GENESIS: Helel -- 1/?? -- COMPLETE
[YESHUA] On that day, not only did I lose my people.
[RAZAEL] ::He adjusted his cuffs carefully. Though he pricked and preened at his uniform, he ignored the streaks of white dander that had collected in random places. His wings shed often, and it was impossible to keep himself completely clean. His baby blue eyes suddenly darted upwards at one of the flashing monitors.::
Raphael, you are closing in on Ground Zero.
[RAPHAEL] [Don't worry about me--keep an eye on Uriel.] ::Raphael's voice came in very clear over the intercom. The very faint static cut off when he ended the transmission.::
[RAZAEL] ::Averis squinted and looked up at the monitor that should have been displaying the interior of Uriel's cockpit. Instead, the monitor was completely black.:: Easier said than done.
[YESHUA] As Zarathustra's final ring collapsed on itself, it collapsed on my heart. That is why you, Lucifer, will win this war.
[URIEL] ::Asher left behind a streak of smoke as it descended from the clouds. Its wings glinted brilliantly in the moonlight, and it reflected the images of the explosions and fires occurring below. Heaven's Edge--a technological marvel situated right beside the Garden of Eden--was under attack!
Uriel shoved a lever forward and grinned as Asher, his E.S., picked up even more speed.::
Raphael! I'm coming in behind you! ::He leaned forward off of his pilot's seat and adjusted one of Asher's swordlike wings.:: What's going on down there?
[NARRATOR] ::The answer was obvious: war. All of the fire and destruction looked like the front line of some war that no one knew had been declared. Heaven's Edge was beautiful even in its slow, pockmarked death. Something had broken into it, broken through it, tearing it open like its exterior were tin foil. The torn edges of it glimmered. The attack was ongoing--new explosions occurred regularly. Heaven's Edge didn't contain much, so maybe it was more of a statement than something an enemy would wish to acquire.::
[RAPHAEL] I don't..
::Raphael kept a safe distance. His craft, an unnamed E.S., could absorb the massive shockwaves that the explosions were creating, but it was just as vulnerable to fire as Mirror's Edge was. It was impossible to get closer. In fact, as he observed the chain of explosions, it became more and more apparent that this was intentional. They went off one by one, at regular intervals, as if someone were remotely detonating them as they spoke.::
I-- ::Raphael's E.S. backed up as he reached for the intercom.:: Averis.
[RAZAEL] ::Before Raphael could speak, Averis cut in.:: Get out of there! Now!
[RAPHAEL] ::Raphael clenched his teeth and looked over his shoulder, as if he could see Uriel's descent through the cold metallic walls of his cockpit.:: Uriel! Evac!
[URIEL] What is it?!
[RAZAEL] I've got a confirmation from Yeshua: it's the Zohar!
[URIEL] ::Uriel's mouth flung open.:: Oh.
[RAPHAEL] ::Raphael's craft collided with Asher. Both of them spun out of control, upwards, into the mesosphere.::
[NARRATOR] ::Just in time, too. When the fire ate away at the last of the Mirror Sphere, the central point of Mirror's Edge--and apparently the current containment place of the Zohar--all of the separate explosions became one very big, very dangerous explosion. The mirror that Mirror's Edge was literally situated on shattered, and a flurry of volcanic ash poured into the Garden of Eden.::
[RAPHAEL] Uriel--
::Raphael swore when he was thrown onto the ceiling of his own cockpit. He grabbed onto his intercom's wire, but it broke right off of the control panel. One of the LED displays started to flash red.::
[RAZAEL] ::Averis turned to the staff behind him.:: Bring them in! Get them to the Citadel!
::He turned back to the panel. His fingers thrashed against the keys as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on up there.:: Uriel's cockpit has been breached! --Backup air supply has failed!
[RAPHAEL] URIEL!!
[YESHUA] But you will not win this battle.
[NARRATOR] ::Uriel's E.S. was failing not only because of the crash into his fellow archangel's craft, but because of the thing attached to it. The visuals were probably muddled in all of the fiery airborne confusion, but there was definitely something wrapped around Uriel's craft. It looked like a net, except the tendrils of it glimmered silver. These glimmers extended all the way down to Mirror's Edge, the source of the disturbance, where the almost-free Zohar was screaming.::
[LUCIFRON] There is no security on this earth.
++
[LILITH] Lucifer!
::Lilith was in the middle of fiddling with one of her earrings when she realized that someone's life was at stake. She slammed the stupid earring against the mirror and sprinted out of the bathroom.
As her cell phone rung, it fumbled right out of her hands, onto the carpet.:: Son of a-- ::She grabbed it off of the floor and proceeded to run into the living room. Where had that man gone?!::
LUCIFER! There's been an accident! I need to go! Where are my keys?!
::After rummaging through her purse with no luck, she just shoved it over her shoulder and hurried into their bedroom. Oh, what a surprise: as she did so, she clipped one of her wings on the doorway.:: --fuck!
::Wincing, she continued into the room and looked around frantically for her keys.::
I swear, these living quarters are just as dangerous as the giant robots those idiot Archangels ride in all day. .. calling me in the middle of the night-- ::Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the clock, which read 3:33 AM. She rolled her eyes.:: middle of the morning.
