Dancing In The Void

Uriel followed her fate through the moonlit streets of the towering city.

She ran, her bare feet cold against the damp and wet stone underneath. Occasionally she’d take a small leap, letting her wings glide her forward. Her thin blue robe did little to keep the night chill from seeping into her skin and bones. However, she didn’t care much. Her heart leapt with excitement at all the new sights as they hurried through the city. Splashes of bright colors and lights decorated the park, illuminating the tall trees and metallic structures in a dim light. In addition, while she was unable to wear Constantine’s coat properly, somehow it being on her shoulders provided her with ample warmth which was enough for her.

For some reason she didn’t understand, Constantine seemed to be in an erratic rush. He repeatedly checked around every tree and every corner to make sure no people were looking, and when they were, he told her to hide, or stay out of sight. An unnecessary request, as Uriel did not understand what these random passersby could want with her. But she was in no position nor did she have any desire to object, so she obeyed.

“Wait!” Constantine shouted, stopping her in her tracks. Immediately, a large machine whizzed by, screeching and howling a dreadful blare as it passed. “You okay?”

“What was that? It moved so fast!” She asked.

“A car.”

“What’s a car?”

“I’ll tell you later! Come on, we gotta go!” Constantine said in a panting, heavy voice.

The two of them hurried, now out of the maze of wood and through the maze of rock and glass. The looming towers of stone enveloped Uriel’s eyes, making even the bright crescent moon above difficult to see. Constantine led her onward, his hand gently holding her wrist to make sure she didn’t get lost. This path was more unpleasant. There wasn’t much to see, the textures of the buildings were samey, repetitive, and they lacked the bright lights and decorations the trees bore. However, without any more distractions and obstacles, the two of them found their destination much quicker.

“Here!” Constantine called out, opening a door for her. Uriel nodded and flew inside. “Second floor, go!“ He said, a bit aggressively as he locked the door behind them.

“Don’t push me!” She said, a tinge of annoyance in her echo. Her wings spread menacingly for a moment, but quickly she brought them to rest against her back.

“Sorry, sorry!” Constantine meekly apologized, stepping back with his hands up. “I’m just worried someone will see you.”

“Its alright, but what's so wrong with that?”

“I’ll explain everything later, let's get you inside and cleaned up.”

Nikolai’s doorbell rang once more that night, and a voice stricken with anger could be heard on the other side alongside some storming and rapidly approaching footsteps.

“I swear to god I bought you a phone for a rea-oh.” The woman that opened the door suddenly stopped when she locked eyes with Uriel. Her entire body seemed to melt as her shoulders slumped and her expression turned to one of shock.

“Hello.” Uriel said with a gentle smile and a happy fluttering of her wings.

“May I?” Constantine said, pushing past Nikolai. He woke her from her trance and let Uriel inside her apartment. “Evan, can you get the first aid kit please?” He called out to his friend.

Nikolai was still stunned, watching the tall angel walk inside her home. She had to be halfway inside the hall before Nikolai could finally close the door behind her. “Its you.” She said plainly.

“What’s wrong Constantine, did you cut yourself?” Evan said, coming out of the kitchen with a yogurt and a spoon in his hand. “OH shit, trick or treaters started early huh? Damn, those are some big fuck-off wings. You alright Ma’am? Oh shit she’s bleeding!” He said, cycling through each statement in an instant.

“Heh. You’re funny.” Uriel chuckled, giving the newcomer a slight wave. Her wings also danced as she laughed, which made Evan let out a silent exclamation with his mouth. “I’ve never been called Ma’am before.”

“Woah… t-that voice is so trippy.” He said, before a louder voice snapped him out of his trance.

“YES, EVAN! That's why I said, get the damn first aid kit!” Constantine said, trying to hold back his bubbling anger. “Uriel, into the bathroom please.” He added, pointing the way for her.

She nodded, walking over in that direction. Along the way, she found it difficult to squeeze through the slightly narrow space of the living room and her massive wings knocked over a vase and a painting. The vase shattered into a thousand shards instantly. The painting survived unscathed.

“I’m so sorry!” Uriel called out.

“That was one of my favorite vases…” Nikolai said with a meek sigh.

“Its alright, I’ll clean it up.” Evan offered. “Constantine, you alright man?”

“Nikolai, can you please explain to Evan everything, I’ll, I’ll get her cleaned and bandaged and we will… we will… figure everything out.” He said, trying to let go of the stress and worry that had claimed him.

“Wow, this place is so big, so bright. This stone is so smooth…” Uriel said, inspecting Nikolai’s grandiose bathroom. “Ooh, and what a fancy mirror. It reminds me of a faint memory, a black lake I once visited. Its surface was still, unmoving, and it was so dark it perfectly reflected the world above.”

“T-that sounds great.” Constantine said, not entirely listening. He put down the toilet lid and motioned for Uriel to sit on it. “Can you sit here, please. Give me your hands. This will sting a little bit, sorry.”

Constantine took a few small pads and drenched them in blue alcohol. Then, he gently picked up Uriel’s left hand and slowly began dabbing away at her wounds. Uriel hissed, but endured. His hands moved quickly, but softly. He cleaned up the blood, dirt, and muck, occasionally reapplying alcohol to a fresh new pad or wetting some paper towels with water from the sink and using those instead. Uriel watched him work, mesmerized by his efficiency, his speed and most surprising of all, his kindness.

“You’ve done this before… many times?” She asked.

“Hmm? Oh… I just… I wanted to become a doctor. Out of necessity, I learned how to clean out a wound and apply bandages and things like that.” He confessed. “Got a nasty infection one time when my dad… nevermind, let's just say it wasn’t very fun.”

“What is a doctor?”

