Chapter 16

The last night...

Gabriel sighed washing the small cloth out in the sink filled with bloody water.

His healing energies helped him less and less by then. All the depression... Can archangels have depression at all..? They probably can as he was sure his twin was bipolar and couldn't channel and focus his own bitterness in a healthy way.

Gabriel sank down next to the wall and as he was sitting there on the floor just staring at the cracked tiles of the opposite wall, he felt that numbing emptiness again.

He was about to end all this. And he did not feel anything. And that started to make him sad. What did he become? He was the one who loved life the most. Even earthly life. He kept a lot of secrets even from his brother Michael.

Michael loved him… He knew that always. But he wanted the love of their Father more. To be a good son. Make him proud… 

When all was gone Gabriel became the center and target of all the whirlwind of emotions. Still he stayed. Because Michael loved him… Because he owed that to Michael for all the times he had left... Because Michael always reminded him when he had chosen mankind over his own twin not once…

Not even realizing in his own self-searching, Gabriel tapped into one of his basic skills. Sending what he felt to be the truth and important to others to know in a form of a dream.

Gabriel was the closest to Lucifer. And Michael felt his twin betrayed all of them by knowing about the Morning Star and the Seraph’s affection for each other. Maybe he was a traitor... He was created to be the guardian of truth. Michael was able to follow the "truth" which was told him. Gabriel felt the real truth of things.

And he felt that it was true that Michael loved him... and needed him. Even more so as the center of his adoration and existence was gone. Maybe he, Gabriel was the defect... After all, they were created to exist for their Father's will.

Michael was always sorry and loving with him after losing his temper and calling Gabriel things and punishing him for his betrayal. And the once independent angel became more and more of the slave of that temper. He will end it as the sun comes up... Michael truly became the passive-aggressive copy of their Father. Not fully there yet... But Gabriel couldn't let his twin fully become someone fueled by such powers. And he couldn't let himself and his spirit get broken. Not even by his beloved twin brother…

All the flashing up memories of the war in heaven. Lucifer and Samael's Fall, all his memories that led him where he was swept into the dream of the ones he was thinking of facing the coming day.

"Non Serviam, brother of mine..." he whispered into the dawn, his closing eyelids finally helping that single tear drop to roll down on his face to bring relief in his decision.

Further away before the first rays of the sunrise licked along the peaceful land of Sanctuary, the tall Nephilim rolled onto his back with a quiet moan. 

He was having the best dream of being surrounded by half-naked painted biiig warriors of Pandemonium. One bigger than the other, which made him feel so tiny and fragile. That unknown concept which seemed to have piqued his interest ever since he saw Azmodan working out in his back garden…

Now he was on the verge of a heart attack as the faceless muscular demons came closer and reached out to touch him, murmuring dirty promises that shot right down to his groin.

But then he suddenly saw Lucifer and Samael hiding away in an unknown place to steal quick kisses. The strange thing was that he saw that through the eyes of someone else... Then a big war, the previous pair falling from the Heavens, flashes and echoing bits of conversations about betrayal, love, plans of world domination... Fires and screams and death. So much death and pain brought down on Earth by them...

The faster the pictures flashed up in front of his eyes, the more Jim tossed in their bed. The deeper he felt the desperation and sadness was pulling him down. Right until he remembered that it was a dream and he suddenly sat up.

"Gabriel!" he yelled in that moment, tears running down on his face to disappear in his bushy beard. His whole body was covered in cold sweat and trembled uncontrollably, that deep sadness sitting heavily on Jim's wide shoulders as he buried his face in his hands and cried.

Paolo was sitting up at once. Sniffing as he also shared Gabriel's message of a dream, like they all probably did. He pulled his pair into his arms and spread his golden wings to cover the taller body too.

"He made a decision. He will be free. It's okay Jim... You will face them today," he whispered to the Nephilim and kept caressing him, fighting his own stirred up emotions too.

"That's not helping," Jim chuckled hoarsely and sniffed, wiping his nose with the back of his hand then hid in his pair and under the beloved golden wings. He could feel their healing warm glow already, soothing his stirred up soul and emotions a bit.

"I... never would've thought that I would feel so sorry for one of our enemies, but I do. Now I understand... that he made a decision... Corey... he must have felt similar before he..." Jim trailed off and swallowed hard, letting a few more tears escape his mismatched eyes. "I... Is it okay that... I'm scared?" he whispered barely audible.

