Chapter Three

Nae left Azrael in her home to run some stuff before they started looking for Bernael, Azrael did not bother to meddle with it. She started to think, that if Nae betrays her then she will be unhesitant to kill her.

Azrael contemplates her plan before continuing, if I don’t do it, I will be doomed, and I don’t want that to happen – she mulled over. Nae lends Azrael better and more mundane clothes. She looks at herself in front of the vanity mirror.

Thirteen billion years and Azrael still looks the same as day one. She pushed back her curly raven black hair that went down to her spine and stared directly into her own eyes. She looks untired with her pale skin. She forms her thin heart-shaped lips into a sarcastic smirk.

She went back from her trance when Nae arrives from the door, “You good to go?” Nae asked, she tied her hair up in a ponytail, making her features more eye-catching.

“Yep,” Azrael said while sliding a curved blade from Nae’s table inside her jacket. She turned and followed Nae.

They walked shoulder to shoulder in a narrow corridor of Nae’s apartment. Nae is smaller compared to Azrael, she’ll be described as a petite one, while Azrael has a slender and slightly slim body type.

Azrael notices that Nae changed her clothes as well, she’s now wearing a sleeveless fitted grey shirt. Azrael looked at her hands and decided to touch Nae’s shoulder out of nowhere. Nae squeals in pain, “What the hell, Azrael!?” she cried out while moving away from her.

Azrael saw the burn on her skin, it fades away in a second though. Azrael just laugh right before they reached outside, “I was just trying it out.” Azrael reasoned and waves her right hand where a silver band ring is placed on her index finger.

“If you wanted to know what it feels, of course, it’s a hell of torture,” Nae answered sarcastically and glances over her right shoulder where Azrael touched, the burn was now gone but the pain when it touches was too much to handle. Nae pointed to Azrael, “That’s made of Adamas.” Azrael shrugged because she can’t keep her laughter and said nothing.

Nae glances at Azrael. The halter black top underneath a leather jacket, tight straight-cut black jeans, and ankle boots. Nae notices the knives on her back, waist, and even on her wrist and ankle. She commented, “You’re full of formidable weapons. It’s like you’re always ready to start a war.”

Azrael rolled her eyes at Nae’s remarks, “Where are we going?” she asked, impatiently.

“Vienna,” Nae answered on point, she stops when Azrael grabbed her arm, with her other hand and opened her wings as they both disappeared out of thin air.

-

Azrael burst out laughing while watching Nae almost roll on her feet in a grass field when she let go of her arm. They arrived in a secluded part of a park in Vienna, “Can you warn me if you’re going to do that again?” Nae complained while standing up straight. Azrael just glances at her warmly. Nae felt Azrael enjoying toying with her.

They left Bucharest quarter to 7 pm, Austria is an hour behind Romania, making here a quarter to 6, but the clouds are already dark and the city lights started to illuminate the streets, “Where do we start?” Azrael said and walk past Nae to a crowded part of the park where people were riding a rental bikes.

Nae keep up with her and yanked Azrael’s arms, to her surprise Azrael was wearing a bangle made with Adamas. Nae shakes her hand after feeling the burn in it. Azrael smirk at her and said, “Don’t touch me. I showered Adamas all the time.” her voice resonated with a sarcastic tone.

Adamas is the strongest iron, and Demons and Fallens are allergic to it. It is only found in the Silver City or Heaven, where Azrael and her siblings, the other Angels reside. Weapons made from it can kill Demons in a touch and the only weapons were Angels are vulnerable to. As per Nae, touching it is torture, but the feeling is most described as a burn because it was forged with the Heavenly Fire.

Nae just rolled her eyes before putting her hand on her pocket, “We can’t start looking yet. The place we’re going to open when humans close their eyes to sleep.” Azrael gave her a death stare, “We were supposed to ride a plane and arrive here exactly. You pulled me unnoticed.” Nae added with a tone of teasing and blame.

Azrael dodges her face on her, “Who needs a plane when you have wings.” she turned her back on her. Now she regrets saying she doesn’t hold prejudices against Demons.