“A doctor? It’s someone who uses medicine to help others. It's like a healer. A savior. I wanted to become someone who saves people from hurting.” He said with a warm look in his eyes.

“Like you saved me!” She said with a beaming smile.

“Hah… I guess you’re right.” Constantine said with a slight chuckle. “What gave you these wounds anyway?”

“A terrible beast, I don’t remember it exactly. I’m sorry.”

“Its okay! That’s fine. I’m just making sure that you’re not in trouble or something.”

“I’m sorry, Constantine. I… don’t really remember much of anything. I feel like… Like I just woke up a few days ago. I don’t know where I am, what world or place, I don’t know what this strange city is, these strange people, I have no idea when or what happened. What happened before is an even greater mystery, aside from occasional flashes or random memories. The only thing I know for certain is my name… and now, yours.” She said, her voice low and dreadfully serious. “Oh, and theirs now! Who are they, your friends?” She asked, suddenly perking back up again.

“Yes! Evan, the blonde, is my best friend. And Nikolai, the lovely raven-haired cutie is my girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Uriel asked innocently.

“My lover.”

“Oh! How adorable.” She said with a blush.

“Y-yeah. But they’re great, I would trust them with my life. You shouldn’t worry about them.” Constantine said, trying to hide his cheeks turned a deep red in response to her statement.

“If you say so, then I will not.”

“With this… I’m done!” He said, adding the final tightening the last bandage over Uriel’s arms and patching it shut. “How do you feel?”

Uriel looked down at her delicate hands. Soft white bandages were wrapped around her wrists and palms all the way up to her elbows. She didn’t notice because of the conversation, but Constantine had applied a very soothing cream to her cuts and the pain was now almost completely absent. “I feel amazing. Thank you so much!” She said with sincerity and wonder in her echoing voice.

Constantine smiled. He turned around and walked to the large tub on the other end. Uriel watched as he reached for a long tube of metal with a bulbous head on the end. Suddenly, he flipped a switch on the base of it and crystalline water began shooting out of it.

“Wow… you managed to fit a river in that tube?” Uriel asked.

“Uh, no this comes out of… pipes and stuff. Anyway! I cleaned your hands, but you should… y’know, clean the rest of yourself up.” Constantine said, stammering awkwardly. “You can leave your robe there, I’m sure Nikolai has some clothes she can borrow to you. So, this little switch here, if you wanna make the water hotter just turn it slightly to the right, colder, slightly left. This feels good for me, but, you do you.”

“I… see!” Uriel said, with a determined nod.

“There's towels over here near the sink, use these when you’re done. These bandages are waterproof, but still you should avoid getting them wet. You can use all of Niko’s shampoos and stuff, conditioners, I don’t kn-NO! NO! NO!” He suddenly yelled when he noticed her beginning to pull down her robe. He slapped a hand over his eyes, but the sight of her collarbones was already seared into his mind. “I’ll get out now.” He said.

“What a strange man.” Uriel said, taking off her robe and floating into the tub. She cautiously picked up the magical water tube in one hand, and a bottle on one of the shelves with the other. She leaned closely, squinting her pale eyes as she deciphered the letters. “Sham-poo… Interesting.”

“Alright Consty, what the fuck is going on?” Evan aggressively approached Constantine as soon as he walked out of the bathroom hallway.

“Evan, I really don’t need your shit, I’m FREAKING out right now.” Constantine answered, pushing his friend away and sitting on a couch.

“What is this shit about her being a real angel? Did you two drink before I came here?” He said.

“I told you Evan, yesterday night something broke through Constantine’s window…” Nikolai intervened.

“Right, the window on the tenth floor. You really expect me to think it was her?” Evan said sarcastically, pointing towards the bathroom door. “Come on guys, you’re fucking messing with me aren’t you?”

“What possible purpose would we have to do that?”

“I don’t know! Some sort of Halloween prank. Oh my god, Evan we found an angel she’s totally real woooo. So spooky!” He said, while wiggling his hands in the air.

Both Nikolai and Constantine turned to stare at their friend with the same pained expression on their faces. One that begged the question, “Are you serious right now?”

“Don’t look at me like that.” Evan huffed. “Whatever, I’ll talk to her when she gets out. Also, did you forget the desserts?”

“I… lost them in the park I think.” Constantine said with a sigh. “Nikolai, can you bring her some clothes to borrow? She seems to be about your size, so they should fit well. Some socks too, I dragged her barefoot all over the city.”

“Some gentleman you are.” Nikolai said as she rushed to her room. “I think I have a nice backless shirt for her wings though.”

Evan scoffed and sat down beside Constantine. He reached down to the box on the floor and took a beer for himself.

“Don’t do that you ass.” Constantine said, irritated.

“What, its just a beer?”

“Nevermind.” Constantine said, unable to stop himself from chuckling at his friend’s sincere ignorance. They watched silently as Nikolai prepared a small stack of clothing and delivered it across her apartment with a hop in her step. She knocked on the door to her bathroom.

“H-hey, can I come in real quick?” Nikolai asked softly.

“Sure!” Uriel’s voice came from within.

“Hi, so I brought you some clothes…” Her voice trailed off as she shut the door.

“What are we gonna do?” Constantine said softly after a few moments of silence.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna keep watching TV and drinking this beer.” Evan said, taking another swig.

Constantine turned to his friend with a bewildered stance. “You really don’t believe us do you?”

Evan just shook his head with a dumb frown on his lips. “I’m honestly amazed you managed to convince Nikolai of this.”

A few moments later, Nikolai emerged from the bathroom with a somewhat blank stare on her face. She silently sat down between the two of them, and wordlessly watched the television. She snatched Evan’s drink from his hand, took a few gulps, and put it back in his hand.