::She continued to grumble under her breath while searching for her keys.:
[LUCIFER] Uhhhhh.
::Where the fuck did Lilith think he was? It was sort of the middle of the morning, which meant he had been sleeping, which meant he was in bed. He wasn't awake yet when he appeared at the doorway to the bedroom in baggy boxers with the keys pinched between his thumb and forefinger. Jangle jangle.::
Your keys. ::Lucifer rubbed his eyes with his free hand.::
[LILITH] ::She turned abruptly and narrowed her eyes at Lucifer.:: I hate it when you do that. ::Disappearing and appearing randomly seemed to be one of Lucifer's things, and Lilith still hadn't gotten used to it. If she hadn't known better, she would have assumed that Lucifer really DID have the power of teleportation, but even Michael, Yeshua's favorite Archangel, did not have such abilities.
She lurched forward, snatched the keys, ... and then handed them back to Lucifer.:: Drive me? It's an emergency. They need a head trauma specialist.
::She haphazardly brushed Lucifer's hair with her free hand, and then stepped beyond him.:: You look fine. Come on!
::Though their apartment would hint otherwise, Lucifer and Lilith were an extremely successful couple. They both had high profile careers and they both led high profile lives. Their 2 Mercedes HoverCraft™ waiting outside made that obvious. Their current residence was just temporary; Lilith had pinned a job with the Citadel Hospital, and eventually they would be able to move to a more extravagant portion of the Citadel, which was the main residence of every 'regular' angel in Heaven. Lucifer's field of work..? Well--... Lilith had never asked.::
[LUCIFER] ::Lucifer's eyebrows shot up when Lilith willingly gave him the keys. It really must have been an emergency, because those who had been unfortunate enough to drive with Lucifer had been treated to the worst case of speed demoning in their entire known existences.::
[ANGEL] FOR THE LOVE OF OUR GRACIOUS AND GOOD LORD GOD--
[ANGEL] Maniac!!
[ANGEL] Who gave that guy a driver's license?!
[LUCIFER] ::Probably the most disconcerting thing about Lucifer was that he actually had a driving outfit that only emphasized his cruelty on the road: tight and glossy jacket, tartan ascot, and goggles. Yeah, that's right--he was wearing goggles.
Lilith wanted to get somewhere fast and she chose the right man for that job. Feathers flaked off and tumbled behind them, they were going so fast.::
You okay over there?
::Lucifer's line of work? Whatever it was, hopefully it didn't involve machinery.::
[LILITH] Shut up. ::As usual, Lilith was off in her own little world. Their careers ensured that they saw as little of each other as possible, and whenever they did get to see each other, they continued to get distracted from each other.
She tilted her head forward and tried to hear what the person on the other end of her cell phone was saying over the sound of screams on the highway. The Citadel was massive--perhaps as large as the uninhabited Earth below, but completely flat. It was an unending city, free of nature's grasp. It was a quick-paced emulation of what Earth would eventually become, and nothing more. The angels were aware of that, and they were appreciative of what they had been given.
The Citadel was divided into many smaller city-states, each of which was governed by an Archangel. Still, the Citadel worked as a unit, and no one ever stepped out of line. --No one but Lucifer.::
Okay, but you didn't answer my question--is there water in the lungs or not? You need to do x-rays immediately if you haven't, and for the love of Yeshua, get a damn tube in there regardless. A scar isn't the worst thing that can happen. Leave water in the lungs and--
::She went flying off of her seat when they soared over a speedbump.::
--LUCIFER they're called speedbumps for a reason!! ::She glared at him.:: Are you trying to get us killed?!
::And there was many a way to get killed in the extremely fast-paced and busy nightlife of the Citadel. All around them, neon signs and stoplights illuminated the darkness. Theaters, grocery stores, gyms, malls, casinos--not to mention the countless businesses in the air. The city stacked endlessly upwards as well, although the upper tiers were generally reserved for more private establishments. Most of the common angels of the Citadel couldn't even afford hovercrafts, and were forced to drive through the 'normal', high traffic lanes on the ground.::
Christ. ::She snapped her cell phone shut, ... realized that she had just accidentally hung up on the hospital's director, and then looked up through their car's sunroof.
The stars up above were completely overshadowed by the city lights. --But it didn't matter, because those stars weren't real. The Citadel had been fitted with an artificial weather skybox system. Every weather effect they experienced in their daily lives was a simple emulation.::
[LUCIFER] ::It probably didn't help that at some point Lucifer had decided to find out if he could drive with his feet. Reclined dangerously in his seat, he looked over at Lilith with mock surprise and scratched his nose with an alarmingly free hand.::
What? We've got shock absorbers. ::Before she could scream at him some more, or even hit him, he sat back up and started to drive in a more sane manner.::
So what's up? ::he asked, actually obeying traffic signs enough to slow down around the next bend.:: Some big accident? Must be crazy if they need you at-- ::Squint.:: --four AM.
[LILITH] Apparently there was some kind of terrorist incident at Mirror's Edge. --One of the Archangels was knocked unconscious, and they think he's in a coma. Their biggest concerned is that he stopped breathing for too long and suffered wabrain damage.
