Angelic Divinity

tori nodded and stared at the crystal table. "i remember. I won't forget. I promise. I just wish I could have done more to help."

schuyler watched kingsley take his sword and she turned back around to face her professor. "professor...did something happen to you? You seem different." she didn't really know him, but there was something off. He seemed forgetful all of a sudden. She had remained silent, but now she felt it was her job to ask. Schuyler wanted to get back to penny, but he would have to wait. He was safe, kn the care of others, and there were more important matters to attend to.

giselle stood behind genesis and pulled back on him. "we should go." she didn't like the looks of this person. She was creepy and gross, not to mention the cause of genesis's suffering. She just wanted them to get out of there as quickly and safely as possible.

kaila smiled at enan and stroked his arm. "your concern is sweet, but I already know exactly what is to come for me. I don't...i don't really care about it anymore, though. she turned away from the seraph and headed for the main entrance.

 

Kiel turned his back on the crystal table, crossing his arms across his chest. "No, little one, you did enough. Penny is alive because you saved him. I do not believe you will need my guidance again for some time. It's a bit...sad really... For a Seraph used to being around a lot of noisy people...being back at home...sure is lonely. Michael is somewhere down on Earth with you all and Koyru has other duties. My duties have been taken care of...by you, Tori. Oh, one more thing...will you two bring a message to my brother Kyrios? Tell him he has three days before Father's temper slips. He'll know what it means." And with that, Yves' image faded from the crystal table.

Ren stared at her for a while. He opened his mouth to respond in a light manner when a pulse of pain radiated through his head. Clutching it, his eyes became unfocused and he backed inside his room. "Ah...excuse me for one second, Schuyler..." He half turned away from the students, taking his ring finger of his left hand into his hand. After a few even breaths he made a slight movement and bent the finger in an odd way and it stayed there with a gross snap. A look of pain crossed his face before his eyes widened, unfocused still and his head hit against the doorjam. "You two...should leave...." he panted between clenched teeth and braced his shoulder against the doorjam....and shoved hard. The pop sounded more like bone breaking in two than his finger had. He didn't move for a minute exactly before turning back to them, blinking, "Ah...so....you think I'm different? How so?"

A demon stepped in Giselle's path, his tongue lolling out of his mouth with tusks jutting from his lower jaw, "You ain't goin' no where, angel girl." Genesis swung her around so he was cradling her against his chest, his wing wrapped around them, "Don't touch her." Bannannach stepped into full view now from the shadows. She had a head full of black hair..or half of it was black hair, the other half black feathers. Her face seemed fine, like a model's but her eyes were pure black. Her yellow talons accompanied by her little black dress that was too much little and not enough dress made her look like a ****ty witch. "Now, now, Geny, darling...surely you couldn't have found a new playmate already. I just killed that little neighbor girl of yours just a year ago. She was cute...I'll admit, but this...a human...you couldn't possibly want her. She can't do the things that we, demons, can do for you." Genesis shuddered at the memories he had and something poked Giselle. He hid his face in her hair, "No...no you're wrong... Giselle...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." Bannannach pushed her advantage, reaching out for him, "Come on, Geny, you enjoyed it. Come back with us and I promise, I won't let Kyrios touch you. Only I will for tonight." Genesis shuddered again, tightening his hold on Giselle, "L-liar...I didn't like it... I don't want you to touch me ever again..."

Enan watched her go for a while before turning to his new corpse, picking it up and carrying it to the incinerator.