“There’s water everywhere…”

Uriel’s rushed walk through the city had left her a little sweaty and grimy, so a refreshing bathing was more than welcome. The hot water felt good on her soft pale skin, and the variety of goopy bottles and strange clear fluids made it even more delicate and gentle to the touch. After a while, she decided she had thoroughly cleaned herself from top to bottom, and got out. She dried herself off as much as she could with Nikolai’s towels and once her body was dry, she began dabbing away at her wings. She usually let them air dry, or at least, that's how she remembered cleaning them.

Another memory flashed in her mind as she caught a glimpse of herself in the foggy mirror. She wiped it with her palm, and watched as the droplets fell on the glass. A dark river at night, running red as if stained with blood. A hasty, treacherous dip before bolting on the run once more. She shook her head, and the memories out of it. She fluttered her wings, flinging the water out of her feathers. After a few moments, she felt dry enough and began to dress.

These are… interesting. She thought to herself, lifting in the light a small black piece of cloth with a light frilly design around the edges. How exactly…? She wondered, raising an eyebrow in confusion. She pulled and stretched them, considering if perhaps she should put them on her wings, around her ears, or stick her hands through them. After a bit of trial and error, she realized what their true intent was.

“Nicely snug, I suppose…?” She said, looking down at her waist. The cloth snapped around her hips and hugged her curves in a comfortable, not too tight manner. “Is this what all the beings here wear? How odd. Although, the more I look at them, they don’t look so bad.”

The next piece was a pair of pants. I recognize these! Though Nikolai called them Yoga, Yooogaaa… Wonder if that’s a name? She said to herself. After only a few attempts, Uriel was indeed able to put them on without much issue. “I must say, they seem very comfortable. Very tight to the skin… They really make my bottom seem quite large.” Uriel said with a slight pout.

The second to last article was a shirt. It took Uriel more attempts to untangle it fully than actually put it on. The shirt had a backless design, with a strap at the back of the neck to keep it from falling off. How intriguing! I can wear this even with my wings! Uriel thought happily, doing a slight fluttery twirl. The front of the shirt was adorned by a peculiar glyph, two large crescent moons colored red, and forming what appeared to be a vertical eye.

A voice suddenly called out from the hallway. “H-hey, you’ve been in there a while, is everything okay?” Nikolai asked.

Uriel opened the door and walked out, nodding at her. “I’m just trying to figure out how these work.” She said, lifting two small floppy pieces of clothing, each colored with red and black stripes.

“Y-you want me to help with the socks?” Nikolai offered, with a mixture of amusement and confusion on her face.

“Socks. Yes please.”

“Follow me.”

The two walked back to the living room, where Nikolai made Uriel sit on an armchair. Constantine and Evan both watched the scene unfold, silent and eagle-eyed.

“So basically, you roll these up like these…” Nikolai demonstrated with both hands. “...Then you stick one foot, yep, now you push, and pull. Just like that!” She said, happily helping her guest put a sock on her left foot.

“Push… and pull. May I try with the other one?”

“Sure!”

Uriel beamed, her wings jittering with excitement alongside her smile. She followed Nikolai’s motions, and after a slight struggle with the heel, she was able to put the other sock on as well. “Woah! These feel so weird!” She said, wiggling her toes. “Do you all wear these?”

“Sometimes. Its to protect our feet, keep them warm.” Constantine answered. “You look great by the way, Nikolai picked a great fashion sense for you!” He added, flashing his girlfriend a sly wink.

Evan rolled his eyes cynically at the scene. “What are you, five? You’ve never learned how to put socks on?” He said, earning himself a mean look from his friends.

“Five? Do you mean my age? I’m not entirely sure… I’m not even aware on what day I was born.” Uriel said, as suddenly her expression turned to one of sadness.

“Look what you did, dick.” Nikolai’s irritated voice stung.

“I’m… sorry. I’m sorry.” Evan said, with unexpected honesty in his voice. He thought for a second, checking the clock on the wall and seeing the time. “Hey look, it’s past twelve a.m. Today could be your birthday, October thirty-first. Halloween!”

Uriel suddenly looked up, her pale eyes going wide at the thought of being granted a day of birth. “Y-you can do that? Wow! That’s amazing. Thank you so much! I never imagined… What is Halloween?”

“Halloween is a spooky holiday. We celebrate it by going out in costumes and such.” Constantine took the initiative and answered.

Uriel jumped from her seat, incredibly excited. “You gifted me a holy day as my date of birth? How wonderful! I shall treasure this gift greatly, thank you so much.” Uriel said, taking a bow towards Evan.

“D-don’t mention it… uh… name, right. I believe some introductions are in order. You’ve met Constantine. I’m-”

“Evan!” Uriel interrupted, answering for him. “Evan, and you are Nikolai. I heard your names, and Constantine told me. You’re his friends.”

“Yes, I’m Evan Wallace. And she’s Nikolai Isaga.” He nodded. “And you, Miss Amusing Klutz are…?”

“MY NAME!” Uriel said, her echo quite shockingly loud and intimidating. “Is not Amusing Klutz. My name is Uriel Fladium.”

Evan took a quick gulp. “Right, well, what are you? My friends say you are an angel. I don’t really believe them.”

Uriel stood staring at him, very apparently confused. “I am an angel though!” She said plainly, stretching out her left wing fully, showing off just how large it was. Its beautiful white silver color shined brightly in the ambient lighting of the apartment.

“R-right, well we can see that. But I find it hard to really believe that.” He said, standing up and walking to her. Nikolai stood up second and gave him a mean glare, after which she walked past him and sat next to Constantine. “Can you turn around, I just wanna take a quick look at your wings.”

“S-sure?” Uriel said, obediently spinning. “You can touch if you’d like.”

