Fate's Vinculum

Chapter 6.

Sera rubbed his eyes from the light. Blinking spots away, he staggered to his feet. When he could see, he saw that Jeanette and Lucifer laid on the ground next to each other. Both were on their sides; Jeanette's head laid by Lucifer's feet. He was curled into the fetal position, encompassing her body in a half-circle. Sera moaned, holding his bleeding arm, and stumbled over to them.

"No," he groaned, "no, no, no..."

Sera collapsed onto his knees, crying. Gently he put Jeanette's head into his lap. She looked normal again. Sobbing, he moved her bangs out of her face. "No, please God no, please. She didn't have to die for this. Please, please don't let her die."

She didn't stir.

Sera doubled over, pressing his bloodied forehead to hers, and screwed his eyes shut tight. "This wasn't her fault. I did this. Please, take me. I deserve this–take me!"

Jeanette sighed and smiled, but didn't open her eyes. "Silly angel. I'm not dead. I'm just tired. Really, really tired..."

Sera gasped and then laughed, and showered her face in kisses. He then looked over to Lucifer who was still on his side, eyes closed, unmoving. A shudder racked Sera's body. "Is he...?"

Jeanette slowly opened her eyes. "Dead? Yes."

Sera gently moved her back to the ground. Apprehensively he then crawled over to Lucifer. With a shaking, terrified hand, Sera reached out and poked him. He didn't move. Cocking his head to the side, Sera felt his chest. He was definitely dead. He looked over to Jeanette.

"Why isn't he disappearing? Angels disappear when they die—we become energy."

"I don't know," Jeanette replied, sounding barely awake. She yawned.

"Guys," Marcus called. "Guys, Sires is dying. Like, he's dying quickly. He's bleeding out internally. I don't want to change him—I can't bring myself to turn him...He's literally about to die. Help?"

Sera limped his way over to the two, holding his arm. He collapsed onto his knees. Sires was unconscious, his skin a sickly ashen color. Marcus, his face scratched and sporting two black eyes, looked at Sera desperately.

"Can you save him?"

Sera swallowed thickly. He closed his eyes, holding out a hand over Sires. After a few moments a faint glowing emitted from the angel's hand, coiling around Sires' body in tendrils. The light absorbed into the assassin's skin, reviving the color to his pallor. After a few minutes of this, Sires opened his eyes, moaning.

Sera fell back, sitting. He caught himself, shaking, sweat pouring out of his face. "Shit. I'm so weak."

Sires moaned something in Icelandic. Marcus looked at him in confusion.

"He said he feels like he was run over by a truck," Sera muttered. He laughed, shaking his head. "He's not the only one..."

Sera then looked about himself. For the first time he noticed Rosalyn, who had stopped moving a while ago. He ran to her, screaming.

Gingerly he lifted her into his arms, tears spilling out of his eyes. "No...No, please no. I'm too weak to repair this...No..."

Marcus staggered over to Jeanette, shaking her awake. "Hey. Go help Sera. He needs you."

Jeanette rolled over, entering the fetal position. "Go away..."

"Please? He really needs your help—Rosalyn might die."

This roused Jeanette enough to get her moving. When she saw the state the angel was in, Jeanette almost was sick. Swallowing down bile, Jeanette sat next to Sera. "Tell me what to do."

It took nearly an hour of the two healing Rosalyn before she opened her eyes. Sera hugged her, sobbing.

"Did we do it?" Rosalyn croaked out quietly.

"Yes," Sera replied through his tears. He clasped her face in his hands, kissing her over and over. When he was done, he smiled at her. "I love you."

Rosalyn smiled, gently stroking his cheek. "I love you, too."

"Hey," Marcus said. "I don't mean to break up this tender moment, but there are still a lot of hurt people here..."

Taking another hour, Jeanette and Sera slowly went to everyone, healing their wounds as best they could. Sapphire had been the next most dire, her windpipe partially collapsed. Zoe had stayed with her the entire time.

When everything was said and done they all were standing. Many of them leaned against each other, barely able to stay upright. Sires stubbornly refused help, holding his side. They eventually all gravitated to where Lucifer laid, unmoving.

"What should we do with him?" Marcus asked.

"We can't just leave him here," Vince said.

"He'll have to be watched," Jeanette said. Everyone looked at her in confusion. "What? Sera said he's supposed to disappear, but he hasn't. That makes me think he's not actually dead."

Everyone stared back down at the body.

"Can he die?" Sires asked quietly, for the first time sounding hesitant.

Sera shook his head, supporting Rosalyn's weight. She was still missing a wing; eventually it would grow back, with time. "I don't know. This is all something we really should be asking Fate..."

Silence befell the group, all staring down at Lucifer's lifeless body.

One by one, they slowly made their way to the black massive door, not looking back.