"Heeeeyy... Your Corey made the decision to help you evolve into what you meant to be. That was his purpose he had found. And he chose to be always a part of you. He had visited me and Vega, you know… To help him heal up. And we all know he never suffered like... like how Gabriel does," Paolo said in a voice that left no options to argue and pressed small kisses on his man's hiding face. "Being scared is normal. It means you feel the importance of what is coming and what is your role in it. But fear cannot have power over you. You are stronger, Jim. And what about all those huuuuuge demons… huh?" He giggled trying to lighten up the mood. "I start to think you evolved so much I’m not your type anymore..."

"I know it was different for him... I mean... he must have thought back on all the memories and times we had spent together. Sorry," he sighed, knowing that usually it wasn't cool to talk about your ex to your current pair. But Jim knew Paolo understood as the circumstances in which Jim had kinda lost Corey were special in his case. Still it hurt deep down as there was no real closure there or a choice for Jim. But he had learned to respect Corey's choice and also learned to live with that sacrifice.

Maybe Gabriel's dream made him all nostalgic and sentimental too. But of course, he could count on his mate now too.

"Yes, I feel the importance of it and don't worry, I won't let that fear take a hold of me. After all, I have a huge role in saving the world, or something," he chuckled and then groaned cutely into Paolo's neck, perhaps hiding his suddenly burning cheeks there. Then suddenly pulled back with wide mismatched eyes. "Don't be silly! You're my mate. You'll always be my type! I'm just... Dunno... Is this normal? I mean... I never felt attracted to... It's so... confusing..." he trailed off again, face turning even redder as he looked away a bit shyly. "Does it bother you?"

Paolo stared at his pair with his eyes getting wider and wider and by the time Jim asked the last question, the angel burst into a fit of giggles.

"You are so fucking adorable... Like a school girl. All innocent and sure then BAM. Big bad demon boys make you all messed up," he laughed wholeheartedly. "You have a crush on the powerful demons. That's normal. Even if it's something new for you. After all... Azmodan is a very fine specimen of both the Pandemonium warriors AND the Earthly Nephilim race. It's normal you have... a weaknesses for such. So... a whole bunch of those on top of poor little Jimbo, huh? We are connected, remember?" Paolo flashed a dirty grin at Jim as a reminder that he knew exactly what his pair dreamed of.

"Oh shut up!" Jim giggled playfully slapping Paolo's shoulder. By then he was red as a tomato and felt a bit embarrassed. "You cannot blame me for developing a new kink then!" he grinned back at his mate. "Yeah... a whole bunch... Don't say they weren't hot! You'd love that too, I know you, Mr. Wise Golden Angel!" he poked Paolo's chest with his long index finger then suddenly rolled on top of him.

"I know how much you love our size difference..." he grinned down at him, feeling a bit more confident. "Frankly, I'm still shocked that you didn't fuck with Azmodan in the past. How can that be?" he tilted his head to the side a bit while sneakily starting to rub himself against Paolo.

To be honest, being so close to his pair with the golden wings around them was so good right now as it was already the dawn of the day when they will go to war. And who knows what the future holds for them? Jim definitely wanted to enjoy every moment he could spend with his pair before they will have to part ways to go to their different assigned places. They will be apart for most of the fight, so yeah...

Paolo giggled some more and crossed his legs around Jim's hips, moaning approvingly to the rubbing.

"Yeah they were hot. You have a great imagination. And Azmodan is crazy about Samael... And had spent most of his time in their own little world and fully devoting himself to be a family demon, so to say, alongside Samael and Lucifer and to be with the kids. So... that's that," he shrugged pulling his nails down along the long naked back. "Now you must become one with me before we leave this peaceful place behind forever…" he whispered on a serious tone and pulled Jim down to him for a deep kiss.

***

Jim was shifting from one long leg to the other, already in the leather armor which the Gods have given him as a present a while back. His mask was not on yet, though.

He could feel Paolo's amusement and light giggling in his head from the way Jim was acting, but he couldn't help it. He was nervous because of the upcoming battle and also excited to see Azmodan's half-brother, Inferno – wondering if he was really bigger than his brother and Jim.