He may have also been exposed to some kind of um... ::She shook her head, wondering why the explanation she had received had been so lackluster.:: "potentially dangerous substance". I don't know.
If an Archangel was involved, though, it's pretty damn important.
::She ripped her stylish glasses off of her face and massaged her eyebrows to try and soften her headache. Finally, when the ringing in her ears went away and the sounds of the Citadel's nightlife faded into the background, she tilted her head in Lucifer's direction.::
How was work? ::She placed her glasses on the dashboard.::
[LUCIFER] Terrorism? Here? ::Lucifer actually laughed, because that idea was ludicrous. The Citadel might have been massive, and there may have been a hierarchy as far as the fortunate and unfortunate went, but it was a utopia nonetheless. Bad things happened to good people, but the idea that something really big like a terrorist attack that ended in an Archangel's suffering was just something that Lucifer couldn't wrap his mind around. Weren't there procedures in place to monitor this kind of thing?::
Jeez... ::He drummed his fingers on the wheel, trying to think of something funny to say and then failing. It didn't help that he was kind of surprised that she bothered to ask anything about him, given that they usually only spent ten minutes awake together each day. On a usual day, they'd be asleep right now; maybe that had something to do with it.::
It, uh. It was good. ::His eyes shifted over the scenery in front of him.:: Long, though, you know? No one's ever satisfied with the heavenly constructs these day, so they have to call in me for demolitions. It's real draining having to destroy such beautiful things.
::Just as the world developed, so did the culture: now that he thought about it, angels seemed to get more and more disatisfied these days. They were still appreciative, but... in their own businesses and activities, they sought more and more.::
[LILITH] ::She smiled. The smile came on slowly, and hesitantly, but it was there.::
Mr. Lucifer, I do believe you're getting sentimental.~
[LUCIFER] ::Lucifer smirked a little bit. Bars of light from the signs overhead streaked over his face, causing his pale red eyes to glint.:: Maybe. But I guess if I didn't have to blow up buildings, then I'd be out of a job, huh?
[LILITH] ::I haven't seen that side of you in a long time. Sometimes I feel like I've known you forever. Maybe in another time, or in another place. But no matter what time, nor what place--you're always.. a morning star.
You shine in the day and you shine at night so that I will never lose my way. If I can see the sky above, I can find you.::
[TITLE] X E N O S A G A ` Helel \
[URIEL] Where am I?
[PILGRIM] You can see me?
[URIEL] --Who are you?! Show yourself!
[PILGRIM] The last person who could see me..
[URIEL] SHOW YOURSELF!!
[PILGRIM] Open your eyes.
[URIEL] ::Uriel's body arched off of the cot. He gasped for air and his wings immediately flung outwards into full span. Archangels had over triple the wingspan of angels, which was the reason as to why Archangels could fly and angels couldn't.
Though a pair of out-of-control wings were quite dangerous, that didn't keep the doctors and nurses from crowding around Uriel. They held him down to prevent him from harming himself.::
[STRONG] Mr. Uriel, PLEASE calm down! You will hurt yourself--you are being treated!
[URIEL] WHERE AM I?! WHO WAS THAT--
::Uriel winced when he pulled too far off the cot and felt one of the tubes rip right out of his chest. The medical staff gasped in horror, but they did not take any action when they realized that Uriel was breathing (and screaming hysterically) on his own.
Slowly realizing that he was in a hospital, Uriel took a big swallow and lay back down on the oversized cot.:: S-Sorry.
[LILITH] Well. ::Lilith had just entered the building, but she had been very quickly ushered in by the staff. Still in a night-on-the-town dress and free of any medical uniform or gadgets, she took one good look at the crowd of startled angels and sighed.:: At least we know there's no water in his lungs.
::She side-eyed Lucifer, put her coat and purse into his arms, and then walked over to one side of the room. The least she could do was wash her hands before assessing the situation. Judging by the fact that Uriel was clearly awake and speaking, she was beginning to believe that this wasn't an emergency at all, and that they had just driven several miles for nothing.
--But, of course, Uriel was an Archangel, so he would get priority over the thousands of other angels who probably had much more grave injuries than he had. Lilith played out the sad truths of the Citadel's medicare system in her own head as she vigorously rubbed her hands against the liquid soap between them.::
[STRONG] Thank you for coming all this way on such short notice, Lilith! ::The hospital's Director, Mr. Hammer Strong, bowed his head in Lilith's direction, even though she had her back turned to them.
He looked in Lucifer's direction, smiled, and offered his hand.:: And I suppose this is your husband that you always, ...
::Lilith never mentioned her husband ever.:: ... and I suppose this is your husband! It is nice to meet you, Mr. ...?
[DOCTOR] I've got the preliminary results on the substance that was found on Mr. Uriel and his E.S., ::one of the angels said, sotto voce, to their superior. Uriel had already scared the throng of them and this state scientist didn't want to upset him further.::
[LUCIFER] ::To be honest, Lucifer hated hospitals. They were so clean and sterile, and smelled funny. They smelled like dying and it turned his stomach. Thankfully he had the distraction of Lilith's purse to tide him over. What sort of crazy feminine things did she have in here?::
--uh, huh? ::He looked up at Dr. Strong and must have closely resembled an animal caught in headlights.:: Lucifer.
