Impure

He gasped as he fleet through the halls, guards chasing after him. His feet padded against the smooth living stone beneath him. He had to stop them; he had to get Christian away. He stood in the ring but it didn’t respond. He was being blocked. With a growl of determination his wings snapped out and he sprang into the air before the others could catch him. They set after him, but he had a head start on them still as he neared the roof.
“Wing!” he cried and the sword shimmered into his hand at his command. He gripped the hilt with both hand and arched it in the air as he sped towards the smooth stone. With a swipe he sent a rift of energy slicing through the air lancing through the cool stone. It cracked and Sereph plunged the steel into the mason. There was a soft cry that whispered through the air.
“Let me in…I swear I will keep stabbing you if you don’t!” he threatened. If the building lived, as so many said he would hurt it if he had to. He drew back his blade and crashed it into the marble again and another cry hissed through the room. The guards gained on him. “Open up!” He screeched. As if sensing the serious command in his voice the marble parted like liquid wide enough for him to fly through.
He shot through the floor of the meeting room all eyes turning on him as he landed with a dangerous grace. Wing gripped tightly in his hand.
“Serephium! What are you doing!?” Cronan demanded fire in his eyes.
“What am I doing!?” He growled one arm sweeping out in a dramatic arc, irritated. “What are –you- doing. Why has Christian been called to trial!”
“He killed a mortal, a mortal that was his ward non-the-less. It is against our law to kill innocence.”
Christian turned his head to face Sereph from his secluded corner of the room, the stains of red lanced angry crimson lines from his ruined eye. Hurt echoed in his gaze as he bowed his head and turned from Sereph’s own disbelieving eyes.
“Mortals have killed our kind before! On purpose! Christian did not intend to kill her…you have to be mad to think he would kill in cold blood.”
Cronan bristled with anger.
“Do not speak so fledgling. You have not the age behind you weak wisdom. A death is a death, and not taken lightly.”
Sereph strode forward Wing held in his hand tightly with a passionate rage ready to swipe the elder’s head from his shoulders. A set of guards filed in his way and eyes him wearily.
“Sereph, please. Do not make this harder than it already is.” The soft voice of Lestal pleaded. The delicate waif of her voice coaxed his better judgment, beckoned logic from his passionate fury. He glared, his icy eyes sparking with a deep power.
“You know he doesn’t deserve this.” He growled, anger barely held in check as the rest of the council eyed him carefully. A soft twitter of noise sounded from the group. Cronan rose his hand and the noise ceased.
“We have already ruled our judgment.”
Sereph’s heart froze as his cold gaze sharpened.
“The Guardian Christian is to be banished.”
Christian winced at the word his head dipping as he concealed himself in a shadow of his own hair. Sereph’s eyes widened.
“What!” The enormity of the sentence was far beyond his expectations. Banishment was one of the worst things any angel could be deposited with.
“Sereph, we have to follow the law…”
“The law be damned! This is Chris we are talking about. He made a mistake, sure, but one worth banishing!?” Cutting Lestal short. Cronan seethed and looked ready to hit him, but his female half rose her hand and silenced him before he could say anything and continued.
“…I know, but we think it best.”
“He’ll be mortal…he could die!”
“Yes, but if he is good he will come right back here won’t he.” Cronan taunted. Sereph roared and lunched himself into the wall of guards shouldering them. He was a big man and very few of them stood against his relentless barrage. Someone grabbed his arm, and another followed with the other. A strong arm coiled tightly about his neck to hold him back. Through the process he was divested of his sword. His wings ruffled agitated as he tried to lash from their grasp, muscles rippling with effort, straining against the trio that held him back.
“Sereph…just leave it.” Christian’s soft voice whispered. He turned to face the man he loved. There was fear in that warm eye that remained untouched, but a pride that accepted his fate. “They are right.”
His lips parted but he could say nothing as something cold clutched his chest. Before he could retort the order was made to take Christian to be marked. All the fallen were marked with holy fire to bind their powers and strip them of their angelic rank.
“Wait! Chris!!” He tugged at the hold that gripped him and struggled, the three had some trouble keeping him as he felt the tedious hold they had on him strain and fray. “CHRIS!”
“Someone bind him until he calms down.” Cronan’s voice said exasperated.
“I do not thing that is really needed.”
“Look at him and how he got in here.” The man said sounded angered and nervous. He turned to the guards. “Do it!” He spat and Sereph was swamped down and subdued swiftly. Someone bound his wrists behind his back. He refused to submit to this and set to freeing himself but, though the rope smooth against his flesh, it was tight and hurt against the constant struggled he gave.
“Cronan, if I ever see you again, I’ll kill you for this.” The voice that left his lips was thin and cold, a tone no angel had ever managed. A demonic taint flared his blood and hissed through his gaze. That look took the attention of all in the room, even Lestal seemed fearful for something other than herself. A warm light ebbed and the ring in the center of the room glowed breaking the attention upon the man held before them to the appearance of the celestial balance.
Fate placed her hands on her hips and she twirled about to face Sereph with a glare.
“Sereph. Stop!” Her glowing eyes warned as he growled at her his teeth grinding against one another. He lashed against his bindings madly. He wanted to hurt them, he wanted to make them see. A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he was held back by rope and flesh. She strode towards him and set a warm hand upon his brow and he couldn’t help but blink then gave a cry of pain. He attempted to shy away from her touch like a burnt animal. She refused to move her touch from him the guards that held him seeming confused and ready to let go.
“Do not let him go.” Her voice a challenge. Sereph gave another sharp cry panting in pain and thrashed to break free. Something hot barbed his mind, clawing at it and was ripped away fiercely. The pain seemed to ebb away with each throb of his erratic pulse. He stood there feeling tired and aching all over.
“What the hell…” He rasped.
“You are tainted Sereph, demon blood runs in your veins…don’t forget that.”
“WHAT!” Cronan roared surging from his chair. This was news to him as he looked up feeling oddly calm.
“Sit down!” Fate commanded one definite finger pointing at him. Cronan seemed to think better of defying and slid slowly back into his chair.
“What do you mean by this Fate? Both of his parents were angelic.” The more logically, surprise tone of Lestal’s voice queried. Fate waved off the guards that held Sereph, but did not allow them to unbind him. The man wavered without the unknown support feeling tired but balanced himself quickly to avoid collapsing.
“I am not saying either of his birth parents were not angelic. Yet I am sure you remember who caused their untimely death.”
“Persephone.” One of the council members breathed.
“Indeed.” Fate confirmed. “Now someone get the man home, he is exhausted.” She seemed reluctant to divulge further information on the matter as someone hooked their arm beneath his shoulders. He didn’t remember whom. He felt suddenly dizzy. His blue eyes rolled back and he blacked out sagging into the arms of the one who held him.
“What is going on Fate?” Cronan demanded.
“You know I cannot tell you that yet…”
“If one of our angels is tainted, I think we do need to know.”
Fate shook her head, pale wisps of hair drifting about her face like liquid in a slow dance.
“No, you do not need to know right now.” She turned. “Just get him home safely.”