Soon enough they spotted a stranger and they watched him walking closer with some heavy-looking bag on his shoulder and a strange spear adorned with colorful feathers under its pointy tip in the other hand.

The man had nearly waist-long strawberry blond straight hair, impressive muscles and some intense blue eyes, which seemed to glow even stronger from that war paint. The demon also had a strong presence. Of course, that all made Jim go weak in the knees and blush like a school girl.

He didn't even mind the light elbow in his side and Paolo's giggle, a hint to step forward and greet the demon. "It's... khm... Greetings. You must be Inferno, Azmodan's brother. It's nice to meet you. I'm Jim. You probably know my pair, Paolo..." he sputtered, forcing his blue and golden eyes to focus on the demon's face and not on his muscles.

By then Azmodan walked up to Paolo too and folding his arms in front of his chest watched the scene amused just like the angel.

The red-haired warrior scoffed. "Yeah, I know Paolo. Nice to meet ya. I'm Patryk," he winked patting Jim’s shoulder and bowed to Azmodan.

"He is the… uhmmm… page boy of ours. Or more like my brother's," the giddy demon explained.

"Yeah, Inferno is bigger," Paolo added by then laughing loudly on Jim's face as they could see the huge warrior with dark blond long hair walk through the portal and tower over Jim's figure.

Jim was quite embarrassed by then and wanted to say something witty to Paolo and Azmodan, but Patryk's shoulder pat froze him into place at first, then his eyes widened as he looked up at the real Inferno.

"Damn, you are tall and bigger indeed..." he blurted out in clear awe, like someone who wasn't used to be the smaller one in a group.

Suddenly all those hot pictures of being surrounded by the Pandemonium warriors made a comeback in his mind and he giggled feeling all giddy and blushy all over again as he found his eyes going back to the blue-eyed "page boy". It was so on the tip of his tongue to ask if it was true in these demons' case too that the page boy gets fucked by his master, but he bit his tongue hard for a change. He has embarrassed himself enough already.

"And you are a full-blooded awakened Nephilim. Very nice…" Inferno offered a hand, knowing that everyone knew about their origins.

"He does, yeah." That was Paolo bursting out laughing and answering Jim's page boy question.

"You will get used to us being bigger. Don't worry," Inferno added with a reassuring little smile as he sized up Jim with his small grey eyes and powers.

Jim made a small dying-like sound from his pair's reply then tried to focus on shaking hands with Inferno. Not that the huge demon's remark with the double meaning helped on his situation.

Or the short scene when he stepped back and turned sideways and saw Patryk bending down for the bag of weapons, Inferno slapping the well-shaped ass to completely kill Jim off.

"Shut up..." he grunted rolling his eyes at his by then non-stop giggling or grinning pair. "Can we like... move this along?" he asked on a tiny desperate voice as concentrating on their real task became quite the challenge to him by then.

"Yes we should," Christos said as the Trinity arrived. The groups designed to fight lined up and Brent and Paolo called some of their legions over. The war demon brothers were standing before them with their servant.

"Now you'll see what a powerful war God is about," Seth smirked at Jim as the Pandemonium trio changed.

Azmodan and Inferno to their half-demon selves Jim could see on the War God before. The full-blooded Pandemonium demon transformed into a gore red devil. Black goat hooves, gore red skin, wings and big curved horns, a playfully swishing tail with an arrow-shaped ending. His ginger hair and little beard stayed the same, eyes glowing in full sky blue without pupils and all the ash-like war paint fading from his face and skin as he flashed an all sharp teeth grin at Jim with a naughty wink.

Azmodan started to chant in his low voice and his dark powers left his being and like a fog of energies covered the warriors, giving them extra strength and skills.

Meanwhile the attacking angels could be heard arriving with a horde of the infected once human beings.

"Is your pair okay?" Brent whispered to Paolo seeing the Nephilim staring at the transforming trio with his mouth hanging open and frozen to the spot once again.

"Oh he will be..." Paolo giggled and winked at his co-war chief and kept enjoying the show for a little while longer.

Indeed, Jim couldn't stop staring. And while Azmodan's powers felt... massive as fuck and made the Nephilim's skin break out in goose bumps all over, his eyes stayed glued on the gore-red creature so shocked that he even forgot to blush from that wink. He's never seen a full-blooded Pandemonium demon in his life and the sight was just... completely mind-blowing to him.