::She talks about me to other people...?::
[LILITH] Good. ::She immediately interrupted. When she approached the cot, the other nurses and doctors cleared a path, as if Lilith were Moses and the crowd were the sea.
She eyed the angel with the results, and with her never-dull body language, she made it extremely clear that he should speak up.:: What was it?
::She looked away and inspected Uriel carefully with only her eyes. She was a wizard when it came to health, and she hoped to replace Director Strong someday. She could see nothing physically wrong with Uriel, short of the small amount of blood on his chest that he had caused on his own accord. A stitch or two and he'd be fine. One of the nurses was already applying gauze to the site.::
[STRONG] ::Yes, hospitals were sterile, but so was the Citadel in its entirety. The city was a pristine, "perfect" environment. In fact, the hospitals were arguably dirtier than the streets. Dr. Strong blinked and pulled his hand away when Lucifer decided not to shake it. What a jackass.
Regardless, their meeting was interrupted when Lilith's approach made the emergency room go silent.::
[LUCIFER] ::Lucifer's manners definitely left something to be desired. The phrase "grew up in a barn" really applied to him. For someone so high-profile, you think he'd know a thing or two about social politics, but he didn't.
If he didn't think Lilith would yell at him, he'd probably be tasting the flavor of her lip balm right now, which promised aqua strawberry on the cover. Who wouldn't want to taste some aquatic strawberries?::
[DOCTOR] Oh, uhm. ::The angel opened the folder, which contained one neat and tidy piece of paper with all of the lab tests and results printed on it. He sidled up to Lilith and held it out so that she could read it too if she wanted.::
On the phone, Dr. Lilith, you were asking about water on the lungs, but fluid wasn't the reason he stopped breathing. ::He paused for obvious dramatic effect.:: It was the substance, which my lab has determined to be... well, it's hard to say, but its structure and genetic makeup most closely resembles hair. It was... in him.
::He looked up at her and squinted, wondering if she understood what he meant.:: It went into his E.S.--and into him--during the attack.
[LUCIFER] ::Aquatic strawberries were definitely disappointing.::
[LILITH] .. hair? ::She stared at the papers, perplexed.:: Salt traces.. dander--hm, you're right. ::Her brows came together. She was absolutely intrigued. She looked up at the staff.::
But you didn't remove anything.
[STRONG] Nothing. The x-rays did not pick up any unusual masses in the lungs--or anywhere else in the body for that matter.
[URIEL] ::Uriel blinked. He was so confused.::
[STRONG] We didn't touch him. We did a bypass directly to the lung to make sure that anything that wasn't picked up on the x-rays was removed, but as you can see, he appears to be completely fine.
[LILITH] ::Lilith paused, and then asked Uriel a question that she knew would make her sound like an idiot.:: But you feel okay, right?
[URIEL] I feel fine.
[LILITH] Do you remember what happened?
[URIEL] I don't remember hair!
[LILITH] What do you remember?
[URIEL] I remember..
[LILITH] ::The room, again, went silent as Uriel tried to remember what had happened. Lilith stared at him the entire time, as if she were burrowing into his mind.::
[URIEL] .................... ::Uriel's eyes became wider and wider. The monitor behind him started to beep when his heart rate accelerated.::
[STRONG] What the--
[LILITH] Uriel?
[URIEL] ::He opened his mouth and his eyes seemed to glaze over.::
[LILITH] Uriel?
[URIEL] ::He finally looked up at Lilith.:: That's my name, isn't it?
[LILITH] ::It hit her like an earthquake.::
[RAPHAEL] ::Raphael--slouched in one of the benches of the Holy Court--closed his eyes.:: They've confirmed it. Uriel has amnesia.
[GABRIEL] ::Gabriel's worried look shifted from Raphael to Yeshua.::
[YESHUA] ::Yeshua sported an extremely sad and thoughtful expression. Among his thoughts was regret. A great deal of suffering could have been avoided if only he had acted sooner.::
I would like the Zohar moved to an undisclosed location. I will give Averis the coordinates, and I would like the Zohar remotely moved via AMWS. Please do not make contact with it--it is a very dangerous object. I should have been more cautious.
::He lifted his bare hand to cover his mouth, as if he had just swore.:: Excuse me.
::He immediately left the Court.::
[DOCTOR] You see, Dr. Lilith, the sample we took wasn't from Mr. Uriel. It was recovered from his craft--and there wasn't very much of it. It got pinched between one of the joints and ripped off, we guess. We really don't know how it works... er, worked.
::He looked down at the folder, frowning.:: White in color, silvery under light. Ab... sorbed, apparently. And...
::His eyes flashed up to Uriel when it became more and more apparent that there really were some more lingering effects than they first thought. That would explain his complete disorientation and terror.::
[NURSE] ::One of the other angels in the room was already blessing themselves with the Sign of the Cross.::
[LUCIFER] ::Why so serious? Traumatic events tended to scar the mind, right? It wasn't like those memories were really gone. They were just buried under a bunch of shit, because it was easier to forget. It was always easier to retreat into anonymity. ... Lucifer wondered where those deep thoughts were coming from.::
[LILITH] Uriel, I highly suggest you remain hospitalized for the night.