“Thanks!” Evan smiled. He started at first just by looking at her back, trying to figure out if there was a seam or a patch, some sort of make up that covered the base of the wings. Not seeing anything, he began running his fingers over her shoulder blades, hoping perhaps he’d feel something instead. “How… the hell?” Evan said, a droplet of sweat falling down his brow. He grabbed the wing bone, and gave a small tug.

“Ow, don’t rip it off please!” Uriel pleaded.

“Are you done?” Nikolai asked, annoyed.

Evan ignored her in his half-shocked state, continuing his inspection. “Can you move your left wing please?” He asked.

“Sure…” Uriel said, and she slowly spread out her wing again, moving it up, and down, in and out, and even twisting it somewhat. She displayed a great deal of motion, and all the while everyone watched in awe as her upper back muscles seemed to flex and contract and pull underneath her skin.

“This isn’t real.” Evan said, bewilderment in his tone. “No. This isn’t real.”

“It seems it really is Ev.” Constantine said, with the same quiet dejection in his voice.

“Would you perhaps like to see me fly?” Uriel asked. Everyone responded with a nod. “Okay, may someone open the window? Its too small in here, and I don’t want to break anymore things.”

“Are you sure that's a good idea? What if-” Constantine objected but Evan had already spun the handle to the living room window. “Well, fuck it I guess.”

Once the window was fully open, Uriel leapt on the sill with unexpected agility and grace. Everyone watched with bated breath as she turned around and flashed a quick smile, before letting herself fall out. Nikolai gasped, Constantine’s face turned to stone and Evan’s eyes almost bulged out of his head. But he was the first of all three to see as she flew up in a white blur. His mouth hung open wide as he watched her dance in the purple night sky, twirling and pirouetting through the clouds. The other two had walked over as well, and all three of their faces were almost smooshed against the windows as they tried to get a better view.

A few moments later, Uriel swooped back, slamming down on the windowsill. She almost slipped, her grip not perfect from her footwear, but Constantine’s quick thinking saved her. He grabbed her bandaged arms and gently allowed her to step back inside.

“There, convinced now that I am what I say I am?” Uriel said with a veneer of smugness in her smile.

Everyone was silently staring. They exchanged some glances between each other, before Evan finally made the first move. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but only some feeble hand gestures and groaning, mumbled noises emerged. Disappointed, he turned around and walked to the kitchen. The sound of glasses and bottles being moved around could be heard.

“He appears to be quite distressed by my presence. All of you do, s-should I leave?” Uriel asked, worryingly clasping her hand over the other.

“No, no you’re fine Uriel. Its just… Evan grew up very religious, he still is somewhat. Him seeing you must be a bit of a shock.” Constantine said.

“He just needs a bit of space.” Nikolai added. “I think we all do…”

“Let me go check on him.” He said, walking over to the kitchen. Uriel followed slyly, sliding closer to the kitchen wall so she could hear them talk. There, Constantine saw Evan slumped in the corner resting against the wall and the fridge. In one hand was the champagne bottle from earlier tonight, now opened, and in the other he held a glass that was previously fully filled by the looks of it. His hand was shaking violently, with droplets spilling out of the glass and onto the floor and his pants. Constantine sat across from him, leaning against some cabinets.

“Do you have the slightest fucking idea what this means Consty?” Evan asked, taking another trembling drink and wiping the sweat off his face. “If she’s really an angel? We’re fucked. Does that mean that there’s an afterlife? Heaven is real? Is hell? Sin? All our deeds laid out before us at the end of our days? What else exists if she does? Devils? Gods? Monsters? Does…” Evan’s eyes went wide as he wiped some more sweat from his forehead. “Does that mean there’s a chance I can see my mother in person someday?”

“Evan, you need to calm down. I can’t have you freaking out on me right now, man.”

“That’s not even to mention how utterly fucked we are in this exact moment. How are we going to keep her hidden? We can’t keep her locked away forever. People will notice eventually. The government’s gonna take her away, lock her up and do God knows what, what’s gonna happen with us then?”

“Evan please!” Constantine shouted, finding it difficult to keep himself calm. Luckily, the soothing voice of reason and stability came to rescue them both.

“Boys, you always overthink things. Take a deep breath, inhale, exhale.” Nikolai said, emerging from the doorway. “We’ve dealt with things before, good or bad.” She reassured, looking quickly at her scars. “And each time, we managed to pull through together. That’s it. The only way we pull through is together. A lost girl has come to you Constantine, and now we must figure out how to keep her safe in this strange new world for her.” She continued, kneeling next to them and placing a hand on each shoulder. “When I gave her the clothes earlier, she asked me about my scars, asked to touch them. I’m not saying she cured them or anything, but her eyes were kind, and her touch was like a feather. There was no pain. I do not believe this is all a trick, or some evil deception. I believe we’ve been chosen to be her companions in whatever may come, and now we should accept this task.”

“What would I do without you Nikolai…” Constantine said, lovingly resting his head on her hand. She gave him a soft rub on the cheek.

Evan slowly and more awkwardly mirrored his friend’s motion. Displays of affection between him and Nikolai were rarer, but now it seemed necessary. She gave him a smile and a similar rub as well. “Same. Thank you.” He said, shaking himself off and standing up. “Okay. We need to… we need to come up with a plan of sorts.”

“Plan?” Constantine asked, standing up as well.

“Someone out there has to have met someone like her before, right? We can’t possibly be the first ones ever. Maybe they know what to do?” Evan said, looking at both. “Also, I got an idea earlier. We’re so lucky, tomorrow, well, today’s Halloween, right? We can pass off her wings as part of the costume. We all get dressed like we were thinking and hang out with her, no one will bat an eye as we walk through the city.”

