Ashlandil and our child.
Iriel disgusted me.
And I wanted to destroy him!
I clenched my fists, breathing heavily, my emotions overwhelming. All I wanted to do was scream and burn this place to the ground, to let my anger take control of me and destroy this place!
But I couldn't.
Ashlandil was right, I had to think about the baby and we didn't know how going dark would affect it.
So I couldn't.
I couldn't risk it.
I didn't miss the look of relief on everyone's faces as I calmed down, my hands going protectively to my stomach.
No one was touching this child.
Especially not someone like Iriel.
"I'll kill you if I ever see you again," I spoke softly, my eyes on the angel turned priest. "And I won't hesitate."
The look on his face told me he understood.
"You wield hellfire," he murmured, clasping his hands slowly in front of him, looking solemn.
Obviously.
I frowned as I saw the sad look overcome his face, and he started to just shake his head.
"Hellfire is that of a powerful demon," he said slowly, letting his hands swing by his sides. "There has been only one other and he killed thousands of innocent human beings."
I wasn't a demon!
I wish he'd stop saying that!
"I'm not a demon, Iriel, no more then you are!"
"All Fallen are demons," he responded resolutely. "All of us. We fell because we were selfish and lost sight of our purpose, and being here is our curse now. And your child..... It will be the end of us all."
I rolled my eyes.
I was done here.
I didn't want to hear another awful word from his mouth.
I just wanted to go home.
I felt Ashlans hand close over mine, as if he knew I needed comfort and was ready to give it. He squeezed my fingers, pulling me back slightly so he was angled in front of me again, his face and body tense.
He still expected a fight.
Surely not after they knew what I could do ---!
No!
I gasped in surprise as Cronus suddenly slammed into Ashlandil, the both of them tumbling to the side and smashing into the hard concrete floor. I staggered back a step, and then started forward, my hands curling into the material of Cronus shirt as I attempted to pull him off Ashlandil.
God he was heavy!
"Get off him!" I hissed, bracing my feet against the floor. Cronus growled at me, those black veins pulsing around his eyes as he slung his arm back, catching me across the chest. I gasped as I hit the floor, sliding several feet before crashing into a beam --- fuck!
Ow!
My shoulder protested immediately, and I clenched my jaw, trying not to groan as I forced myself up, my hair straggling in front of my eyes.
I heard Ashlandil give a furious shout, and then another loud boom before I could even look over. Cronus was on his back on the concrete, it cracked and broken where Ashlandil had slammed him so hard. I watched as Ashlandil held him down with a snarl, his eyes a deep red, and I could see his teeth, long and sharp as his jaw grew larger; he even had horns!
i stared at his fingers, seeing the nails sharpen into daggers, his hand raised high above his head as he held Cronus down by the throat easily, despite the famed strength he was supposed to have.
Being older apparently did have its perks.
I scrambled quickly to my feet, seeing Iriel just standing idly by, watching the two of them fight like it was some kind of sport and not to the death.
How could he claim to be so good when he was letting such evil happen?
He was the real demon, not us!
"You know this could all be avoided," Iriel said when he noticed me glaring at him. "Just let me terminate the baby and all of us can go back to our normal lives."
"I'll kill you first!" I spat, clenching my fists. Doing so sent that hot, jarring pain all the way up my to my shoulder, reminding me that minutes before my arm had been broken. Going dark had healed me somewhat, but it still hurt.
It shouldn't even be a fight!
No one should be getting hurt!
All this over a child!
An innocent!
All because of hatred and fear!
I wouldn't let Iriel do this, I wouldn't let Cronus or Seraphine or anyone hurt the people I love anymore!
I was done!
I would protect them!
"Kenali, if I must forfeit your existence in order to save humanity, damn me but I will do so. There is much more at stake then your emotions and those around you. What are a few deaths compared to all of humanity's?" Iriel asked me, apparently trying to get me to see reason.
I stared at him for a few moments, my throat tightening.
Everything.
Those few lives meant everything.
I looked down at my hands, seeing them covered in black dust, barely able to hear Ashlandil and Cronus in the background, fighting each other only to save the life of someone they care about.
It shouldn't be this way.
Cronus was doing this for his son.
Ashlandil was doing this for me.
It wasn't because either of them actually wanted too.
It was because of Iriel.
And Seraphine.
I should have finished her.
Next time I wouldn't be so merciful.
My eyes returned to Iriel and his calm stance.
I wouldn't be merciful with him.

Notes

Because the chapter is a short one, here you go!