[RAZAEL] ::He adjusted his cuffs carefully. Though he pricked and preened at his uniform, he ignored the streaks of white dander that had collected in random places. His wings shed often, and it was impossible to keep himself completely clean. His baby blue eyes suddenly darted upwards at one of the flashing monitors.::
Raphael, you are closing in on Ground Zero.
[RAPHAEL] [Don't worry about me--keep an eye on Uriel.] ::Raphael's voice came in very clear over the intercom. The very faint static cut off when he ended the transmission.::
[RAZAEL] ::Averis squinted and looked up at the monitor that should have been displaying the interior of Uriel's cockpit. Instead, the monitor was completely black.:: Easier said than done.
[YESHUA] As Zarathustra's final ring collapsed on itself, it collapsed on my heart. That is why you, Lucifer, will win this war.
[URIEL] ::Asher left behind a streak of smoke as it descended from the clouds. Its wings glinted brilliantly in the moonlight, and it reflected the images of the explosions and fires occurring below. Heaven's Edge--a technological marvel situated right beside the Garden of Eden--was under attack!
Uriel shoved a lever forward and grinned as Asher, his E.S., picked up even more speed.::
Raphael! I'm coming in behind you! ::He leaned forward off of his pilot's seat and adjusted one of Asher's swordlike wings.:: What's going on down there?
[NARRATOR] ::The answer was obvious: war. All of the fire and destruction looked like the front line of some war that no one knew had been declared. Heaven's Edge was beautiful even in its slow, pockmarked death. Something had broken into it, broken through it, tearing it open like its exterior were tin foil. The torn edges of it glimmered. The attack was ongoing--new explosions occurred regularly. Heaven's Edge didn't contain much, so maybe it was more of a statement than something an enemy would wish to acquire.::
[RAPHAEL] I don't..
::Raphael kept a safe distance. His craft, an unnamed E.S., could absorb the massive shockwaves that the explosions were creating, but it was just as vulnerable to fire as Mirror's Edge was. It was impossible to get closer. In fact, as he observed the chain of explosions, it became more and more apparent that this was intentional. They went off one by one, at regular intervals, as if someone were remotely detonating them as they spoke.::
I-- ::Raphael's E.S. backed up as he reached for the intercom.:: Averis.
[RAZAEL] ::Before Raphael could speak, Averis cut in.:: Get out of there! Now!
[RAPHAEL] ::Raphael clenched his teeth and looked over his shoulder, as if he could see Uriel's descent through the cold metallic walls of his cockpit.:: Uriel! Evac!
[URIEL] What is it?!
[RAZAEL] I've got a confirmation from Yeshua: it's the Zohar!
[URIEL] ::Uriel's mouth flung open.:: Oh.
[RAPHAEL] ::Raphael's craft collided with Asher. Both of them spun out of control, upwards, into the mesosphere.::
[NARRATOR] ::Just in time, too. When the fire ate away at the last of the Mirror Sphere, the central point of Mirror's Edge--and apparently the current containment place of the Zohar--all of the separate explosions became one very big, very dangerous explosion. The mirror that Mirror's Edge was literally situated on shattered, and a flurry of volcanic ash poured into the Garden of Eden.::
[RAPHAEL] Uriel--
::Raphael swore when he was thrown onto the ceiling of his own cockpit. He grabbed onto his intercom's wire, but it broke right off of the control panel. One of the LED displays started to flash red.::
[RAZAEL] ::Averis turned to the staff behind him.:: Bring them in! Get them to the Citadel!
::He turned back to the panel. His fingers thrashed against the keys as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on up there.:: Uriel's cockpit has been breached! --Backup air supply has failed!
[RAPHAEL] URIEL!!
[YESHUA] But you will not win this battle.
[NARRATOR] ::Uriel's E.S. was failing not only because of the crash into his fellow archangel's craft, but because of the thing attached to it. The visuals were probably muddled in all of the fiery airborne confusion, but there was definitely something wrapped around Uriel's craft. It looked like a net, except the tendrils of it glimmered silver. These glimmers extended all the way down to Mirror's Edge, the source of the disturbance, where the almost-free Zohar was screaming.::
[LUCIFRON] There is no security on this earth.
++
[LILITH] Lucifer!
::Lilith was in the middle of fiddling with one of her earrings when she realized that someone's life was at stake. She slammed the stupid earring against the mirror and sprinted out of the bathroom.
As her cell phone rung, it fumbled right out of her hands, onto the carpet.:: Son of a-- ::She grabbed it off of the floor and proceeded to run into the living room. Where had that man gone?!::
LUCIFER! There's been an accident! I need to go! Where are my keys?!
::After rummaging through her purse with no luck, she just shoved it over her shoulder and hurried into their bedroom. Oh, what a surprise: as she did so, she clipped one of her wings on the doorway.:: --fuck!
::Wincing, she continued into the room and looked around frantically for her keys.::
I swear, these living quarters are just as dangerous as the giant robots those idiot Archangels ride in all day. .. calling me in the middle of the night-- ::Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the clock, which read 3:33 AM. She rolled her eyes.:: middle of the morning.