 

tori watched his image fade and turned back to kiel, sadly. "i wonder...i wonder what that was about."

schuyler was wide-eyed with horror as she watched the dramatic change in her teacher. "what...what was that all about? Just now-" kingsley held his hand up, silencing her.

he sheathed his sword and watched ren, studying him. "professor, there's something wrong with you. Do you remember what happened just now?" kingsley stared at ren's hand and then his shoulder.

giselle started to panic. These monsters wanted them and weren't going to leave until they got what they wanted. She held onto genesis tightly. "what are we going to do?" there was a light coming towards them from the direction of town. It was getting bigger and warmer as it came closer. "what the..."

kaila could the demons before she could see them. She caste a giant sphere of light, to burn the creatures of darkness. why do I bother anymore? she massaged the bridge of her nose and the view of the children came into sight. Kaila sighed and stepped out in front of them. "leave them now! Or i'll send you back to the deepest depths of hell! You'll be so far gone you won't be able to reform for centuries. Is that what you'd like?" she pulled the hood down and a ball of fire appeared in her hand. "i bet those wings of yours would burn quite nicely and you," she pointed to the tusked demom, "i bet I would enjoy snapping those tusks of yours."

 

Kiel shrugged, "If only I knew... I was kinda hoping you'd know. Yves has too many secrets...it's not going to be easy replacing him."

"Ren lifted one brow at them, "Something...wrong with me? Do I remember? Of course I remember. Kinda hard to forget five seconds ago. You asked me if there was something different about me...and I answered you. I don't know what could possibly be different...it's not like I got a hair cut lately..."

Bannannach and her group backed away from the light, hissing at Kaila as the slid away. "I'll see you later, Geny. And I'll have to re-teach you the meaning of...true pain." Genesis' sword clattered to the ground and he released his grip slowly on Giselle, turning as he let go, trying to hide the fact that despite his words, his body had responded to Bannannach. "P-professor...take Giselle back to the school, please...I..."

 

tori nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around kiel's waist. "no kidding." she sighed and buried her face in his chest.

kingsley remained silent for a moment. He figured ren had forgot what had just happened, but to see it before his eyes was another. "does your hand hurt by any chance, or your shoulder? Is there some unexplainable pain?" this wasn't just an accident. Someone powerful had tampered with their professor's memory.

kaila shook her head sadly. "no genesis. I cannot. You must take miss giselle back to the school. She's your responsibility and I have prior engagements." she began walking in the direction of the hotel. "mr rhapsados, please stay on campus this evening. You are not allowed to see what's going to happen. Understood?"

 

Kiel set his arms around her and stood there silently, his own thoughts rampaging around what Yves said. "Three days...or our Father's temper will slip. Kyrios has done something to warrent our Father's anger? But...why a time limit?"

Ren wiggled what fingers could move and yet when he glanced down at his hand with the broken finger, his eyes glazed over for a moment, "I feel fine...and my hand looks fine. Are you sure you're feeling alright, Mr. Kingsley? You sure are acting strange."

Genesis picked up his sword again, "The hell does that mean? Ms. Camponella, you're not going to the Hotel are you? If Kyrios has warrented your wrath then I want to see. If not...then it's my duty to stand beside him as a member of his court."

 

"who knows, but he probably deserves whatever is in store for him."

kingsley laughed uncomfortably and nodded at his teacher. "maybe i'm still out of it from earlier. I'll see you in class professor." "but kingsley-" he shushed her and nudged his younger sister out the door. Kingsley gave a quick wave back to ren and then walked out. He set his hands on schuyler's shoulders and faced her. "i need to find professor logos. You can head back if you'd like, but i'm keeping my eye on that boy. I don't like him. he watched schuyler reluctantly walk away.

kaila set a hand a hand on genesis's shoulder. She looked down at him, sadly. There were tears in her eyes and she spoke to him softly. "genesis, dear, just listen to me, please. My presence at the hotel isn't at all what you'd imagine. Take giselle back to the school please. When I return, you and I will have a little chat. Now the both of you get back to school safely." she ruffled his hair and turned to walk away. The hotel was unfortunately within sight. It made kaila's heart sink and there was a knot in the pit of her stomach.

 

Kiel huffed, letting himself stand there for a while longer. He touched Tori's wings, "Six wings on each Seraph...it'll be something else when you get your other two pairs."

Ren waved goodbye to them and shut his door. Meanwhile, Sanya stood in the lowest portion of the basement with Michael, listening to him lecture as she tweaked her metal wing once more. "Thank you for your kind words of advice, brother...but I need them not. I am no longer involved with Kadaj...and my personal feelings are of no concern to my mission at hand."