"If you finished with the eye-fucking..." Azmodan's deep rumbling voice came, looking from Jim to Patryk, he nodded towards the direction from where the attack could be heard, the angels and possessed ones trying to break through the magical barrier of the gods. "You two with me," he said to the other two demons then he didn't have to say anything else as Brent and Paolo nodded in union.

The golden angel quickly grabbed Jim's nape and pulled him down for a quick kiss. "Make me proud then you can play..." he winked at his pair then joined their kiddos and the others led by the demon trio, their earth-shaking battle cry echoing through the land.

All the groups headed to their tasks and places.

"Come on, Jim… The demons can't play with you now," Christos grumbled pulling the still frozen man towards the portal. Mick was already passing through and waiting for them beside Samael and Lucifer.

"So what's up back there?" Samael asked on his cheerful tone but his face reflected how nervous he was.

"Jim has a crush on Patryk," Mick giggled, pushing the Nephilim playfully closer to the others.

That made Lucifer chuckle low right away – maybe as a way to relieve some of his own tension too. His eyes were a little bit red and puffy, but otherwise looked like his normal self despite the slight nervousness he shared with his pair. "We can't blame him, he's a sight for the sore eye..."

"It seems the family is getting even bigger..." Samael giggled with a dirty grin too.

And that was just too much for Jim for one day. It also felt like his cheeks seemed to remember how to blush hard as he turned around to look at the inside of the more or less in tact cathedral. "Can we rather fight or something?!"

"They are coming, don't worry…" Christos said calmly as he also looked over the old building.

It was once an ancient Greek temple, but as Christianity took over it was rebuild. The columns and floral decorations still held the memory of the ancient gods.

"This place was sainted to Michael. See the fresco?" Samael said to trail off a bit too and pointed up at the main painting. Michael in his golden armor and flaming sword defeating the serpent in the Garden of Eden to banish it.

"You are the bait for him to come out and face us…" Mick stated quietly to the seraph who nodded.

"Gabriel made a decision. It's not the best one, but it will spring things into action," Christos added looking at Jim.

Jim looked up at the painting too, knowing that the serpent was a symbol for Samael. He also remembered that there was an everlasting tension and hate between those two. Feeling Christos' gaze on him, the Nephilim looked at him getting more and more nervous as he made his sword materialize in his hand, mask ready to be placed over his face.

He could sense them in the distance, yes. They were coming closer fast. The twins...

Jim swallowed hard from that and let his eyes shine up – one in blue, the other in a golden light. "I'm nervous about killing Michael..." he mumbled as it was logical that that's why Samael was there as the bait, right?

"You're not gonna kill Michael. We are helping Gabriel," Christos said but couldn't add anything more as Michael stormed in, flying through the slapped open double door, followed by his gloomy-looking twin.

"You traitor! I have defeated you once, you don't have a chance against us!" Michael gritted thought his teeth. His eyes shining with a maniac rage which only the sight and powers of the Nephilim paused.

The angels landed on their feet, their swords in their hands and were sizing up the opposite group standing under the colored mosaic window, just like some holy light the colored shining onto their forms.

"You are just a kid still crying after a very bad father," Samael growled pulling out the flaming sword and raising it up.

"What the??? How come it has the flames? You knew that, right? You should've brought it back to me!" Michael turned to Gabriel and his power pushed his twin to his knees.

Lucifer gripped onto his own weapon from that, but he knew this was going according to their plan. Even if he didn't like it…

"I have the sword, yes. Come and take it, Mickey…" Samael wiggled the blade and made Michael attack him.

Not playing fair as always, suddenly to the sound of clashing blades a few higher angels dived into the temple and within minutes everyone was fighting.

Both Mick and Jim had their masks on by the time the twins arrived so their eyes were glowing from behind it as they released more of their powers. They were standing more or less back to back, fighting back the waves of the flying and attacking angels.

As Mick's blue lightning sent an angel propelling through the air and breaking a few benches in half from the impact, Jim pulled his wings out and protected his side from a sneaky cut with one.