::She continued to grumble under her breath while searching for her keys.:
[LUCIFER] Uhhhhh.
::Where the fuck did Lilith think he was? It was sort of the middle of the morning, which meant he had been sleeping, which meant he was in bed. He wasn't awake yet when he appeared at the doorway to the bedroom in baggy boxers with the keys pinched between his thumb and forefinger. Jangle jangle.::
Your keys. ::Lucifer rubbed his eyes with his free hand.::
[LILITH] ::She turned abruptly and narrowed her eyes at Lucifer.:: I hate it when you do that. ::Disappearing and appearing randomly seemed to be one of Lucifer's things, and Lilith still hadn't gotten used to it. If she hadn't known better, she would have assumed that Lucifer really DID have the power of teleportation, but even Michael, Yeshua's favorite Archangel, did not have such abilities.
She lurched forward, snatched the keys, ... and then handed them back to Lucifer.:: Drive me? It's an emergency. They need a head trauma specialist.
::She haphazardly brushed Lucifer's hair with her free hand, and then stepped beyond him.:: You look fine. Come on!
::Though their apartment would hint otherwise, Lucifer and Lilith were an extremely successful couple. They both had high profile careers and they both led high profile lives. Their 2 Mercedes HoverCraft™ waiting outside made that obvious. Their current residence was just temporary; Lilith had pinned a job with the Citadel Hospital, and eventually they would be able to move to a more extravagant portion of the Citadel, which was the main residence of every 'regular' angel in Heaven. Lucifer's field of work..? Well--... Lilith had never asked.::
[LUCIFER] ::Lucifer's eyebrows shot up when Lilith willingly gave him the keys. It really must have been an emergency, because those who had been unfortunate enough to drive with Lucifer had been treated to the worst case of speed demoning in their entire known existences.::
[ANGEL] FOR THE LOVE OF OUR GRACIOUS AND GOOD LORD GOD--
[ANGEL] Maniac!!
[ANGEL] Who gave that guy a driver's license?!
[LUCIFER] ::Probably the most disconcerting thing about Lucifer was that he actually had a driving outfit that only emphasized his cruelty on the road: tight and glossy jacket, tartan ascot, and goggles. Yeah, that's right--he was wearing goggles.
Lilith wanted to get somewhere fast and she chose the right man for that job. Feathers flaked off and tumbled behind them, they were going so fast.::
You okay over there?
::Lucifer's line of work? Whatever it was, hopefully it didn't involve machinery.::
[LILITH] Shut up. ::As usual, Lilith was off in her own little world. Their careers ensured that they saw as little of each other as possible, and whenever they did get to see each other, they continued to get distracted from each other.
She tilted her head forward and tried to hear what the person on the other end of her cell phone was saying over the sound of screams on the highway. The Citadel was massive--perhaps as large as the uninhabited Earth below, but completely flat. It was an unending city, free of nature's grasp. It was a quick-paced emulation of what Earth would eventually become, and nothing more. The angels were aware of that, and they were appreciative of what they had been given.
The Citadel was divided into many smaller city-states, each of which was governed by an Archangel. Still, the Citadel worked as a unit, and no one ever stepped out of line. --No one but Lucifer.::
Okay, but you didn't answer my question--is there water in the lungs or not? You need to do x-rays immediately if you haven't, and for the love of Yeshua, get a damn tube in there regardless. A scar isn't the worst thing that can happen. Leave water in the lungs and--
::She went flying off of her seat when they soared over a speedbump.::
--LUCIFER they're called speedbumps for a reason!! ::She glared at him.:: Are you trying to get us killed?!
::And there was many a way to get killed in the extremely fast-paced and busy nightlife of the Citadel. All around them, neon signs and stoplights illuminated the darkness. Theaters, grocery stores, gyms, malls, casinos--not to mention the countless businesses in the air. The city stacked endlessly upwards as well, although the upper tiers were generally reserved for more private establishments. Most of the common angels of the Citadel couldn't even afford hovercrafts, and were forced to drive through the 'normal', high traffic lanes on the ground.::
Christ. ::She snapped her cell phone shut, ... realized that she had just accidentally hung up on the hospital's director, and then looked up through their car's sunroof.
The stars up above were completely overshadowed by the city lights. --But it didn't matter, because those stars weren't real. The Citadel had been fitted with an artificial weather skybox system. Every weather effect they experienced in their daily lives was a simple emulation.::
[LUCIFER] ::It probably didn't help that at some point Lucifer had decided to find out if he could drive with his feet. Reclined dangerously in his seat, he looked over at Lilith with mock surprise and scratched his nose with an alarmingly free hand.::
What? We've got shock absorbers. ::Before she could scream at him some more, or even hit him, he sat back up and started to drive in a more sane manner.::
So what's up? ::he asked, actually obeying traffic signs enough to slow down around the next bend.:: Some big accident? Must be crazy if they need you at-- ::Squint.:: --four AM.
[LILITH] Apparently there was some kind of terrorist incident at Mirror's Edge. --One of the Archangels was knocked unconscious, and they think he's in a coma. Their biggest concerned is that he stopped breathing for too long and suffered wabrain damage.