-

Azrael and Nae made use of their time to get Azrael a phone. Azrael uses it immediately and learns fast to do so. Nae notices it, “Do you know how to use a phone?” she asked while studying Azrael. They sat in front of each other in an old café.

“I’m omniscient, little girl. I can drive a car just by holding a steering wheel.” Azrael replied without looking at Nae who flinch when she called her little girl. Azrael has the right to, as she was probably billion years older than Nae.

Nae took her time to decide whether she’s gonna ask Azrael why she was looking for her brother or not, but her curiosity consumed her. She readied herself and said, “Why are you looking for Bernael?”

Azrael wasn’t surprised, she anticipated Nae’s going to ask. She answered her with a solution she always comes up with, sarcasm, “Asking wasn’t part of our contract, Namaah.”

“How can I help you if you’re not going to trust me?” Nae said, her voice almost sounding a plea, but she tries to keep it and masked it up with confidence and eagerness.

Azrael really knows how to use pain; trust is for children. She looks up at Nae and said, “Do you trust me?” her question left Nae silent. Azrael smiled, brightly and painfully, “Consider your answer as mine too.” she added. Nae is one of the greater Demons, she’s known as a Demon of Passion.

Azrael doesn’t really know how and why she has that title. Her brother, Bernael, is a Fallen. They’re only brothers because of their mother, Satrina. And because she’s a Greater Demon, Nae possesses the ability to know human’s secretive sin and induce fear, but Angels are invulnerable to it.

Azrael decided to troll on Nae again when she never said a word after her question, “Do you wish your fear inducement can work on me? I mean that’s very handy.”

Nae look at Azrael. She knows Azrael is hilarious, most of the ones residing in Hell were afraid of her, “No. I don’t believe you feared something.” she replied. Azrael shows satisfaction with her answer.

When the clock struck 11 in the evening, the two concluded they should start their hunt. They arrived at a place that looks like a simple market and a line of pubs in the morning.

Azrael rolled her eyes because of the neon lights flaring around as she and Nae went down a steel stair. While crossing another steel bridge, Azrael ask, “Why are we here?” she said while looking down at a place that seems to be a bar.

“You know what this place is, right? You and I probably met a few who succeeded because of this place.” Nae said sardonically, that she was right. Black Markets, also called

Shadow Markets, come about when people want to exchange goods or services that are prohibited by governments. Black Markets include the sale of illegal drugs, weapons, human trafficking, prostitution, and the illegal wildlife trade.

“Why do you think your brother is here?” Azrael queried again. She expected Nae to clap back on here asking, but she answered her nicely.

“Well, if he’s alive, then he won’t be living a simple, normal, and perhaps legal life. If he’s here, then he should be in this kind of place.” Nae replied, she sounded like she knew everything about her brother.

“That’s a harsh judgment.” Azrael opined.

Nae glances at her and said, “Why? You don’t say awful things about your brothers?” Azrael said nothing. They entered a strip club, and Azrael notices that the customers were all females. She turned to a stage where a girl in thongs, wearing angel wings, is dancing on a pole.

“Wow. I’m offended.” Azrael said sarcastically, Nae laughed when she caught what she means. Azrael glared when someone passed by her and bites her lips as if flirting with her. The girl was obviously still a teenager.

Azrael grabbed Nae, “Why are we in a lesbian strip club?” she let go of her grip, “I thought we were looking for your brother.”

“Can you relax and wait?” Nae said, she gestured to Azrael, “You stay here. I just needed to find someone.”

Azrael didn’t catch Nae and she was gone. Over pounding heavy metal, there was a roar of scream in a very enthusiastic and drunk crowd. Most people in the front row are leaning over, and Azrael moves up to have a better look.

One woman was on all fours while another mimics fucking her, the crowd showers them with fake money, “Holy cow.” Azrael uttered under her breath and draw from the crowd.

Azrael sat on one of the sofas, and just a moment, two girls were perched uncomfortably close to her side. A petite blonde and a taller redhead. The blonde one leans closely and asks, “What do you do?”

This is her first time and it’s hilarious. Azrael, annoyed and pissed at Nae, felt a run of mischievousness in her blood, “Fetch the dead.” Azrael said and glanced over the girl on her left side and quickly changed her eye color with the colors of Hell, flaming red.