Lucifer was up in the air, elegantly fighting three hissing and quite pissed angels. They couldn't seem to be able to get close enough to cut him and that made them more and more reckless. To their demise as one after the other landed dead on the floor while the minutes passed by. Of course, he kept his eye on his pair, who seemed to start enjoying that he could use more and more of his power now.

"That's all you've got, Mickey?! You've grown soft during the years," Samael giggled loud and mockingly to rile up Michael even more and keep his attention on him.

Meanwhile Jim just pushed a few angels back with his shock wave and cut one that tried to attack from above. He was starting to sweat and pant behind his mask and took a moment to catch his breath.

That's when he instinctively raised his blade to stop Gabriel's. The shock was evident in the mismatched eyes as he didn't expect the archangel to attack him with such a force. "What are you doing? Please..." he started but was cut off by another strike.

"It has to be done," Gabriel whispered and struck another attack at Jim.

Michael was slowly but surely drawn farther away from them and Christos pushed Mick towards the middle of the battle too.

Gabriel kept his eyes locked on the mismatched ones and kept clashing his sword with the Nephilim. "Use your power in the sword," he said with a hit from above toward Jim as he saw the green light getting stronger in the magical sword, but not quite strong yet to kill an archangel…

Jim wanted to scream no, to protest, but he was too busy guarding himself and striking back to push the archangel back. He had noticed that Gabriel wasn't really protecting himself and let the Nephilim blade leave cuts on him here and there.

But by then he had realized what Christos' words meant. And whom he had to kill that day. He understood that dream from last night better too as everything fell into place.

It was Gabriel's decision. His last wish... He could see it in the sad bloodshot eyes with the huge dark circles under them. He spotted the bruises which didn't get there from their fight. He felt the angel's sorrow and also the peace he had made with his choice...

That and the helplessness of the situation and the weight this task has put on his shoulders made Jim's power bubble up and sizzle around him, making the air hard to breathe and boil like from a mirage over the desert sand. The sword in his hand started to vibrate and its green light became strong, growing still until it was literally glowing.

That was the moment when Jim pushed himself off the ground and his strong wings flew him fast towards Gabriel who was hovering in the air now with a peaceful expression on his face. Jim could barely hear his own frustrated yell as his eyes locked with the angel's then he felt his blade break the angelic armor with ease, entering the divine being's body and faded core, cutting right through it until its tip came out on Gabriel's back...

As the green light spread around the blade, time seemed to stand still for a few moments, only Gabriel's soft gasp and Jim's panting breaking the silence between them.

"Thank you..." Jim heard the angel's whisper then as his eyes closed, a green shock wave burst out of the blade and the angel's body started to fall.

Mick reacted first. Like a good guardian, he dived to get between Jim and the shocked Michael. The Archangel cried out Gabriel's name and not caring if Samael or anyone cut him, he flew to catch his brother's body.

“NO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU ARE THE STRONGER FIGHTER... GABRIEL, NO..." Michael cried holding the numb body strongly to him.

"I… I couldn't let anyone harm you... The Nephilim is too strong…" Gabriel whispered weakly and panting. "In the end we both wanted the love of someone who cannot love…" he mumbled with the sigh of his last breath.

"Come now…" Christos and Lucifer hurried to escort the group toward a portal as Michael's raging scream shattered the dome and made his temple collapse on him as he was holding his dead brother.

The light of the portal blinded them as they quickly passed through. They found themselves in the inner yard of the Stronghold, which suddenly got loud from the surprised bleating of the running away goats.

Not that Jim would really notice that as he was still panting and riled up from the fight, his eyes glowing and his power swirling around him in thick waves. He tossed his bloody blade onto the grass and tore his mask off his face.

"I don't get it! How will this help us?" he voiced his frustration, a ripple of his power sweeping through the inner garden as he kept pacing, unable to calm down. "Killing his brother will only make Michael go ballistic..." he said that mostly to Christos, trying to wrap his mind around this. And the fact that he just assisted the suicide of that poor angel.

"He was Michael's rock. The anchor," Lucifer said calmly as the demon warriors arrived through another portal with Paolo, Brent and the Pandemonium trio.