Genesis watched her leave and turned with Giselle, "Alright then, Professor. C'mon Giselle...we have to get home before dark." He walked a little straighter, a little faster, but it wasn't normal still.

 

tori reached over her shoulder and prodded her wings. "yeah. It'll be strange. The two alone get in the way more than I enjoy. Six...six'll be insane. I'm clutsy enough the way it is." she sighed and hugged kiel, her wings wrapping around them.

kingsley wandered the hallways aimlessly. i wonder where she is. he thought about ren's weird behavior and how he had no memory of it. Even when he looked right at his hand, it eas like he went into a trance. It kept him from seeing the damage done to his body. Kingsley shoved his hands in his pockets and kept looking around. "professor logos! Professor where are you?"

kaila walked to the hotel and stood outside the building. This was going to be a living nightmare. She took a deep breath before walking inside. "ren. Please forgive me. I love you." she pushed the door open and swallowed back her fear.

 

Kiel relished the feel of her wings. Without a pair of his own, he couldn't understand Tori's feelings about her wings. Touching the base of her wings, he took hold of them as if to rip them out. Instead, he prodded along her back and wings. "They're apart of your bone structure...I can't imagine what Genesis felt having one ripped out. It's like...tearing off an arm, I suppose. The pain...the loss of mobility...they must be frustrating to him. Tori..." he tilted her head up towards his and yanked out a feather.

Sanya cast her gaze upwards and Michael moved his eyes to her face, "Something wrong?" Standing, Sanya tucked her tools into her pockets and headed for the door, "I've been called...Someone's looking for me. I couldn't possibly be found down here with you...alone, brother. Plus..you said you wished for none of the students to know you were here. Well then...bye." Shutting the door behind her, Sanya headed up the winding stairs.

Inside the Hotel it was an ongoing party that would last for an eternity. It was like a hotel on the inside and out and yet decorated as if it were someone's permament home and club. Several couches were strewn about the lobby, most of the floor was dominated by a mass of writhing people, all moving to the beat of music that wasn't on a level of human or angel. Each of the people looked either like an angel with midnight black wings or something from a horror flick. Kyrios appeared at Kaila's side, setting a hand on her shoulder, "You came. I'm very happy. Welcome to the Hotel of the Dark Court. Most of us live here...but mostly we use it for feeding and general celebration. Would you like something to drink?" Near the bar, with what seemed to be an ordinary angelic bartender, sat Bannannach, twirling a Bloody Mary in her hand.

 

tori winced. Her eyes stayed locked on the feather before finally moving to kiel. "like having someone pluck out your hair, but if he has any brains at all, he'll ask the professor about her mechanical one. He could get a new one and wouldn't have to be depressed about it anymore, because honestly I don't think he'll ever come to terms with it like that angel that brought professor logos the forget-me-not. He seemed pretty cool." she moved her arms so that they hung around kiel's neck. her face was turning red. They had been close before, but nothing like this.

kingsley stopped walking when he reached the dining hall. He leaned against the wall in frustration. where is she? She wasn't in the infirmary, her classroom, and there was no response at her door. Maybe she's out on patrol. he pushed off the wall and headed in the direction of the doors.

schuyler pushed open the infirmary doors. She was out of it now. Too much had happened for her to absorb that quickly. She walked over to penny in a daze and sat down on the edge of the bed. "i'm back."

giselle walked closely to genesis. If the magic teacher hadn't shown up they would have been goners, or she would have at least. That creepy bird woman only seemed fond of keeping genesis alive. It made her shudder. "i wonder what that was all about,with your teacher. If she's not in your court, why would she go there?"

kaila shook her head. "no, thank you. I'd rather not." she watched bannanmach twirl her glass and she rolled her eyes. of course kryios's little demon monster would run home like a coward. Pathetic. They're all pathetic. she stuck close to kryios, but not too close. "i want you to return his memories before I go through with this. I don't trust you, kryios"

 

Kiel tucked the feather in his pocket, "So you think that guy was cool huh?" Touching his forehead to hers, Kiel chuckled, "You're all red."

