Scourge of Angels: Chapter 1 – One Last Day

Chapter 1 – One Last Day

There’s a strange peace before the storm we’re about to create. My new friends and I sit in a restaurant eating what could be our last meal, talking, joking, and acting as if we’re not about to openly purge this city that my guardian angel led us to. I turn my eyes to my reflection in the nearby window and look into my red, orange, and yellow eyes as I see a man I used to be infatuated by, then completely disgusted with, and now tepidly accepting of. My brown hair has been kept together as well as it can be, and my red shirt, black jacket, black pants, and shoes are as clean as they can be for a man on the run. Tanith looks a bit better.

Her grey skin, grey eyes, and black, long-sleeved shirt, skirt, and thighighs boots are kept well, and there’s not a speck of dirt or blood in her white hair. As for Terah, he always looks like a homeless man with his big dark green jacket, scarf, shirt, baggy pants, and heavy-looking boots, while his green eyes and lack of arms are the only things that make him stand out. We don’t change our appearance much since we’ve been on the run when we started destroying cities and towns where the demons and their cultists reside. In total, we’ve destroyed three cities and a handful of settlements on the way here to Detlef, where my guardian angel says our journey may end.

“Enjoy the peace now while you can, and keep your mind off your task, for now, my friend. It’s all going to end soon,” my guardian angel says.

Each of us sees our guardian angel, while they are invisible to each other and the people around us. My guardian angel is a flaming armored soldier, with a horned hood, three red eyes, two crimson swords for arms, and a cloak made of fire. We all take on the appearance of our guardian angels when we use our powers, which will be soon, but I shouldn’t think about that now. Turning my eyes back to my friends, I see Tanith helping Terah eat his food and drink his coffee.

Terah tilts her head a bit as she asks me, “Is there something wrong, Thaddeus?”

“Nah. I just think this is all weird,” I say.

“You’re just starting to realize that after everything we’ve been through?” Terah asks with a laugh.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it? Weeks ago, all I could think about was the next thrill, the next girl or guy dressed as a girl I’d be with, and what get-rich-quick scam I could get away with. Tanith was obsessed with pleasure, and you were obsessed with power.”

“Those obsessions still bother us. We aren’t over them yet, but I understand what you mean,” Tanith admits. “When I wake up, I still find it hard to believe this isn’t a dream, and that I’m not stuck as a sex toy in Exquista Caro.”

“You would mistake this for a dream?” Terah asks.

“Yes. Living like this is a million times better than always itching for a fix of sex and drugs like I was before.”

Terah sighs and says, “I guess you’re right, and I can relate to you both, now that I think about it. It’s freeing not to always be looking behind my back and worrying about sucking up to powerful people, so I could keep what I had and get more.”

“We’re not going to be free for long. We’ll either die or be locked away in prison forever for what we’ve done and are about to do,” I remind them.

“What did you say before, Thaddeus? As long as we’re doing the right thing, that’s all that matters?” Tanith asks.

“She’s right. Remember and find peace in the fact that we are doing God’s will because at the end of our lives, that will be the only thing we will be judged for,” Terah says.

“Thanks for the reminder. I appreciate it.”

“Say, why don’t we go to church? Spend some time there to obtain some true peace, especially since we’ll be facing a demonic threat soon?”

“That’s a good idea, Terah. Let’s do it, before we get started.”

Going to the nearest Catholic church, we go to it to find it mostly empty. Noticing people lined up at the confessional, Terah and Tanith go up to it, while I stay and pray. Given that I grew up in a for-profit denomination of Christianity, I’m unable to partake in the sacrament. I’m also pretty sure that my baptism was invalid, now that I know what a real baptism should be like from Terah and Tanith, who received all the sacraments. At this rate, I don’t think I’ll be able to receive any of them and will only be baptized through desire.

“Do not worry for your salvation. Continue doing as God wills, and you will have it,” my guardian angel reassures me.

Thank you, my friend. I continue praying, and watch, and am surprised by how long my friends have to wait in line for confession. From what I know, it’s supposed to take only a few minutes for people to confess, but it feels like an hour passes before a person finishes their confession, as if they’re conducting therapy sessions. The smell of strong perfume turns my attention to a woman who walks into the church and kneels by me. She’s dressed with a veil over her face, makeup, long skirt, long-sleeved frilly shirt, and heels, all of which are colored pink and red. I watch her pray with her eyes closed until she opens them and turns her attention to me.

