Fate's Vinculum

Chapter 3.

"Lucifer, The Morningstar, first made by God Himself," Sera declared in a booming, commanding voice. He pointed his sword at him. "We have not come here to discuss your artistic talents."

"Seraphin, Archangel Primus," Lucifer responded. He licked the blood and wine off his hand, pulling out a large shard of glass with his teeth and chewing it. He swallowed, licking his lips. Several members cringed.

With an audible snapping sound, Lucifer's eyes turned red. A slow, evil smile spread across his lips and he took a step forward. "Previously Aelius Avitus of Rome. Death claimed you in the gladiator arena. Or was it Fate because you were a weak fool who couldn't defend himself?"

He narrowed his glowing red eyes when he didn't get a rise out of Sera. "I look forward to killing you, just like I killed the previous Archangel, Michael." He grinned, licking his index finger which dripped blood slowly. "You do remember that, even after all these years, hmm? I knew you were there the entire time, watching, cowering behind that pile of rubble. Wasn't he your best friend? I seem to remember you standing over his decapitated body, sobbing like a babe."

"Bastard!" Sera bellowed.

Seraphin, without even meaning to but fueled by pure hatred, transformed into his true form. Golden and white flames engulfed his body. All at once his wings broke out with hundreds of eyes, all blinking and looking about the room. His head held many faces, all duplicates of one another, shifting and showing all his different emotions.

Sera moved so quickly no one besides the angels could track him. He was just a bolt of light hurtling towards Lucifer at the other end of the room. Lucifer, looking amused, held up his right hand.

Sera swung his sword in a downward arc, but the moment he hit Lucifer's hand there was a sonic boom. Sera screamed, being thrown clear across the hallway, hurtling over the heads of his group. The humans covered their ears at the unexpected sound, their ears ringing.

Sera landed on his back, sliding a good twenty feet, before finally coming to a stop feet away from the door they had come in from. He looked like himself again, smoke rising off his body, his wings snapping with electricity every so often.

"Sera!" Rosalyn screamed, horrified.

Marcus snarled, crouching low with one hand on the ground, the other on his knee. His green eyes were locked with Lucifer's, his face twisted in pure hatred. "Guys. It's the pendant he's wearing. We need to get it away from him."

Chaos broke out after Marcus said that. Lucifer bellowed and darted forward just as quickly as Sera had, a streak of black flames. Sera, seeing the attack coming, jumped back up and intersected before Lucifer reached the group. Lucifer grabbed Sera mid-air, swinging him around and flung him against one of the pillars. Sera hit the pillar so hard it cracked, and he fell into a heap on the ground.

Marcus took this opportunity to leap onto Lucifer's shoulders. Lucifer stumbled mid air, then reached over his shoulders with both hands and threw Marcus over his head like he was a mere rag doll.

"Hi," Rosalyn said, appearing in front of Lucifer. She punched him squarely in the face and he flew into one of the pillars.

Lucifer fell to the ground for a moment.

"Get the necklace!" Marcus screamed, blood pouring from his nose.

Sires was closest and, laughing, he jumped into the air with his sword. He was too slow though. Lucifer stood quickly, twisted, and caught him. Snarling, he threw Sires.

Sires spun like a frisbee, screaming, his sword flying out of his hand. Marcus reacted quickly and ran after him. Bracing himself he caught Sires, and the two crashed to the ground. Sires was stunned for a moment, and he blinked up at Marcus.

"You saved my life," Sires said in disbelief.

"Don't let it go to your head," Marcus replied, "we need you."

Sires snickered and Marcus helped him to his feet.

Meanwhile, Sera had taken a moment to hide Jeanette behind one of the massive statues.

"Just stay here," Sera told her, panting.

"You're hurt," Jeanette said quickly, worry etched onto her face.

Sera grinned and gave a wink. "Don't worry about me, I'm tough." He then flew away in a blur.

"Ah," Lucifer said. He had cornered Sapphire. "A human..."

Raven quickly turned into his bird form. Releasing an ear splitting caw, he swooped at Lucifer's wings and began tearing at them with his beak. For a moment the pair struggled, but Lucifer got the upper hand and held Raven.

Laughing, Lucifer took one of Raven's massive wings and snapped it. Raven screamed, a strange, loud, mixture between a caw and a human noise.

"Raven!" Sapphire shrieked.

Lucifer tossed him to the ground and stomped on his leg, breaking it. He then turned to Sapphire, picking her up by the throat, choking her.

Sera rammed into Lucifer's back and the trio went flying, crashing and tumbling on the ground. Sera wrangled Lucifer even as he continued to choke Sapphire. Rosalyn came up, also a blur, and grabbed Lucifer's one arm, pulling at it with all her strength.

"Let her go!" Rosalyn screamed at him as Sapphire's eyes bulged.

Off to the side, Vincent was staring around everywhere in disbelief. Beside him, Hakan had opened the salt pouch and was dumping it in a circle around himself and his husband, over and over and over again until it was empty. He then tossed it off to the side.

"What are we going to do?" Vince said in a panic, his voice a high whine. "I don't understand what—"

Hakan took him by the shoulders and turned him to face him. "Vince, look at me."

He didn't, his eyes still darting about everywhere.

"Vincent—look at me."

Vincent did. Hakan forced a smile. "Remember? We're supposed to talk to him."

"How are we supposed to—"

"Relax."

"Relax? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

Hakan ran his hands up and down Vincent's arms, still forcing a smile. "C'mon—what's your favorite memory?"

Vincent's mouth opened and closed a few times. "What? Love, this is no time to chit-chat—"

"Would you just listen to me, damn it!"

Vincent blinked.

"What is your favorite memory?"

"Our wedding."

Hakan blinked. "Oh. I didn't—I didn't know that."

Vincent smiled fondly. Hakan could feel Vince relax a bit under his grip. "Of course it is."

The room around them seemed to quiver. Before they knew it they were standing in the same room, but different. Everything—everything—was white. They were also absolutely alone.

"What are you doing?" a voice said behind them.

Startled, the pair spun around. In the middle of the hallway was a table. Sitting there was Lucifer, but he was decidedly different. He still had the same long silver hair, but that's where the similarities stopped. His eyes were a bright silver, his massive wings covered in downy white feathers, and his robes were pure white.

Both of their mouths dropped open. Finally, Vincent spoke in utter disbelief.

"Lucifer?"