“Okay, but where are we going?” Nikolai asked this time.

“Well, we gotta start somewhere right? I’m thinking the old cathedral in Starfall park. I know the bishop that runs it well, I can trust him that if we tell him something like this, he won’t immediately call the police on us.” He said.

“You’re hoping a priest tells us what to do with an angel?” Constantine said, somewhat confounded by the proposition.

“Well he seems like he’d have the most authority on the subject, I don’t fucking know! Either way, we should probably let her know.”

“Arghem.” Uriel coughed from the doorway, causing all three to turn. “I know I am unfamiliar with this world and your strange customs, but I am not stupid nor inept. I can see that my presence is a massive, earth-shattering revelation, and that I may be in danger if the wrong people find me. I have dealt with dangerous authority before, so I know the threat. Your concern has been made all too clear. I trust you three, so if you wish for me to meet a man of faith, then I will follow.” Uriel nodded. “My apologies for spying on you three during your personal moment, I didn’t mean to be rude. Its just… I can’t remember my past very well, but one thing I knew for sure was that I was always alone. Alone and cold. Friendship and love as deep as yours is rare. It is a burning flame that I too yearn for. Seeing that, and seeing the kindness that you’ve all offered me so far makes me wish…” Her lip trembled. “I-I know this might be early, we just met but, I would like to become your friend too!” She declared.

The three of them nodded kindly, first Constantine, followed by Nikolai, and lastly Evan, who was still a bit shaken seeing her standing before him.

“Alright.” Nikolai began, taking command. “Let's all get some sleep and be up early tomorrow. We’ve had a long… long day, who knows what tomorrow will bring.”

Uriel nodded, but then she blushed hearing her abdomen growl. “Uh… b-before that. Nikolai, c-could you fix me up some food please? I can’t remember the last time I ate anything.”

Everyone stared blankly for a moment, before bursting into a deep laughter. Uriel’s blush only reddened not knowing what was so funny.

“Sure Uriel, let me make you something.” Nikolai chuckled while opening her fridge. “Oh HAH! Look at this you guys!” She said, pulling out an unopened box of four fresh eclairs.

“What the hell!” Constantine and Evan said in tandem. “You had eclairs this whole time?”

“Oops, I guess I forgot.” She said with a cheeky smile. The laughter only intensified at her amusing response, and Uriel joined in the chorus of happiness as well.

Mephisto, Baal, and Belial all stepped out of their limo in near perfect synchronicity. It was a long, sleek, black car with shades of silver along the edges. One that commanded opulence and high class. It was a necessity, after all, Belial insisted that the locale was a similar prestigious place with an upper-class clientele.

The three of them also were dressed for the occasion. Belial wore his top-hat, cleaned of lint and dirt, with the serpent bones that adorned it polished to a mirror shine. His imperial black suit and bone-white cane made his tall, imposing stature stand out among the three of them, even with his right leg’s limp. Mephisto was dressed similarly, with a sharp gray suit that he held unbuttoned, revealing a shirt underneath. Pallid white with a pattern of red triangles. He was freshly shaved and his shoulder-length hair was tied in a pony-tail knot. Lastly, even Baal was somehow less slimy and pudgy than he usually was. His hair was slicked back, and he was wearing a fitting, pleasant yellowish suit instead of loose and unmatching clothing styles.

Mephisto was displeased that he also joined them. In all his time since he’d arrived on earth, he never once had something even remotely close to a pleasant time with Baal. He was always rude, crass, and seemed to have an equally large distaste for everyone around, including him. Azazel however, insisted that he’d be sent along, and there was no arguing with that.

“Alright. You two, befo’ we go inside, a quick reminda’.” Belial began. He turned to Baal first. “You, keep quiet. I don't wanna hear a single thin’ outta you. Any spicey comments, you keep dem to yourself.”

“You’re the boss, boss.” Baal said, the sarcasm and distaste in his voice hard not to notice.

“And you, keep the gun close.” Belial said, turning to Mephisto and nodding. “If you see anythin’, don’t hesitate to shoo’. If I say de word, you shoo’.”

“Understood boss.” Mephisto said, nodding back. If your ass gets scratched even slightly, mine is fucking toast. I’d rather start shooting every fucker in this restaurant than risk that.

“But DON’T, blow de deal for no reason.” Belial added, as if he read his intent.

Guess that’s not an option then.

As the three walked further in the restaurant, Mephisto was amazed by the bright lights and sheer luxury that emanated off of every item. From the decorations on the walls to the gold-tinted highlights of the doors, everything looked pristine.

“Whoever owns this place sure likes to keep things shiny.” Mephisto commented.

“Dat would be de Baroness.” Belial added with his calm, suave voice.

“Who?”

“Baroness Sharvinel. A big hotshot demon, has a palace on the outskirts of the northern district. This restaurant was actually a gift from Azazel to her after a streak of good deals they made. The Baroness often helps with materials and supplies, and frequently participates in our yearly demon auction with some… very spicy items.” Baal said smugly. He spoke as if he had just done his research the day before, and now was reciting everything from memory with the goal of coming across as cultured. This deep, sleazy voice made that a difficult achievement however.

“Interesting.” Mephisto said, quickly absorbing everything that was said. “I thought Azazel didn’t tolerate rivalries in his city.”

“He doesn’t, but even Azazel knows he doesn’t want to, or can’t stick his fingers in every cookie jar in this city. Sometimes its better to leave some industries running the way they are, and simply profit off of them. As long as the Baroness understands the pecking order and doesn’t try to step on Azazel’s toes, she gets to live the life of luxury she wants…” Baal spread his arms, motioning towards the massive, grandiose chandelier that hung from the ceiling of this main hallway they were in. “...As you can see. Gods, imagine owning a place like this. What I wouldn’t give…”

“If you had a restaurant like dis, you’d probably become de size of a school bus within three months!” Belial laughed.

