"Alec!" A commanding voice snapped Alec from a daydream. "Yes? Sorry King," Alec quickly apologized. He usually wasn't called on during meetings and the monotony always caused Alec's mind to wander.
"The borders in Levi Woods haven't been checked for a few moons," King went on, eyes on Alec. "They typically aren't known to be infested anyway so it's usually not dangerous. I would like you to go alone to patrol them tonight."
"Yes, sir," Alec nodded his head. A patrol! Sure it was the most vanilla, laid back, never-even-touched-by-demons area in heaven but Alec was still excited. He was never assigned tasks that could possibly involve skirmishes on account Alec was very small for an angel. Though he made up for his size in magical ability, it was nice to be recognized as someone who could provide protection. Hell, King could've picked anyone for this job but he picked Alec. Alec felt good.
About an hour later, the meeting ended. Alec was gathering up his things to leave when he saw Samuel, the King's aide and one of Alec's closest friends, approaching. "Alec! I can;t believe you were finally picked!" The ginger was visibly excited for his companion.
"Me neither - I mean, it's not that dangerous of a mission anyway," Alec couldn't help but try to downplay the assignment. "Yeah but still! It's exciting!" Sam smiled, then voice lowering, he said, "Do you think you'll run into any demons?"
"I can't imagine I would. If they manage to sneak into heaven they usually try to damage places where angels live."
"Yeah but if I were a demon, I would sneak into the place where no angels were."
"What would be the point of that? There's nothing for them to harm there."
Samuel shrugged to that. "Dunno." "You've got to remember that demons don't have any humanity," Alec reminded Samuel. "A creature like that won't be content without chaos. The woods don't provide chaos." Samuel went quiet as they walked along the palace corridors. "You need to let them go," Alec whispered. Samuel sighed. The King, incidentally, has had two adopted demon sons at two separate periods. Samuel was close with both of them.
"Wanna go to the library?" Sam asked, wanting to change the subject. "Nah, I gotta go practice magic. Just in case," Alec replied. "Be safe tonight," Samuel said. "I will," Alec replied.
---
"Ense levis inchoare," Alec spoke in perfect latin. He felt a blade erupt from the palms of his hands, the condensed magic stabilizing into the shape of a curved sword. He gave it a few practice swings. His favorite thing about weapons conjured from magic was that they were incredibly lightweight without sacrificing power. Alec was too small to properly utilize real blades, so instead he mastered the spells of creating them from magic.
Alec swung the sword and smirked as a bright blue, almost white, streak appeared in the space before him. It made a high pitched humming noise that Alec found pleasing to listen to. Alec quickly lunged forward and made a deep gash in a boulder in front of him. Magic this powerful would surely slay any demon, Alec mused.
"Sphaerarum lumen iacit," Alec hissed as powerful spheres of blue magic shot out of his hands into the boulder, creating small bursts of magic in their wake. He had always been powerful with Light Magic. Other angels back in the academy envied his skill. Alec never let it get to his head; all people had different talents, he just happened to be good with magic.
The pendent on his necklace swung as he turned the boulder to ruin. His only remaining piece of his parents. He, like many angels, was given to the palace to be raised from as young as he can remember. Alec hadn't the faintest idea what his parents looked like.
"Damn," Alec straightened as he recognized the voice of the Prince. Alec smiled and turned around. "Gabriel," Alec greeted with a small bow. "No need for formalities Alec. Geeze," Gabriel grinned. He walked to where just remnants of the oafish rock remained. "I'd hate to pick a fight with you," Gabriel commented. "I'm pretty sure you outclass me in physical strength," Alec replied, eyes on Gabriel's muscle exposed by his tunic.
"I always found magic was the more deciding factor in a battle. My brother is leagues above me in strength and look where that got him," Gabriel said. "Well he is King of something at least," Alec teased. King of hell wasn't much to brag about, in his opinion, however. "Hey, unlike him, I don't want our father dead," Gabriel quipped. There was a pause."I've never met him," Alec said, unsure of what to say.
"You don't wanna meet Lucifer, trust me," Gabe said. "I don't think I ever wanna meet a demon," Alec shuddered at the idea of those animals.
"That's what hell is for, buddy - hey congrats on finally getting a patrol. Do you think someone as small as you can handle it?" Alec shot Gabriel a dirty look. "I jest, Alec," Gabriel laughed, ruffling Alec's long, silky hair. "Yeah yeah," Alec mumbled.
---
The forest was peaceful. Alec smiled as the moonlight filtered through the trees. He breathed in the scent of the wood, revelling in the natural tones that contrasted the smell of the citadels in heaven.
Alec picked up a stone and skipped it along a pond. Plip plip plip, the stone sang as it hopped before sinking in the water with splash. He sat down and gazed at the soft ripples across the cool pond. It looked stunning in the night, reflecting the stars above.