The girl screamed in fear and moved away from her, it caught the attention of the people near them. The other girl stays on Azrael’s side while the other one looks like she’s gonna faint. Azrael jumped from the back of the sofa, “Have a great night, girls.” she said and then smiled at them cheerily. She felt someone pull her from the two girls, she looked and it was Nae. She probably heard the girl scream.

“What did you do?” she asked right away. She looks pissed, and Azrael looks so happy about it.

“Entertaining the girls,” she said as they walk towards the exit of the club.

“Entertaining? The girl looks like she’s about to shit in her G-string when she looks at you.” Nae emphasized. Azrael contained her laughter but she remembers she wasn’t here for those girls. She followed Nae and before she knew it, the lights were turned off and were followed by a shrill of female voices.

Azrael turned to Nae and she was gone. She gets wind of something when she felt a hot fog on her feet in the midst of the hysteria. No, it wasn’t a machine-made one, “Bullshit.” she snapped right away. Azrael felt an incoming weapon, she raised her right hand and catches a Chakram from above, then the lights opened again, and the blister recedes.

Azrael look in the direction where the Chakram came from and she was right.

Standing on what looks like a metal stair is Ouriel, the one who throws the Chakram with a beam on his lips, and Rogziel, who controls the dramatic fog for their entrance, he looks at Azrael coldly. Behind them approaches Radeuriel, he did nothing but he’s probably the one who notices Azrael is missing in the Silver City.

“Azrael...” a serene voice said from behind her. It was dark, but Azrael knew who it was even before she turned to look at her.

Azrael whirled to face her, she gave Remiel a bright smile, she looks disappointed though, “Remy...” Azrael said, “It’s been a while since I have seen you.” she said. Not be too overdramatic, but it is the truth. They may live in the same dimension but they have their individual lives.

“I’m not gonna fight you, Azrael, and you know why I’m here,” Remiel said. She’s beautiful, just like Azrael herself. Her thick copper wavy hair drapes on her chest, deep amber eyes, high cheekbones, and slim physique made everyone turn their heads. Her face is more calm compared to Azrael’s sharp expressions. Azrael is probably just an inch taller than her.

Azrael knew this would happen, she just hopes the Angel of Mercy would grant her one, pun intended, “I know, I know.” Azrael said, “But I’m not gonna let anyone of you decide what I should do.” she said before pulling a wine glass from a rack on her left and smacking it on Remiel’s head. She flinches, and the shatters made a small gasp on the people who saw what Azrael did.

Because Remiel closed her eyes for a second, Azrael took it as a chance to escape from her. If Remiel bleeds, then she’ll be guilty. She glances over at Ouriel and their siblings but she saw them run to follow her.

Azrael escapes through a back door that opens to a small and dark alley. Radeuriel was standing there with a grin on his face, “Hi.” he said, his posh British accent rang in the cold of the night.

“Hello,” Azrael replied, she saw a wooden plank beside her and slam it on Radeuriel. He was fast to catch it, but it was slammed into his arm instead. He pulled a metal bar to use it against Azrael, but she quickly kicks him in his stomach.

They really knew the right team to ask Azrael to come home. Remiel can surely persuade Azrael, only if she wasn’t strongly determined and Radeuriel can perhaps outgun her in a fight.

Azrael saw Rogziel steadying his bow from a top building, she pulls Radeuriel again and uses him as a shield. He caught the arrow in his hands though and struck Azrael’s legs, she felt the oozing blood right away.

Azrael pulled the arrow from her legs, it paved way for Radeuriel to choke her with the metal bar he was holding earlier. Azrael was gripping the metal bar to stop Radeuriel from choking her completely.

“You know, sis? I really missed you.” Radeuriel said mockingly.

“I missed you too,” Azrael replied before she elbowed him. She didn’t notice that Ouriel and Rogziel are gone, probably with Remiel or she doesn’t really care.

The two of them started advancing and trying to punch each other. They both halted when they felt the soil crawling on their feet and shackling them down, “It’s game over now, Azrael.” a seething voice of a man said as Azrael and Radeuriel felt a sudden drift.