"Gabriel couldn't let us hurt Michael. He was hurting him. He was... the outlet for Michael’s frustration and caring. Everything. He always feared the Nephilim and Gabriel wanted that fear to get stronger in him. After wiping this world clean of humans and other beings, he wanted to use Gabriel's creative powers to build a new world. Michael lost his source of power now. Gabriel supported him and the abuse made Michael feel strong. Now he doesn't have anything or anyone for that," Christos said watching Paolo walk up to Jim and calming him with his powers.

"My brother chose his freedom and not to help his twin. Let us honor his decision. You will see in time how it is indeed a great help for our case too," Lucifer said in the consoling arms of Samael, Azmodan rubbing his back in the same manner.

Jim hugged Paolo tight to him, letting the sun angel's powers start to calm his, which slowly pulled back into him. His mask was folded in his grasp still, though, as he watched over Paolo's bald head the arrived Pandemonium demons turn back to their human form.

"You say Gabriel didn't want us to hurt Michael..." he addressed Christos on a calmer voice, eyes still a bit confused. "Does this mean we won't fight him... or kill him in the future?" he frowned a bit, glimpsing at the clearly shaken up Robb with sorry before looking back at the god.

Robb was holding onto Samael tightly and Azmodan wrapped his long arms around them too as consoling.

"We will see how this works out. But we will fight him when needed. Gabriel wanted to take away his strength. And we are now going to focus on the humans to strengthen them," Christos answered. "Samael, would you arrange everything for the few days we stay here?"

"Oh yes… Welcome to Hotel Stronghold," the seraph giggled and giving one last loving kiss to Lucifer, he started to sort out rooms for every pair or group.

Most chuckled or at least snorted to that now quite fitting title then everyone disappeared in their room for a while to clean up and change to fresh clothes. Although Lucifer stayed in the master bedroom to be alone and mourn his brother.

His pair though was in full house fairy mode, already working on making some big dinner with the help of Brent, entertaining the demon trio sitting by the kitchen table chugging down on some home-made beer with grateful noises.

***

"Are you okay?" Jim asked Paolo once they dried off after a much needed quick shared shower. He saw the mostly already healed cuts and bruises on his pair's naked body and his own mirrored that picture. In all the happenings and trying to comprehend what went down in the cathedral, he nearly forgot to check in with the gorgeous war chief of his.

"Yeah. We put up a good fight and managed to shock the hell out of those angels," Paolo giggled hugging Jim's neck and pulling him down for a kiss. "I heard one saying that we have a War God with us and from that point on they were morally broken. How about you? Are you alright? And I'm not just asking about the cuts…" he looked deep into Jim's eyes, even letting his powers scan the Nephilim to be sure.

Jim's smile that appeared on his face from the war god thing and the kiss slowly faded a bit as his big hands stroked Paolo's back and sides up and down, keeping him close. He needed his closeness and the warmth of his body against his. And for a change, not in the sexual way. More like in a supporting one.

He didn't mind the "scanning" as he never wanted to hide a thing from his mate. "Honestly... I'm still quite shaken up. You saw Gabriel's dream. Despite the fact that I honor his decision... I really, really didn't want to kill him. I really didn't... Deep down... I could feel it... he was a good one," he confessed, his voice failing him at the end and his eyes welled up a bit with unshed tears.

"He really was a good one. History has proven that many times how he had tried to make his own path. That's why I understand that he could not participate anymore in what Michael has started. And that he didn't want to be a tool anymore," Paolo stroked down the long back and squeezed Jim in his arms.

"We all do what we have to. And now Michael is scared of you even more. Because you managed to kill the strongest warrior of the archangels. Gabriel did a good thing for us. And you helped him find peace and fulfill his last decision," the angel whispered to his man and pressed small kisses to his freckled shoulder.

"Yes... that's the only thing that kinda consoles me. That this way he was able to get free of that toxic relationship. It just saddens me that he was scared from his own mate. I could feel everything when my blade pierced his body. It was such a relief to him despite the fact that he dearly loved Michael," the tall Nephilim murmured while enjoying Paolo's lips on his skin.

Reaching up to cup the other man's face in one hand, he tipped it up to meet the familiar eyes. "It'll take some time for me to process all this and come to terms with it, though. But your love and support means the world to me and I'm so glad that you came back to me and that everyone else in our group managed to survive," he whispered then kissed Paolo deep and slow, putting all his love in that.

Next chapter

Súgó Még nincs hozzászólás.

Új hozzászólás Frissítés