Fallen from Grace

I am a villain of my times. I wish I had done it differently. I curse the day my name went down as a villain in history. My crime story is like no other told before. In my story there are no petty detectives like your little Hercules Parrot or your Shalock House. I am the villain. My crimes were open. They all knew who I was. Your little detectives would not have been any use. They would have figured out the criminal but would never have been able to defeat him. Not even that Philippi Marlow. My motive wasn't malicious, well at least that was what I thought. This tale is one that will take you from Heaven to Hell. Or Elysium to Tartarus. I had always preferred the Greek terms.

I am Aramis; I was the Archangel before St. Michael and I am the Fallen Angel before Satan. I was the epitome of a perfect angel. This description had led me to a fatal pride. I thought that the ancient commandments of the angels didn't apply to me. But they did and I paid gravely for them.

My crime is crueler than that of Arakis. More horrendous than that of Sisyphus. I had killed mortals more brutally than your Crossbow Cannibal. I know all these criminals personally here in this fiery abyss called Tartarus.

The flames lap hungrily at my feet, like wolves, devouring my every movement. Eons in this abyss weigh upon my soul, my crime. If I can take back time, I would never have sinned. I often look back on my misdeeds in this abyss and feel my punishment is right.

********

When I lived in Elysium I thought I could be better than the Lord. My infallibility led me to Kraznir one of the two nations before the earth hosted the Garden of Eden. As soon as my mortal form descended I knew this was not a place for Angels. I forged through this strange world wondering why the Divine had created such a place of sins. I would never have done so if I were He. In my wanderings I spotted a fair maiden and fell in love with her. That was when I broke my vow of celibacy. The most important of all the vows.

I had not realised that the Divine had seen. He had in front of all angels torn away my title and my wings. My Second-in-Command and pupil, whom people will later know as St. Michael, did not look at anyone while this was happening. I was like a father to him. The shame he must have felt.

I was cast to earth and was imprisoned in a frail mortal body. Scars on my back where my wings used to be. For many days I wandered. Not knowing where to find the clothing and food for my ailing body. I wish I had accepted death then and there; I curse my fighting spirit for learning the ways of the mortal world. I made my own wings, as black as the moonless night. I felt the urge and the pull of the sins in this mortal world. I had to change it. You could say I was almost insane with my vision of virtue. I killed those who I knew were sinful. But I eventually ended up killing the innocent as well. It did not make a difference to me. All mortals are prone to sin. I was feared in both the nation of Slinsil and Kraznir, notorious for my brutal murders. Children quivered in fear, the bravest of warriors flinched when they heard my name. Aramis the Angel of Death.

I wanted to conquer both countries. I set Kraznir and Slinsil at war against each other through deception. I made both countries think that they were plundering and pillaging each other. They will be set against each other. When they will meet at the drought ridden river Slin to fight my demon army will attack them in the midst of the major battle. It would give the element of surprise and I was sure to win. I wanted to make Kraznir and Slinsil like my own Elysium and I wanted to be the Lord. I wanted to prove that I could do better.

The night before the conquering I went and spoke to my spy, the Commander-in-Chief for Slinsil. All the pieces in the puzzle seamlessly came together. Yet the tiniest and most crucial of pieces managed to escape my attention.

A young lad from Slinsil was eavesdropping in the conversation I had with my spy. He had told the two warring kings of this plan and both nations united between the dry river, which currents once separated them. They united to fight me. But from a distance on the hilltop there was something about the young boy that I couldn't quite comprehend.

He gave a loud passionate battle cry. The army behind him responded just as heartily. I hadn't seen such zeal and passion in many years. I lifted my hand signaling my army to charge. I didn't care that my plan was foiled, after all my army vastly outnumbered that of the united countries. But the sheer difference in numbers didn't sway their patriotism.

I stole quick glances at the lad between fights. He was tall and slim and moved quickly through the field, the cloth of his royal blue tunic flying about his knees. Sunlight shone against the silver of his breastplate the only piece of armor he had on.

I often saw him fighting alongside a taller sturdier man with green eyes. They were like two dancers, graceful but deadly. I suddenly yearned for the love and friendship between them. But who would love me?

Then there was a stumble in this dance; a poisoned dagger of one of my demons pierced the green-eyed man in his left eye. I was shocked. If there is one thing I know, it is about dishonesty and dishonor in war as you can never hit a soldier in the eye or while their back is turned towards you. I had created those rules in those fair days in Elysium. The green-eyed man did not cry out in pain but the young lad did and he killed the demon. The blinded man turned towards the general direction of his comrade and yelled. The lad said something back. Then his golden eyes flashed towards me. I felt the anger and intensity in those eyes. But I wasn't afraid. I was immortal.

The lad made his way towards me; I drew my sword preparing for the duel to come. He was rather skilled with a sword, though I had the advantage of immortality. The only way I could die was to be killed by a woman. But I won't reveal it until his final moments.

I then told him my tale. In that moment I felt I was gloating over my success but now I realise I was unburdening my soul to him. When I got to the part about the fair maiden the lad's golden eyes filled with more anger and intensity. I stop talking. No more needed to be said.

"Have you realised what you have done! You broke the commandments of the Lord! You offended a woman's honor! You have killed a countless number of people! What kind of an angel are you!I will kill you!" he then cried defiantly as our swords crashed sending sparks flying.

"Fool!" I sneered, "No man can kill me!"

Then using the hilt of my sword I sent it crashing against his jaw. He landed on his hands and knees. His turban flew off his head along with his sword out of his hand. Blood from his mouth stained the dirt bright red against the brown. Raven curls cascaded down his shoulders.

"I am no man." Were her words in response to mine. "Not all women tread in calm waters all their lives you know." She didn't accept defeat; she was going to die on her own terms by looking me straight in the eye. I was astounded. How did I not see this? I had underestimated womankind so much I perceived them as not being any threat to me. But all along this girl could have killed me. The girl had a spark in her eyes that reminded me of Michael. This is how far my vision had let me astray, I couldn't recognise the virtue I saw once in my pupil. But I couldn't stand the unconquered atmosphere around her either. I needed to get rid of her.

I swung the sword intending to send her final blow. But regret coursed through every cell in my body. Michael, I left him shattered without a guide. The woman I left behind. All those innocent mortals I've killed brutally trying to fulfill a hopeless stupid dream. I deserve death. No I deserve worse than death. My crime was a lot worse than any committed before. I thought I could do better than the Lord. That is as terrible crime in itself but the terror that I put through the hearts of many. I had burnt, killed,and raped so many. What had I done? I should have known better! I was not a hero to be known for centuries on. I was no worse than a cruel animal. In mid swing, my arm goes limp. She looked at me, dumbfounded.

"A man could never kill me" I said quietly, "But a woman could" I held my sword towards her. I saw the distrust in her eyes. She was so skeptical. "I deserve it." I say in finality. She takes it from my hand.

I knew after the blow, my name in this tale is that of a villain. Not of the hero I imagined myself to be. I am as bad as Jack the Ripper but it is not because of that that I fell hard. I fell harder than he because I fell from grace.

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top