Baal was not amused. He just scoffed and looked away, muttering a quick yet not a very quiet: “Fuck you, Belial.”

A front of house waiter noticed them and immediately walked to them. The moment he saw Belial, he did a small head bow.

“I see you’ve arrived safely, Lord Belial. Lord Baal… and someone new? I don’t believe we’ve met.” The waiter said, raising an eyebrow.

“A bodyguar’ nothing mo’.” Belial spoke in his stead. “Where’s de Baroness’ men? Mustn’t keep dem waitin’.”

“We’ve prepared the upstairs lounge just for the meeting. Please follow me.” The waiter said, taking a step on the grand staircase and leading them on. ”You will see no disturbance from any random people or waiters, except for the general butler who will occasionally provide wine and drinks if requested. A dinner will be provided, paid in full by the Baroness herself. May I have your choice of steak, fish, or lamb? We even have a vegetarian option if any are thus inclined.”

Baal was first to answer, with a loud and determined voice. “Steak. Bloody, with white wine. I’m allergic to mushrooms, so don’t want to see them anywhere near my plate.”

After a sigh, Belial answered next. “I’ll have your finest salmon. With lemon butter sauce, I remember enjoying dat greatly de last time I was invited to de Baroness’ fine establishment.”

Lastly, it was Mephisto’s turn. It took a second for him to even notice the waiter staring at him, expecting a response. “Uh, lamb.” He said plainly. “Curious what a restaurant-quality lamb is like.”

The trio followed the eager waiter up the fancy stairs. Along the way, Mephisto took quick, inquisitive glances at all the different paintings and portraits that adorned the walls. Most were normal, masterful portraits of gentlemen and gentleladies in elegant clothing, or a beautiful stunning landscape during summer or winter. However, a few were somewhat morbid to his tastes. Especially the higher they climbed on the staircase.

One really has to wonder, how the hell do these people keep their appetites looking at these… He wondered to himself.

“The three musketeers have finally arrived!” A booming, intense yet suave voice greeted them from the comfort of their seats. The large round table was placed against a wall in the middle of the room. Between the two was a round, decorated couch made of fine leather. The man whose voice they heard was sitting in the dead center, sipping on some hard liquor. He was tailored in a fine suit with a shade of dark green that complimented the dark black color of his shoulder-length hair. He took off his sunglasses, revealing a scar that cut from his right eyebrow, over his nose, and down his left cheek. “Took you a while.”

“Traffic was mad today, Jesse.” Belial said, giving a tip of his hat. “You’ve met Baal last time, but dis ’ere is Mephistopheles. Newcoma’.”

Mephisto took the queue and walked forward for a handshake. Immediately, he noticed Jesse’s bodyguards from either side of him standing up with rapid movement, ready to intercept any ill intent. He stepped back, and scanned the room, noticing that around the area were quite a few other bodyguards, trying to blend in by sitting around distant tables or just observing from afar. It was clear to him how armed they all were.

“Jeez, stand down you clowns, you’re embarrassing me. Man’s just coming in for a good old fashioned handshake.” The mafioso said, standing up and offering his hand over the table. “Mephisto, eh? Please take a seat, all of you.”

The demons all obliged, with Mephisto sitting down last. He was to the left of his host, Belial was across the table from him, and Baal sat to his right.

“Name’s Jesse, Jesse Robin. These fine demons know me as Egg Man. You’re welcome to call me whichever name you like.”

“Why’d they call you Egg Man?” Mephisto asked, chuckling slightly at the nickname.

“Because he sleeps with the Baroness and gets her eggs all fertilized for breakfast if you feel me.” Baal blurted, laughing like a hog at his joke.

Mephisto could feel Belial’s glower stare without even needing to see it. His eyes wandered back to his boss, confirming his instinctual ability by seeing his absolutely frozen stare. They all waited for a reaction from their host, who also seemed quite shocked by the crassness of the comment. While the silence did stretch onward for an awkward amount of time, eventually, a subtle restrained laughter could be heard from Jesse. The laughter intensified to the point where Belial felt comfortable chuckling as well, and Mephisto eased and gave a token laugh as well.

“Damn man, that’s a good one!” He said, downing his laughter with a shot of whiskey. “I’m pissed she wasn’t here to hear it, she’d probably have your head for that Baal you rotten pig.”

“Ah that cunt can bite my-” Baal began, but was quickly cut off by Belial’s louder than usual voice.

“How about instead, we discuss some business, and no longa’ risk trampling over whatever goodwill we still have, hmm, yes?” He said with a smile, pushing his cane fiercely into the floor. It was a subtle act, but evident enough for Baal to notice and understand the warning.

“No worries my good man. But round here it’s customary for some good time chatter first. After dinner, we can discuss all the business you’d like.”

“Very well Jesse, what’s new?” Belial asked.

Jesse took another sip of his drink, and pointed at Mephisto and said plainly: “He is.”

“Me?”

“Heard some fun things about you. Some sort of medieval torturer was it? Details are fuzzy. I’m curious why Azazel needs another butcher on the payroll, when he already has so many killers like these two. Perhaps that’s the trick. He needs someone messy and willing to get his hands dirty isn’t it?”

“Killers, huh? And to clarify, I only became a torturer in hell, and I predated the medieval world by a while.” Mephisto turned to his seniors, and each looked back in their own understanding glance. “But I certainly don’t mind getting my hands dirty.”

“Oh yes, don’t think they’re anything more than that. Same deal with me. This room is a room made of killers, by killers, for killers. All the glamour, all the gold and shiny bits, that’s all this is.” Jesse said ominously. “A facade.”