Sanya pushed open the heavy door in the dining hall and spotted Kingsley leaving, "Are you the one that was calling me? Is there something wrong, Kingsley?"

Genesis grumbled to himself and kept walking, "The only way she'd go there is if she was forced. Lord Kyrios isn't playing by the human's rules anymore. He plays by his own set and nobody can fight against those rules."

Kyrios shot a glare at Bannannach and led Kaila away, "Well then...I suppose I'll have to hold up my end of the deal. Very well. Come with me." He sat Kaila down at a table and sat across from her. Pulling a mirror out and setting it in the center of the table, Kyrios touched his finger to the center of the mirror. It showed Ren sitting on his bed, his misshapen hand holding a bone while Scrapps bounced around on the ground, barking at him instead of being interested in the bone. "Looks like your precious Ren has had some trouble since you left." He motioned to Ren's limp hanging arm and the bent finger.

 

Tori averted his gaze. "i am not." she unhooked her arms from around his neck and they slid down his chest.

kingsley spun around on his heal and ran his hand through his hair. "ah, yeah professor. I needed to talk to you, if you aren't busy." he pointed towards the basement. The teachers only seemed to go down there if it's important. "it's kind of important. he shoved his hands in his pockets and moved closer.

"someone should stop him. she walked in silence beside genesis. The trip back to the school seemed to take forever.

kaila gazed upon ren's image in the mirror. He was broken and he didn't even seem to be phazed. "you will pay for what you've done to him. That's a promise I will surely keep. Now do it." her expression was serious as she waved at the mirror. Would this really help him? She didn't want ren to suffer more because of what he did know.

 

"Ah?" Kiel captured her arms against him with one hand, "Unless my eyes decieve me...you're red in the face. Thinking about something inappropriate?" His teasing laugh was cut short, "Unless...you were thinking about that guy."

Sanya glanced at the closing stone door behind her. Once the creases where it had once been disappeared, she relaxed only slightly, "Sorry...but that place isn't for a student to go. Even with a teacher with them. It's off limits. Now tell me, you said you had something to tell me?"

Genesis gave a dry laugh, "Funny...but nobody can stop him. He's a Seraphim...and that means he only takes orders from our Lord. I can't believe I'm going to say this but...I don't believe the Lord cares what Kyrios does here. As long as he doesn't start the apocalypse...he's in the gray zone for punishment."

Kyrios hovered his finger above the mirror, "Alright...I'll do exactly as you say. Anything that happens is not my responsibility." He tapped it once and the ever looming shadow that hovered around Ren disappeared. The second it did, his eyes went wide and he gripped his broken shoulder in pain, tumbling off his bed onto the floor, writhing in pain. Even his screams pierced through the mirror and nearly everyone in the Hotel stopped and turned towards the pair. "Is that what you wanted? He not only remembers....he can remember and feel the pain he put himself through. Of course...that was a repercussion of the spell that I forgot about. Ren's ability to withstand great pain and function as a normal person...did you believe it came naturally to him? It all lies in his power as the Archangel Raphael. When he sealed that part of him away, he gave up most of his powers. Making him forget...was only the first part of the spell...the rest was making him into Raphael again. Of course...the Raphael we all knew from stories and long ago...is gone. What remains is a dull husk filled with malice and hatred. When Ren becomes Raphael...he forgets and tears himself apart, unable to see the damage done to himself by himself. When he tried to remember an event that happened before I sealed his memory...Raphael's power leaked out and he broke his finger...when he tried to reason with himself why he couldn't remember things others did...he broke his shoulder." Kyrios kept a smile on his face and lifted a pocket watch out of his robes. The very same Ren used to detect monsters. "You know this handy device. It's something special to Ren...he bespelled it to detect monsters so he could be of use. Lending it to the others was his way of telling them he trusted them. This thing...belongs in the fires of Hell. His father sold it to a demon and once Ren learned of it...he bargained with the demon to get it back. This watch...in exchange for his soul."