He may have also been exposed to some kind of um... ::She shook her head, wondering why the explanation she had received had been so lackluster.:: "potentially dangerous substance". I don't know.
If an Archangel was involved, though, it's pretty damn important.
::She ripped her stylish glasses off of her face and massaged her eyebrows to try and soften her headache. Finally, when the ringing in her ears went away and the sounds of the Citadel's nightlife faded into the background, she tilted her head in Lucifer's direction.::
How was work? ::She placed her glasses on the dashboard.::
[LUCIFER] Terrorism? Here? ::Lucifer actually laughed, because that idea was ludicrous. The Citadel might have been massive, and there may have been a hierarchy as far as the fortunate and unfortunate went, but it was a utopia nonetheless. Bad things happened to good people, but the idea that something really big like a terrorist attack that ended in an Archangel's suffering was just something that Lucifer couldn't wrap his mind around. Weren't there procedures in place to monitor this kind of thing?::
Jeez... ::He drummed his fingers on the wheel, trying to think of something funny to say and then failing. It didn't help that he was kind of surprised that she bothered to ask anything about him, given that they usually only spent ten minutes awake together each day. On a usual day, they'd be asleep right now; maybe that had something to do with it.::
It, uh. It was good. ::His eyes shifted over the scenery in front of him.:: Long, though, you know? No one's ever satisfied with the heavenly constructs these day, so they have to call in me for demolitions. It's real draining having to destroy such beautiful things.
::Just as the world developed, so did the culture: now that he thought about it, angels seemed to get more and more disatisfied these days. They were still appreciative, but... in their own businesses and activities, they sought more and more.::
[LILITH] ::She smiled. The smile came on slowly, and hesitantly, but it was there.::
Mr. Lucifer, I do believe you're getting sentimental.~
[LUCIFER] ::Lucifer smirked a little bit. Bars of light from the signs overhead streaked over his face, causing his pale red eyes to glint.:: Maybe. But I guess if I didn't have to blow up buildings, then I'd be out of a job, huh?
[LILITH] ::I haven't seen that side of you in a long time. Sometimes I feel like I've known you forever. Maybe in another time, or in another place. But no matter what time, nor what place--you're always.. a morning star.
You shine in the day and you shine at night so that I will never lose my way. If I can see the sky above, I can find you.::
[TITLE] X E N O S A G A ` Helel \
[URIEL] Where am I?
[PILGRIM] You can see me?
[URIEL] --Who are you?! Show yourself!
[PILGRIM] The last person who could see me..
[URIEL] SHOW YOURSELF!!
[PILGRIM] Open your eyes.
[URIEL] ::Uriel's body arched off of the cot. He gasped for air and his wings immediately flung outwards into full span. Archangels had over triple the wingspan of angels, which was the reason as to why Archangels could fly and angels couldn't.
Though a pair of out-of-control wings were quite dangerous, that didn't keep the doctors and nurses from crowding around Uriel. They held him down to prevent him from harming himself.::
[STRONG] Mr. Uriel, PLEASE calm down! You will hurt yourself--you are being treated!
[URIEL] WHERE AM I?! WHO WAS THAT--
::Uriel winced when he pulled too far off the cot and felt one of the tubes rip right out of his chest. The medical staff gasped in horror, but they did not take any action when they realized that Uriel was breathing (and screaming hysterically) on his own.
Slowly realizing that he was in a hospital, Uriel took a big swallow and lay back down on the oversized cot.:: S-Sorry.
[LILITH] Well. ::Lilith had just entered the building, but she had been very quickly ushered in by the staff. Still in a night-on-the-town dress and free of any medical uniform or gadgets, she took one good look at the crowd of startled angels and sighed.:: At least we know there's no water in his lungs.
::She side-eyed Lucifer, put her coat and purse into his arms, and then walked over to one side of the room. The least she could do was wash her hands before assessing the situation. Judging by the fact that Uriel was clearly awake and speaking, she was beginning to believe that this wasn't an emergency at all, and that they had just driven several miles for nothing.
--But, of course, Uriel was an Archangel, so he would get priority over the thousands of other angels who probably had much more grave injuries than he had. Lilith played out the sad truths of the Citadel's medicare system in her own head as she vigorously rubbed her hands against the liquid soap between them.::
[STRONG] Thank you for coming all this way on such short notice, Lilith! ::The hospital's Director, Mr. Hammer Strong, bowed his head in Lilith's direction, even though she had her back turned to them.
He looked in Lucifer's direction, smiled, and offered his hand.:: And I suppose this is your husband that you always, ...
::Lilith never mentioned her husband ever.:: ... and I suppose this is your husband! It is nice to meet you, Mr. ...?
[DOCTOR] I've got the preliminary results on the substance that was found on Mr. Uriel and his E.S., ::one of the angels said, sotto voce, to their superior. Uriel had already scared the throng of them and this state scientist didn't want to upset him further.::
[LUCIFER] ::To be honest, Lucifer hated hospitals. They were so clean and sterile, and smelled funny. They smelled like dying and it turned his stomach. Thankfully he had the distraction of Lilith's purse to tide him over. What sort of crazy feminine things did she have in here?::
--uh, huh? ::He looked up at Dr. Strong and must have closely resembled an animal caught in headlights.:: Lucifer.
