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Post by cyansky on Nov 10, 2009 20:27:17 GMT -5
Asri smiled at her, slightly wry in appearance. Asri liked her, but he had his own secrets. He knew the heavenly system very well, and was adept at manipulating it to his own needs. Him being one of the best in his profession, having a beautiful appearance and a large web of contacts in Heaven was enough to ensure his survival there for as long as he wanted.
"Glad you asked," he said, looking straight at her, "each lawyer has their preferred payment, which varies between stuffed bunnies to powerful artifacts to, can you believe it, leeches! My preffered payment is souls... human souls. And the purer the better. But I'm not overly picky. So long as the soul isn't damned or too damaged, it'll do."
Selice wasn't stupid, he found. She had gone straight to the point and asked what was in it for him. Other Fallen weren't so smart, and when they failed to procure the payment in time, they were forced to serve Asri for a certain period of time (sometimes for a very long while) to pay it off. Some of his previous clients were still serving him now, carrying out the orders that he had given them just prior to leaving Heaven for Animus.
Asri's smile grew wider. His voice was cheerful, most of his worry gone. But if Selice looked closely enough at him, there was a hint of it in his expression.
"However, if you are unable to provide me with human souls that are not damned or damaged beyond a certian extent, there are alternative methods of payment."
He then paused to take a breath, before crossing his legs casually and continuing, his tone warm but his body language more like that of a businessman. Which he was, really.
"The amount of souls that I request depends on several factors, including, but not limited to: your rank and power in Heaven, my level of skill as an angelic lawyer, the severity of your crime and the difficulty of the circumstances that we will work in. The more danger, the more pay."
He then chuckled, tightly holding her hand. It was strange to him how he could act like both a friend and business partner to her. He really liked her, and he didn't want to see her suffer. Unlike some other Fallen he had been assigned with. Asri worked for an important law firm back in Heaven, a collaboration of layers that worked to manage the Fallen they had saved and prevent disputes over which Fallen was whose client. Sometimes Asri could choose his clients; sometimes not. In the latter case, he sometimes ended up with a truly despicable Fallen that he was forced to (try to) save. While there were the occasional happy endings, other times the results were definitely not pretty.
"On a side note, though," said Asri, grinning cheerfully, "I happen to be one of the best lawyers in Heaven. I can't guarantee success, but I can offer you a chance of getting back in. Other Fallen aren't so lucky."
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Post by Selice on Nov 10, 2009 20:35:50 GMT -5
"Human.....Human souls.....Innocent Human souls" Selice said softly, hanging her head, her hair surrounding her face. "what are my other options?" she asked. Souls were far to precious to be used to save her own skin, if there was another option she would most likely take it, depending on what it was. "And I am sure you are a wonderful Lawyer, Asri. Know now that I shall not hold it against you if I am found guilty and my case is lost" she said quietly, a tone of utter helplessness hanging in her sorrowful voice. Frankly Selice didn't expect to get out of this. She never really was much of an optimist.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 10, 2009 21:04:53 GMT -5
Asri simply continued to smile. Ethical, she was. Some Fallen were like that, mostly the fresh one that had still preserved some of their moral faculties in one piece, relatively speaking. They sometimes refused to procure him souls, and that was alright, as long as they accepted the alternatives.
Usually, they did. And Asri was still sane enough to treat his clients well, unless they had had attempted to attack him when he proposed saving them. Some Fallen could be very, very delusional...
"Well, there are a couple of alternatives," he replied, "the first is to procure certain artifacts that I desire, but it will likely be risky and will require leaving Animus. The other is to serve me for a certain period of time, specified by the contract."
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Post by Selice on Nov 10, 2009 21:11:18 GMT -5
Selice sat in silence, taking in everything. Moments passed, turning into minutes. After a long period of time she finally spoke. "If you will help me, I am your's" she said quietly. She was used to servitude, after all, she had been nothing more than a slave to the summoner who had originally brought her to earth. Nothing Asri could have her do would be worse than what she had under gone at that wicked man's hands. She was far more willing to be Asri's lackey than to surrender souls to him, as decent as he was, she just couldn't do that. Those souls deserved to rest in peace.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 10, 2009 21:39:33 GMT -5
Asri nodded. Yup, she was definitely freshly Fallen. Fallen that had been banished for years of Heaven were used to freedom, in contrast to the freshly fallen, who were still used to being treated like servants. Was that the meaning behind being an angel? To serve some higher power and then be discarded? If he had known that as a human priest, Asri might not have been so eager to become an angel... especially since the Book of Luisine had glorified it so much.
"That is your choice," he said, "I don't usually demand too much of my clients; mainly I ask that they protect me no matter what and stay by my side whever possible."
Asri sat next her, his expression becoming sad, tired. Tears brimmed to his eyes once again. Soon, he was crying softly, burying his face in his hands.
"I... may be a Light angel, but... I am weak. Sickly, in fragile health, with all of my light based powers save for my wings stripped from me. I can't fight well on my own, and if my blood is spilt, nothing good will come of it. I need protection; otherwise if I'm injured too severely, my curse... it'll..."