 

tori shook her head, still avoiding kiel's gaze. her face felt like it was on fire and his breath gave her chills. "n-no. it's not like that. i just admire his confidence...and he likes professor logos. it was totally obvious...and...and well i like you...so..." she pressed her forehead into her fists. if she were to look up at him, tori was sure she'd collapse. her knees were shaking as she glanced up at kiel for just a brief second. "you promise? no matter what, you're not going to leave?"

kingsley stepped closer to the child-like woman. he was a bit on edge from his encounter with ren, and wasn't really sure how to approach the subject. "ah yeah. you see..." he slipped his hand out of his pocket and ran his fingers through his hair again. "schuyler and i...we were just with professor leahpar, and he seems different. i mean, i know being a teacher and all you probably already know what's wrong, but i thought i should tell someone. it was kinda scary actually." he paused for a moment to decide how to describe. "you see, he seemed rather forgetful. i mean, he apparently had no memory of some stuff that had just happened to him. it wasn't like my amnesia. it was different, like what happened to him was warped or something so that he couldn't see the truth. when he tried to remember some weird stuff started happening. his body was like literally breaking. the professor's fingers snapped and his shoulder came out. his eyes were all glazed over and when i pointed out the fact that his body had broken, they glossed over again and he looked like he was in a trance. then he asked if i was feeling okay because there wasn't anything wrong when there clearly was." kingsley took a well deserved breath. he had started talking so fast he was amazed if sanya had caught any of it.

giselle stopped walking. it didn't seem right. how could someone that was supposed to be so wonderful and important be so evil and God overlook it? "that...just doesn't seem right."

kaila watched ren writhe in pain and she had to resist the urge to cry. i'm sorry ren. all of this is my fault. i'm fixing it. i promise. she reached out for the pocket watch. ren would want it back, but she hesitated, leaving her hand hanging in midair. "the demon. what is it's name? surely you know that as well." she closed the distance and snatched the watch out of kryios's hand. a plan had begun to form in her head as kryios told her the story. there were a lot of secrets ren had been keeping from her. it was understandable since he hadn't even told her how he felt until recently, but he could have let her in a little bit. he had been closed off for so long that it seemed like his secrets were a never-ending hallway. there would always be another door to look behind. kaila just hoped she could see them all before it was too late. i don't have a lot of time left, but i will spend it all saving that man. at least one of us should die happy.

 

Frowning, Kiel lifted her face up, "I thought it was impllied when I told you that I love you... Tori, I'm not going to leave your side." Releasing her arms, he set his arm around her shoulders, "Are you feeling alright?"

Sanya ruffled her hair and nervously moved her mechanic fingers, "I suppose...it would be noticable...when asked directly. I'm...sorry Kingsley. Ren is...under a spell of the Seraph Kyrios. Ren was bespelled to forget everything involving Demise, Kadaj, Kaila and anything unpleasant. The repercussions of this spell is that when he tries to remember...his only response is to break something. That something is himself currently. I'm sorry you had to witness that..."

Genesis nodded, finally the school coming into view. "Nothing's fair or right when it comes to Kyrios."

Kyrios let her take the watch, "His name is Vulgrim and he resides in a dimension between the Underworld and Earth. I don't know much about him, but he loves trade and souls." He watched Ren with satisfaction on his face.

 

tori looked down again. His watchful eyes made her squirm. "y-yeah. I'm fine." she turned so they were facing one another. "i just don't want you to end up like them. They weren't pleasant people." her gaze moved to yves's body. Tori's mouth formed a smile, even though her eyes looked sad. thank you for not making be apart of the dark court. Thank you.

kingsley frowned. "is that do? That's rather tragic." he spun in the opposite direction and began to walk out of the dining hall. "thank you professor."

giselle started walking again to catch up with genesis. The school was within sight and it made her both relieved and disappointed. "do you need to rest again, or will you make it the rest of the way?" she walked alongside him. Nothing about this seraph guy seemed right. Why should he get to be better than everyone else.

kaila held the pocket watch tightly in her hand. She continued to watch ren suffer and could feel her heart literally breaking. i'm sorry for making you suffer. she looked up at kryios and sighed. It was time. There was no way she could continue to delay the inevitable. "all right. We can begin now, if you'd like." kaila's look grew weary as she stared at the pocket watch. give me strength.