“Sometimes the fancy clothes make the man, sometimes they only cover the monster underneath.” Mephisto said, shrugging.

Jesse nodded, lifting his glass. “Amen to that. Mister Butler, I just noticed my guests haven’t been served any drinks though we’ve been talking for a while. Chop chop.”

Out of nowhere rushed a veritable army of waiters, each carrying a different type of antique and elegant wine bottle. The corks were popped, and the glasses were quickly filled, even for the seats at the table that weren’t occupied. Belial stopped them from pouring any in his.

“I’ll have some soda. Medicine and alcohol don’t mix.” He said, his voice pouring like melted honey.

“Leg still bothering you, heh? No worries.” Jesse said, standing up from his seat. “Still, I would like to propose a toast.” He pointed a newly filled wine glass towards Mephisto. “To Azazel’s new butcher, Mephisto. Here’s hoping our friendship endures longer than whatever poor sod you get sicced on.”

If you keep pissing about with this friendship crap, that might just end up being you Jes. Mephisto thought, smiling widely as he sipped the wineglass.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Jesse’s chit-chat turned back to Belial and Baal occasionally, with Mephisto pretty much fully ignored. He didn’t mind, getting to sip on wine and stare at the painting above Jesse. A war scene, though he wasn’t able to tell which war exactly. The armies had yet to begin, they were just marching on their side of the field, readying their weaponry of destruction and waiting for hell to be unleashed.

Finally, the waiters brought out the long-awaited food. Mephisto salivated as the succulent scents of expertly cooked food began to fill his nostrils. When the plate was placed in front of him his eyes went wide. A quartet of perfect medium-rare lamb chops arranged over a bed of white sauce and served with a healthy portion of roasted garlic and clementine carrots.

I’ve… never seen food like this in all my fucking years. He thought, staring in disbelief. In the year since he had arrived, he had a great deal of pleasant experiences relearning what food was, how varied and delicious it could be, and how much he had actually missed it. But this, this seemed to be a whole other level entirely. He anxiously chopped up a piece of meat, dipping it in more sauce and stabbing the fork further in some of the carrots. A quick pause of biting anticipation before he put the fork in his mouth. The meat melted in his mouth, and he nearly choked on how absolutely divine it tasted. His chewing was slow, languid, letting the fragrancy of the taste permeate every bud on his tongue.

“Fuck.” He nearly yelled, immediately going in for another delicious bite.

“The Baroness also finds the lamb to be her favorite.” Jesse said in between bites. “Is this your first time having some?”

“I think I recall chopping up a sheep once and eating its meat off the leg bone.” Mephisto confessed. “It definitely did not taste as good as this are you fucking kidding me? God, fuck.”

Jesse was amused by the scene. After a few more minutes allowing everyone to get further in their meal, he turned to Belial. “Now, we may discuss business.”

“So den, is simple. Do you have de explosives?” Belial said, cleaning up his lower lip with a cloth napkin. “De first sum of money has been transferred already. We will inspect de cargo, make sure it is all in order, den pay the second part.”

“Alright, I’ll give your boys some more time to finish their meals. In the meantime, Mister Butler, can you tell Stheck to bring out the suitcase. You can clear a table over there and we’ll get started.”

The butler nodded and bolted like a silent shade. In a few minutes, he returned alongside a short, stubby-looking man. He cleared one of the tables of all cutlery with blistering agility, creating a perfect spot for the suitcase. The man, who Mephisto assumed to be Stheck, carefully placed the downright massive case he was carrying on the table.

“Whenever y’all are ready.” He said with a turn.

Mephisto saw Belial give him a nod. He cleaned himself with a napkin, thankful he was given the opportunity to finish his dinner. His plate was spotless. He downed the last drops of wine he had left and stood up. Baal stood at the same time as he did, much to his annoyance. Jesse and Belial meanwhile, continued eating and chatting.

“Alright, show us the goods.” Baal said after the two of them walked over. Mephisto hung back, content with watching everything from afar.

“A whole case of TR-thirty-seven mining explosives.” Stheck said, opening the suitcase and carefully taking out one unit before shutting it again. Mephisto saw what looked like a large, blocky metal tablet with a variety of wires and small control panels on one side. “Twenty to be exact, enough to tunnel all the way to Cranadia if you desire. Comes with state of the art stick-and-drill technology, where you peel off the sticky pad on the back, then flick this switch here, and small rivets drill into whatever surface you’re blowing up for ample grip and no risk of it falling off.”

Baal nodded, impressed. “Everything looks good to me, Mephy?”

Mephisto walked closer, taking the singular unit from Stheck’s hand. He inspected it much closer asking a couple questions about blast power and what compositions were used in fabrication. Stheck answered all nearly instantaneously, except one.

“What cooling agent are you using?” Mephisto asked.

Stheck was silent. His mouth was slightly open, and he shot Jesse a quick look. He was confused. “I don’t follow.”

“Is everything okay?” Jesse asked. The pressing silence grew like the mounting dread of a ceiling on the verge of collapsing.

“Ye, ye, boss all good.” Stheck assured. “There’s no cooling agent here.”

“Are you using cooling salts?” Mephisto asked, more authoritatively. Even Baal turned to him, suddenly realizing the issue that Mephisto was pressing upon.

“No salt, no peppers, no damn ice-cream. There’s no cooling nothing! These are explosives! They explode!”

“You fucking moron!” Mephisto said, getting up in his face. “We needed MINING, explosives, not fucking military grade bombs! Tell me, what do you think is gonna fucking happen when we blow up this shit in a fucking sewer and a flame sparks? Hmm? I’ll tell you what happens, we blow ourselves and half the fucking city up!”

