Wings to Die

Cessation

Last chapter. This has been a pleasure to write and I'd like to thank Moni for encouraging me to post this. I'd like to thank you for reading, voting and leaving your wonderful comments. Let me know if you want an epilogue. 

Enjoy.

Mac. 

—-

Back in his apartment later that evening, Azrael is brought to his knees.

His shoulder blades burn and he scrabbles to pull his shirt off before the wings break through again. They burst from his back and quiver in place. His chest feels tight with the pull of death, the force of it leaves him coughing, gasping and gripping at his chest before it passes as quick as it came.

He can't find the strength to move because he knows who's just passed, knows who's life has just been collected. He knows because he's never felt this amount of pain before.

His wings start to flutter and twitch, shifting and disobeying his command as they begin to stretch themselves out as if to fly. He feels warmth on his back and then burning white hot pain. An eerie wind fills the room as his wings stretch and grow. Bone fixing and growing, muscle chasing its way after bone, skin winding around and following the delicate structure of the wings, stretching between the gaps. His wings prickle and then feathers start to sprout again, flushing from where they already grow, moving out and along the wide expanse.

He lays gasping, bent over his knees on the floor. Behind him, quivering and twitching, lay two identical fully feathered black wings.

The air ripples before him, white light seeping through the gap before a chorus of voices are calling back to him.

"It's time to come home Azrael."