 

Kiel remained quiet for a moment before frowning, "Hey...over there, is that...Genesis...and Giselle? Where did those two go? And why...is he taking off his clothes?!"

Genesis shook his head once and his legs buckled underneath his weight. "I'll make it..." Frustrated and feeling overheated, Genesis shoved off his red coat and unzipped the black, sleeveless sweater he wore underneath. The effort in taking that off, had him bracing his hands on the ground and hanging his head. Despite all the scars on his back, the gash from where his wing was torn out had grown an angry red color and was inflamed. Infection had set in and along with Kyrios' spell, Genesis wasn't going anywhere further on his own.

Sanya watched Kingsley leave. So he thought it was tragic, did he? What was tragic was that Kaila would die and he wouldn't even remember who she was most of the time.

Kyrios lifted his eyes to hers and Nana slid out from his jacket sleeve. The yellow python hissed at a few demons and made her way across the floor into the crowd. Kyrios stood and sat beside Kaila, touching her cheek. His hunger...the court's hunger burned in his icy eyes. What flavors would she bring to them? Cinnamon of anger? Lemon of sorrow? Or maybe..just maybe...the sugars of desire. It was those thoughts that threatened his control. He licked his lips once and bent towards her, "You understand not how the Dark Court feeds. Just having you here has given us all a taste of what we want. But in order to feed properly, I'll need to kiss you...like Ren did. He's fed from you before."

 

tori followed kiel's gaze and frowned as well. "i...i don't know. It's a little strange. Maybe we should go over there." she pulled away from kiel and approached genesis and giselle.

giselle took his clothes and held them tightly against her chest. She covered her mouth in shock at the sight of his back. It was horrible. She let out a small gasp and reached out to touch it, but stopped. "that looks really bad. Genesis, you should get that looked at. giselle felt bad for him. It was her fault he was in so much pain.

kingsley sighed. He didn't really know what to do now. He wanted to talk to professor camponella, but he watched her leave earlier. It would have to wait. might as well head to the library. there was plenty for him to catch up on and he would be there all night.

"i am aware of what he's done. I've also watched him destroy himself trying to hold back." she sighed. Kaila could only imagine how awful kissing kryios would be. She took a deep breath and leaned into the seraph. The only seraphim she wanted to kiss was back in a warehouse beating himself up, but this was for ren. She would have to suck it up and just deal with the horrifying task ahead. Kaila wrapped her fingers in his hair and pulled kryios's face to hers. She could picture the life being sucked out of her before it even started. He had a look of hunger on his face, which could only mean there would be a lot taken from her.

 

Kiel ran to Giselle's side, prepared to defend the poor girl from Genesis.

"No...it's...not that...bad.." Genesis shut his eyes and struggled to move even one arm to brace against a tree. "Giselle! Huh...? Genesis...hey what happened here? Wait...I know that wound. Genesis, are you alright? Hey, buddy, c'mon, get up already." He reached down to help him up and was shoved away, "I am not your buddy! Keep your sympathies...I don't need them. It's not...something I can't handle." Kiel shook his head, "Yeah right...keep saying that and you're gonna lose that whole shoulder. Genesis, it's infected...lemme take you to the infermary." Another cold look from Genesis, and Kiel backed up a step, defiantly crossing his arms, "Don't be like that."

Kyrios was regretful he couldn't feel her lips on his. Swallowed by the frenzy from his Court members, all he felt was their hunger and the meal coming from Kaila's boiling emotions. Everything he imagined was there. He drained her until everyone felt sated, that was the deal. It was the longest kiss he'd ever been involved in, and yet it was sad since all her strength would leave her in a few minutes. At least...he hoped she would retain her sanity to never involve herself in Dark Court matters again.