“Mephisto. Not good?” Belial asked from the table. He had a concerned look on his face.

“No!” He said. “These are faulty but-”

“Fucking, yes!” Stheck insisted, interrupting him. “You wanted explosives, I provided explosives. You’re fucking mental if you think these don’t work!”

“Oh they work too well is the problem.” Baal said, in agreement with Mephisto. He spun around, turning to Jesse. “Was this your plan Jesse? Sell Azazel a bunch of bad bombs in hopes he loses all his men? Or are you just too stupid to hire an actual bomb technician that knows the difference between his stock?”

“Now that’s some mighty accusations Baal, I know you’re too stupid to keep yourself from spouting off nonsense, but let’s all calm down and revise the situation.” Jesse said, standing up from his fine dinner.

There was little chance of any cooler head prevailing, as the angered Stheck lunged at Baal, intent on landing a single sucker punch. However, he did not expect Baal’s sheer girthy mass to take it while barely flinching. The counterattack was immediate as Baal rushed back, pummeling fists into his assaulter. The brawl was short, but what came next was not. Stheck stumbled back, and with a mad glare in his eyes, moved to pull something out of his jacket.

Screaming and shouting could be heard, but Mephisto heard nothing. Time had frozen still for him. His eyes darted across the restaurant, counting just two other body guards also reaching for their weapons. The others were too slow, he had a few more seconds to spare. He needed to be fast on the draw, and he knew he was. Stheck pulled out his gun and pointed it at Baal’s head.

A powerful gunshot rang out through the restaurant. Moments later, Stheck’s limp body collapsed on the floor with a clean bullet hole through his eyeball. Before anyone could tell who the shooter was, two more gunshots rang out, taking out the two bodyguards that had managed to grab their weapons.

“MEPHISTO!” Jesse screamed, and with his voice, chaos erupted. Everyone jumped from their location, turning over tables and getting whatever cover they could. Bullets whizzed by, glasses were shattered, men screamed as their brains fell out of their skulls. A few sparks erupted onto the paintings, causing a fire. With it came a white-hot smoke that burned the lungs. Mephisto jumped behind a table, firing shot after shot at Jesse’s men. Belial was trapped, hiding behind another table, but much closer to them. He had to rush towards him. At that moment, another few rounds were fired from his general direction, but it wasn’t him.

“Go! I’ll cover you.” Baal said, pistol in hand.

Mephisto nodded, and rushed through the chaos, keeping low to the ground as he fired blind bullets towards the attackers. Through some miracle, he managed to reach Belial before he was riddled with holes.

“You okay?” Mephisto shouted, taking cover against the table as more shards of splintering wood exploded from its edges.

“I’ll live!” Belial shouted back. “Dere’s many mo’ comin’! I hope you have a plan to get us out of here?”

Mephisto was silent, he spun around, trying to search for an exit, an escape, something to save them from the bullet-loaded death they were all on the verge of experiencing. Then he saw it - the explosive charge next to Stheck’s body. He turned to Belial, who nodded at him.

“Good idea, I’ll handle it.” The demon yelled. “Keep dem off me!”

“What, how?”

“Not now! When I say run, you run!” Belial said. Mephisto nodded, watching as his boss pointed his cane and his other hand at Stheck’s dead body. The corpse twitched, jumped, and jolted unnaturally. In an eruption of blood and sinew the reanimated skeleton rose. Muscles and skin still clung to its misshapen, bloody form. It howled like a damned beast as unnatural life pulsed through its absent veins. It grabbed the explosive device with its long, skeletal claws before struggling to activate it with those same twitchy, cursed fingers. The charge ticked, and then the digital clock on it activated. Through Belial’s will, the skeleton crawled, unnoticed, towards Jesse’s guards. It dragged the rest of Shteck’s corpse along with it, as the clock beeped down with every second.

“NOW!” Belial shouted, and the two of them rushed from their cover, trying to gain distance from the ensuing blast. The restaurant shook, windows were shattered, and all the fancy paintings and elegant facades turned to dust before the force of the explosion. The demons jumped to the ground, taking shelter as the blast ripped a hole in the upper floor of the restaurant.

And then there was silence. Mephisto was curled up, and slowly he unspooled himself, coughing and cleaning himself of dust and powdered cement. He sat up first, gun in hand, and turned to see the carnage that he had caused. The whole right side of the floor was charred, with a massive hole in both the ceiling and the floor. Corpses littered the area further out, or at least, many burnt limbs and bits of their remains.

At that moment, the sprinklers turned on, dousing the fire that had engulfed most of Jesse’s couch. Mephisto rushed back, grabbing the metal suitcase Stheck had brought. Aside from a few dents from ricocheting bullets, it was undamaged.

“Well, we definitely know they explode at least.” Mephisto said, handing it over to Baal and moving to pick up Belial.

“What are you doing?” Baal asked, wiping some debris from his face and eyes. “Didn’t you just fucking say they were faulty?”

“I did, but I didn’t get to finish. I can fix them. Mix a few things, create some bootleg cooling agents for them.” Mephisto said, panting. “I was gonna say but, then you fuckers got at each other.”

“You did good, Mephy, you did good.” Belial reassured him, struggling to stand fully. “I don’t exactly recall teaching you dis kinda chemistry howeva’.”

Mephisto shrugged, and helped him stand by offering his shoulder. “I took some extra classes with Azazel.” He said, and didn’t elaborate any more on that. As he and Belial began to move, the demon noticed a stain of red growing on his shirt. He quickly checked to see if he was shot, then realized it was not him.

“Belial?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got shot in de fight. Don’t worry. I’ll live. Let's get out of here befo’ any cops show up.” He said, immediately collapsing unconscious on the ground.