With a smile, she says, “Aren’t you Thaddeus?”

“Huh? Yeah. I am,” I admit in a whisper.

“I’m a big fan of yours. I was surprised to see that you’re a wanted criminal. What are you doing in a place like this?”

“Giving honor to God, before I have to get back to work for Him.”

“Aren’t you afraid someone will report you to the police or Dominion before you do your work?”

“No. This is the life God gave to me, so it’s what I have to accept.”

“That’s what I always liked about you. You’re a fearless man who’s always willing to do what you think is right, no matter the risks.”

“Thank you for the compliment, but…uh…”

The woman moves her face close to mine.

“Can I get one kiss from you before you leave?”

“I…uh…I guess I don’t see the harm in it.”

I move my face close to hers, intending to kiss her on the cheek, only to be surprised when she grabs my face and kisses me on the mouth for a good long while.

“On second thought, you shouldn’t leave here, or at least, shouldn’t leave without me, Thaddeus. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I…”

“Thaddeus, that woman is a man,” my guardian angel says.

The words wake up my head from its infatuation so that I can clearly see the truth about the man. I didn’t notice it before, but now that I see it, based on a better view of the man’s shoulders, hands, and face. I’m also now realizing that the man’s voice was only slightly pitched up, and I wish that I recognized this sooner.

Immediately, I push away from the man and say, “Who are you really?”

“As I said, I’m a fan of yours and would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I know the kind of person you’re into and dressed this way because I know you’d be attracted to me.”

Knowing that there’s only one way this man could have known to find me here, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is the work of demons. Without a second thought, I pray to activate my powers, transform, and stick one of my crimson swords through the man’s neck.

“Never meet your heroes,” I say before taking the sword out.

Looking over to Tanith and Terah, who just got out of the confessional, I tell them what happened, and they transform as everyone in the church either hides or starts to flee from it.

“I’m both surprised and not surprised at all that this is how the demons start to go after us,” Tanith says.

“I know, and I’m sorry for my failure to resist my temptations,” I say as I cross myself. “May God forgive me.”

“Don’t dwell on your sin now while the enemy is already attacking us. I’m sure God has forgiven you because of the circumstances, so let’s strike back before they can attack us again,” Terah says.

“You’re right. Council of Punishment, let’s get to burning.”

Exiting the church, I follow my guardian angel’s lead, and we fly to our targets’ destination. We fly into high-rise buildings and underground basements to burn and punish everyone in the area, especially where cultist activity is occurring. With my powers, I cut people apart with my crimson arm sword and burn them with supernatural fire that reduces most to ash while sparing the somewhat innocent. Tanith freezes and burns people with her blue flames, and Terah uses the green lightning emanating from his body to shock and burn people and to take control of some of them, turning them to our side or making them simply kill themselves. No one we face is a match for us. In fact, most try to run in fear, while a few beg for mercy, which they don’t get.

“Beg to God for mercy, not us,” Terah says.

After burning and killing at several locations, I take a look out at Detlef to see the many fires we’ve started and the damage we’ve done to the buildings. It’s like a series of missiles has struck the city, like it’s a warzone. Sure enough, the police and the local hero associations come after us.

“Execute these people as well. Most of them are on Hell’s payroll,” my guardian angel says.

Will do. The Council of Punishment engages law enforcement in a one-sided battle. Their attacks with guns, robots, and superhuman powers of all kinds do little against us when they’re able to hit us. Not long into the fight, I begin seeing doubles of every foe I’m facing, and then start seeing myself as the double.

“This is it, Thaddeus,” the doppelgangers say in my voice. “After this, your usefulness to God will be up.”

I start praying while trying my best to focus on the fight at hand.

“He’s already let you sin in His own house. What makes you think He won’t let it happen again? What makes you think you won’t be thrown away and damned with the rest of us after this? You already know this day will be your last.”

“Tanith, Terah!” I say.

Turning around, I see Tanith burning herself with the blue flames coming out of her left arm. She says, “I know! I’m trying to deal with it!”

“Pray and let your fighting be a prayer to God,” Terah suggests.

Together, we pray and battle until the battle around us is over and temptations fade away. Detlef is in more ruins than before, with even more fires burning the city, destroyed buildings, and dead and unconscious bodies in the streets. This is our God-given work. This is what true justice and doing the right thing look like, and we’re just getting started.