::She talks about me to other people...?::
[LILITH] Good. ::She immediately interrupted. When she approached the cot, the other nurses and doctors cleared a path, as if Lilith were Moses and the crowd were the sea.
She eyed the angel with the results, and with her never-dull body language, she made it extremely clear that he should speak up.:: What was it?
::She looked away and inspected Uriel carefully with only her eyes. She was a wizard when it came to health, and she hoped to replace Director Strong someday. She could see nothing physically wrong with Uriel, short of the small amount of blood on his chest that he had caused on his own accord. A stitch or two and he'd be fine. One of the nurses was already applying gauze to the site.::
[STRONG] ::Yes, hospitals were sterile, but so was the Citadel in its entirety. The city was a pristine, "perfect" environment. In fact, the hospitals were arguably dirtier than the streets. Dr. Strong blinked and pulled his hand away when Lucifer decided not to shake it. What a jackass.
Regardless, their meeting was interrupted when Lilith's approach made the emergency room go silent.::
[LUCIFER] ::Lucifer's manners definitely left something to be desired. The phrase "grew up in a barn" really applied to him. For someone so high-profile, you think he'd know a thing or two about social politics, but he didn't.
If he didn't think Lilith would yell at him, he'd probably be tasting the flavor of her lip balm right now, which promised aqua strawberry on the cover. Who wouldn't want to taste some aquatic strawberries?::
[DOCTOR] Oh, uhm. ::The angel opened the folder, which contained one neat and tidy piece of paper with all of the lab tests and results printed on it. He sidled up to Lilith and held it out so that she could read it too if she wanted.::
On the phone, Dr. Lilith, you were asking about water on the lungs, but fluid wasn't the reason he stopped breathing. ::He paused for obvious dramatic effect.:: It was the substance, which my lab has determined to be... well, it's hard to say, but its structure and genetic makeup most closely resembles hair. It was... in him.
::He looked up at her and squinted, wondering if she understood what he meant.:: It went into his E.S.--and into him--during the attack.
[LUCIFER] ::Aquatic strawberries were definitely disappointing.::
[LILITH] .. hair? ::She stared at the papers, perplexed.:: Salt traces.. dander--hm, you're right. ::Her brows came together. She was absolutely intrigued. She looked up at the staff.::
But you didn't remove anything.
[STRONG] Nothing. The x-rays did not pick up any unusual masses in the lungs--or anywhere else in the body for that matter.
[URIEL] ::Uriel blinked. He was so confused.::
[STRONG] We didn't touch him. We did a bypass directly to the lung to make sure that anything that wasn't picked up on the x-rays was removed, but as you can see, he appears to be completely fine.
[LILITH] ::Lilith paused, and then asked Uriel a question that she knew would make her sound like an idiot.:: But you feel okay, right?
[URIEL] I feel fine.
[LILITH] Do you remember what happened?
[URIEL] I don't remember hair!
[LILITH] What do you remember?
[URIEL] I remember..
[LILITH] ::The room, again, went silent as Uriel tried to remember what had happened. Lilith stared at him the entire time, as if she were burrowing into his mind.::
[URIEL] .................... ::Uriel's eyes became wider and wider. The monitor behind him started to beep when his heart rate accelerated.::
[STRONG] What the--
[LILITH] Uriel?
[URIEL] ::He opened his mouth and his eyes seemed to glaze over.::
[LILITH] Uriel?
[URIEL] ::He finally looked up at Lilith.:: That's my name, isn't it?
[LILITH] ::It hit her like an earthquake.::
[RAPHAEL] ::Raphael--slouched in one of the benches of the Holy Court--closed his eyes.:: They've confirmed it. Uriel has amnesia.
[GABRIEL] ::Gabriel's worried look shifted from Raphael to Yeshua.::
[YESHUA] ::Yeshua sported an extremely sad and thoughtful expression. Among his thoughts was regret. A great deal of suffering could have been avoided if only he had acted sooner.::
I would like the Zohar moved to an undisclosed location. I will give Averis the coordinates, and I would like the Zohar remotely moved via AMWS. Please do not make contact with it--it is a very dangerous object. I should have been more cautious.
::He lifted his bare hand to cover his mouth, as if he had just swore.:: Excuse me.
::He immediately left the Court.::
[DOCTOR] You see, Dr. Lilith, the sample we took wasn't from Mr. Uriel. It was recovered from his craft--and there wasn't very much of it. It got pinched between one of the joints and ripped off, we guess. We really don't know how it works... er, worked.
::He looked down at the folder, frowning.:: White in color, silvery under light. Ab... sorbed, apparently. And...
::His eyes flashed up to Uriel when it became more and more apparent that there really were some more lingering effects than they first thought. That would explain his complete disorientation and terror.::
[NURSE] ::One of the other angels in the room was already blessing themselves with the Sign of the Cross.::
[LUCIFER] ::Why so serious? Traumatic events tended to scar the mind, right? It wasn't like those memories were really gone. They were just buried under a bunch of shit, because it was easier to forget. It was always easier to retreat into anonymity. ... Lucifer wondered where those deep thoughts were coming from.::
[LILITH] Uriel, I highly suggest you remain hospitalized for the night.