A rush, the breaking of twigs. Alex froze. His head snapped up, staring into the darkness in front of him. Did something just move? Alec slowly rose to his feet. "Ense levis inchoare," Alec whispered, creating a blade of light. He quietly stalked through the woods in the direction of the offending noise.
Alec rounded a grove of trees and peered into a clearing. He sighed in relief as he saw nothing but a deer munching on the grass. Alec retracted his blade and quietly took a few steps up to it, concealing himself with a tree. He almost never had the opportunity to see wildlife in Heaven and by Hell he was gonna take it.
He watched for a few moments as the deer quietly paced around the clearing, stopping every once in while to gaze in Alec's direction. Alec smiled. It was quite pretty and -
A loud snarl broke through the night as a black figure sidelined the deer. Alec watched in horror as the insides of the creature were brutally torn from its body by a dark clawed hand. Blood leaked onto the contrasting green grass as a hunched figure began to devour the now dismembered deer.
Eventually the dark creature finished and began to clean itself off. Alec squinted his eyes, the creature seemed almost... humanoid. An angel if it had been stripped of its frills. Alec summoned a blade and lunged out into the clearing. The creature jumped in surprise. Quickly, it regained composure and held out its hand. Alec felt his entire body freeze in mid air.
Alec gritted his teeth and tried everything in his power to move, but couldn't. A soul freeze - why the only beings capable of this power were those directly tied to the royalty of heaven. The creature began to slowly walk towards Alec from the shadows. Hell if it was about to do to Alec as it did to the deer... Alec squeezed his eyes shut.
"Look at me," a calm, deep voice spoke. Alec hesitantly opened his eyes...
A man with light brown skin and dark wavy hair stood above him, gazing down at him. Now that he was in the light Alec could make out his face clearly. Alec nearly mistook him for an angel if it weren't for the stray fanged snaggletooth daring from his bottom lip and the sharp talons that replaced nails on his hands.
"You're a demon," Alec's voice was barely audible. The demon chuckled. "And you're an angel," he replied, pacing around Alec's stilled body. Alec tried to move, yet once again to no avail. "Just wait until I bring you back to the palace and you're executed," Alec hissed. "You and what army?" The demon cooly replied, making his way back to Alec's front.
"Are you going to kill me?" Alec asked. "Why would I do that?" The demon answered. "But - you're a demon," Alec sputtered. "You say it like it's a dirty word," the demon replied. Alec studied the demon's face. He didn't appear angry... more amused? "What's your name?" Alec asked, trying to move.
"Lucifer - oh here we go with the freak out," he replied as Alec screamed. "Fuck- fuck fuck what the hell - GET OUT!" Alec was in hysterics. Lucifer waited patiently for the angel's panic to subside, which annoyingly would not seem to end. "Talk again without permission and I will kill you," Lucifer hissed after getting fed up.
That seemed to shut the angel up. "Name?" Lucifer asked. "Alec," he replied meekly. "What are you doing all the way out here?" Lucifer asked. "I could asked the same of you," Alec hissed. Lucifer raised and eyebrow and Alec shut his mouth. "I like to come here often. It's peaceful.
Alec laughed at the absurdity of that statement. "You laugh but believe it or not us demons aren't heartless monsters. You've really brainwashed yourself haven't you?" Lucifer said. "Says the one who killed the princess-" Alec's voice was lost as Lucifer squeezed his windpipe shut. "Don't you ever - ever - bring her up again," Lucifer hissed. Alec struggled to nod. Lucifer released his grip on his throat.
Alec gasped for air. Lucifer growled as he gazed at the angel. There was something... alluring... about this little angel. He had a smart mouth and courage that seemed to get him into trouble. Most angels would be too wise to even back talk Lucifer, but not this one.
Lucifer snapped his fingers and Alec fell from his hold. Alec quickly scrambled to his feet and took a few steps back. His eyes were wide as he looked at Lucifer. "You don't look like a demon," Alec said. "What do you think demons look like," Lucifer replied, walking up to Alec as Alec backed away. Alec's back hit a tree. "Like - ugly - I dunno," Alec shrank back as the large demon cornered him. "Ah, so you think I'm attractive," Lucifer smiled.
Alec's face went beet red. "No - I mean - not that - I don't like men," Alec struggled to form a sentence. "Well I am the God of .... certain indulgences," Lucifer said with a wink. Alec squeaked and buried his face in his hands.
Lucifer reached out and grabbed Alec's necklace. He tugged it a bit. Alec took his hands away and for a brief moment, his eyes locked with Lucifer's. Lucifer's lips were parted slightly as he looked down at Alec. "What are you doing?" Alec asked. "Looking at you," Lucifer replied. Lucifer couldn't help but notice the way the angel's face flushed.
"Don't be afraid," Lucifer murmured. Alec slowly nodded. And just like that, Lucifer was gone, and Alec was left alone in the woods.