Asri was now sobbing too hard to finish his sentance. It was true, really. Asri himself was weak, but his demon was strong, capable of a great deal of death and destruction, which Asri worked hard to keep under control.
"Please understand," said Asri, "I want us to be the bestest friends we can be, not for this to be some cold-hearted business deal. I've had enough of those already, with Fallen so rotten that even I could barely contemplate saving them. If only... I wasn't so weak! Please understand, my lady..."
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Post by Selice on Nov 10, 2009 21:48:36 GMT -5
Selice couldn't stand to see Asri cry. She stood and moved in front of him. A faint silver glow surrounded her head like flames, her wings spreading and her clothing flowing out into her angelic robes. Selice knelt before Asri, wrapping her arms around his form, gently rubbing his back, trying to soothe him. "shhhhhh. Please, try and calm yourself, Asri" she said softly. If anything, an Angel of Death, even one so close to falling, was there to calm people. An Angel of Death was supposed to bring peace, so she was good at calming people down, even if she was a bit out of practice.
Selice withdrew a bit, still kneeling before Asri. She reached out her gloved hand and took Asri's into her own. "My lord, I vow to protect you as long as my contract shall call for it. If by my life, or by my death I am able to protect you, so be it" she said softly.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 10, 2009 22:28:32 GMT -5
Asri sat there, stunned, but... strangely comforted. Selice had an oddly calming presence. His mind calmed. Asri smiled weakly as he hugged, giving her a disappointed sigh when she pulled away. He looked at her happily, as she knelt before him, as she gently held his hand.
"Thank you, Selice," whispered Asri softly, "but... we haven't even made the contract yet... and I still need to find out what you did wrong, so I can help you redeem yourself in the eyes of your god. But, if it comes down to it, I will forge the contract and I will do my best to help you. I don't like it when people suffer, either due to injustice or due to my curse. I want to help the world, even if the purpose forced onto me is to sow the seeds of destruction and death."
Asri then sighed, as he put his other hand onto Selice. Her soul was pure, relatively speaking. She didn't seem to be after him for some implicit gain... He was already concerned for her, and touched by what she would do for him.
"Why would you call me a 'lord' anyways?" he asked softly, blushing slightly, "I'm no deity or supreme being. I'm a servant, an angel, just as you are. Angels were created to be the servants of their creators and masters. To live for it for it, to die to for it, to suffer for it, to dedicate their lives to it, to protect it... I serve my family, Selice. I'll do anything for them, even sacrifice my own life, because that's my nature as an angel. That's what I was created for. I've known my family for most of my life. But... are you sure that you want to do this for someone that you've just met? Willingly?"
You're the one to talk, Asarek. You fell in love with Syl at first sight.
SHUT IT! PLEASE! STOP!
Oh, come off it. You're a a hypocrite, anyone can tell that you are, and she'll find out soon enough.
I'm not... please... don't force me to tell her, to reveal to her... what I'm trying so hard to hide...
You know that all good things come to an end, right?
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Post by Selice on Nov 10, 2009 22:39:51 GMT -5
"we may not yet have an iron bound contract, but I consider this the only way to pay you back. Handing over innocent souls is out of the question, therefore my option is to serve you, and as I have said, I shall do so. Even if it means my life comes to an end." She started, looking down at the floor for a few moments. "
I call you lord, because at this moment you hold my life in your hands. You are my superior, and therefore you are my lord. This is my choice. I do this completely willingly, Asri" she said softly, reaching out and gently wiping away his tears. "as soon as that contract is written up, my life shall be yours till you deem my debt paid" she added quietly.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 11, 2009 7:29:29 GMT -5
Asri sighed.
"I don't like forcing others to serve me," he said, "as I am only a mere servant myself. But sometimes I need the protection. I can fight with a sword, but if my blood is spilt, all hell will break loose."
He lowered his head in front of Selice. A few tears still dropped from his eyes. He didn't want to force her, but she would willingly hand over her life to him, it couldn't be helped. Syl could use another protector. Because if Syl was protected, he would be happy. He didn't care what happened to his body... he only cared about the safety of its family.
"My curse has stripped me of almost all of my light-based powers, and made my blood very dangerous, and there's more to it than that. It's why, in Heaven, I'm..."
He hung his head. Why was his life filled with so much shame and embarrassment? Had he really stooped so low for their sakes? Please, my Lady Luisine! Save me!
Yet, Asri knew that his prayers would never be answers. He was beyond Luisine's sphere of influence. His daily prayers helped kept his wings in better condition, but nothing more than that. Neither Luisine or God could do much for him - Luisine because of distance, God because he didn't create him and because his loyalty to Heaven wasn't complete. So what was Asri to do?
Asri trailed off on his last words, for a bit, but soon took a deep breath and continued on.
"It is why... in Heaven, and elsewhere, I am also known as the Angel of Plagues."
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Post by Selice on Nov 11, 2009 15:38:12 GMT -5
Selice sighed, reaching out to take hold of Asri's shoulder with her free hand. "Please. You are not forcing me to do anything. I choose to protect you in order to pay off my debt" she said softly, gently rubbing his shoulder.
She continued to listen to Asri as he spoke, silently soothing him. She almost didn't believe him when he gave her his Heavenly title. He certainly didn't look like an Angel of Plague. She didn't care. Asri was an angel in her eyes, her friend, his curse meant nothing. She offered him a warm smile. "well at least you are only dangerous when your blood is shed. I'm dangerous if I so much as wear a tank top, or forget to put on a pair of gloves. Hell I could kill someone just by speaking" she said with a faint laugh, trying to lighten Asri's spirit just a bit. "In exchange for you help,I will do whatever I can to make sure that your blood stays within yourself, how does that sound?" she asked.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 11, 2009 18:21:10 GMT -5
"well at least you are only dangerous when your blood is shed. I'm dangerous if I so much as wear a tank top, or forget to put on a pair of gloves. Hell I could kill someone just by speaking"
Asri chuckled at her, his mind slowly calming. Whatever Selice was doing to cheer him up, it was working. It almost made him suspect that she was a guardian angel or one of the death angels that comforted and took people's souls when they died... A task usually reserved for souls destined for Heaven, and carefully organized so that it didn't interfere with the schedules of Azrael's reapers. Like Syl and Kiel... the two had close ties with death, and were official reapers serving Azrael. It was only officially... Syl didn't have much clue of what reapers were supposed to do, and Asri didn't know if Kiel still performed its duties. While Syl ran around and attempted to befriend anything that moved, and Asri trying to keep an eye on it, Kiel was... somewhere
"You don't understand my curse," said Asri, grimacing, "it's rather... complicated... my blood summons demons when spilt, tons of them. And there's also how I've accidently destroyed entire cities when due to zombie plagues, epidemics and other... nasty things... and all that... I remember one time when my plagues obliterated an entire demon colony when a young imp had the stupidity to rob me of my hand sanitizer. He hid it so well that when I found it, it was already too late for the colony."
He chuckled and held her hand tighter.
"You're not the only killer angel here," said Asri, "My immune system isn't functioning properly, so diseases cling to me like flies to carcasses. If I didn't self-medicate myself, I'd be bed-ridden a good chunk of the time."
His grimace faded into a warm smile as he looked at her.
"If you're so willing to do this, it can't be helped," said Asri, "I would appreciate your help, and your company and friendship. I promise that I'll do my best to ensure your return to Heaven. If you are truly guilty of your crime, I'll help you redeem yourself, and I'll prove that you have done so. That's my job... in addition to being the best guardian I can to my ward, even if it tends to run off on its own a lot."
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Post by Selice on Nov 11, 2009 20:10:25 GMT -5
"Don't kid yourself, Asri. I have cleaned up after your handiwork before" she said softly. "While I mainly gather souls destined for heaven, I have collected my fair share of demons and dammed souls" she added.
"You have my friendship and my loyalty, Asri. I promise. Even if I don't end up returning to heaven, I don't think earth will be so bad knowing I get to remain friends with you" She said, trying to see the glass as half full. Being sentenced to earth if she was found guilty would be the light punishment. If God was really pissed at her, he'd have her wings cut from her and she'd be tossed to hell.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 11, 2009 20:36:22 GMT -5
Asri smiled at Selice, gently touching her cheek with his free gloved hand.
"I'm glad," he said, "don't worry about the period in which you must serve me, Selice. There is a good chance that you'll outlive me. I've sworn my life to my ward and family and it's a vow that I never intend to break. And until they are gone, no matter how many times my body is cut down, I'll protect them... or die trying."
Asri chuckled. Selice was really sweet, one of the sweetest Fallen that he had ever encountered. He would love to have her by his side, unlike many of his other clients. Some were unpleasant enough that Asri often sent out the worst of them far abroad to fetch artifacts that he deemed worthwhile.
"I've been supporting Syl and Kiel for years, taking," he said, "and I'll support you as well so you can have a decent life on Earth should it come to pass that you are banished there."
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Post by Selice on Nov 11, 2009 21:20:20 GMT -5
Selice blushed like mad when Asri gently touched her cheek. She tried to hide the crimson color as quickly as possible. "don't speak like that, Asri. I'm sure you'll live just as long, if not longer than I shall" she said offering him a gentle, warm smile. "and you don't need to support me, Asri. I crave only your friendship" she said softly, a pale red crawling over her cheeks yet again.
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Post by cyansky on Nov 11, 2009 22:22:31 GMT -5
Asri chuckled at Selice.
"If my friendship is what you crave," he said, "then I will give it to you, my lady. I just want the same thing on your part, but I'll still do what I can for you."
He blushed slightly when he saw her face turning red. Hmm... what could this mean? Asri didn't dwell on it; he just wanted to make her happy. In truth, he didn't want her as a servant or slave; he just wanted another friend that he could spend time with and relax. And he now knew that Selice... she was a true angel. Willing to help him even like this.
"In any case, are you hungry?" asked Asri, smiling, "if so, I'll cook up a good dinner for us both. After all that flying and running around the city, I'm starting to feel hungry."
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