Famine cries joy and I let out a breath of relief I had not known I had held. The head in Uriel’s grip vanishes and, in a wisp of shadow, Famine’s mount appears at her side, the scar around its neck the only sign of trauma. From where he stands, Uriel grins, unsurprised.

Of course he knew. Our connection to our mounts is unique, and though they cannot die, such a blow is heartbreak to us. Famine’s own neck, too, now bears a golden scar as the only other hint that her mount has suffered.

Uriel’s violence was a brilliant distraction, for now I hear them: the wings and trumpets of Heaven. The armies of Heaven are coming, are here.

The stars explode in the night sky, falling in great, fiery arcs across the dark expanse. I feel it, so deep within me that I want to cry out in ecstasy. Yes, this is that feeling. War howls and Conquest joins him -- yes, yes.

I turn my face to the sky and throw my arms up to the falling stars. Praise, praise be to God -- thank you. That I might know this again!

“Death…”

My head snaps down and Hyun’s looking at me with...fear and confusion. Does he not see how joyous a moment this is? Four, in harmony, together, true, at least. We will ride with the armies of Heaven and--

No.

It stops me. I am here...but I am not on the side of Heaven. How could I ride for him who seeks Hyun’s end when it too would mean my own?

Raphael sighs, “You just had to start the Apocalypse, didn’t you?” He holds out his hand to Lucifer, and winks, “Your son seems worth it, though. He’s actually a good kid.”

“No thanks to his white-eyed wolf of a father,” Gabriel appears in a flash of silver light, leaning against his sceptre like a cane.

“Gavri’el,” Lucifer smiles.

“It’s been a long time, Lucifer,” Gabriel smiles, but it is wary.

Lucifer shrugs, “You know where I’ve been. You’ve only just come now to join us?”

“If by you, you mean Death, then yes.”

“Death?” Lucifer sounds surprised, to say the least. I, on the other hand, merely roll my eyes at Gabriel’s usual teasing.

“What can I say?” Gabriel winks. “By this point, I’ve talked with her longer than anybody else besides you lot. Call it a silly soft spot.”

War snickers and I aim a glare that quiets him instantly. I reign in the strong desire to snap something in response to Gabriel’s quipping because we need allies.

Allies. Enemies. When did I choose sides in a conflict?

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When the high general marked an innocent human before his time. When I learned that the fall of this human would mean my own end as well.

When I decided that though I had long considered my end would be a relief, I actually desperately wished to still live.

The sky is falling, the armies of Heaven are here, and we have not the time for this. Silver nudges my back.

“To arms,” I breathe.

“The Four and the Morning Star,” Uriel drawls. “Even with Rafa’el and Gavri’el, what do you hope to accomplish? The boy will die...and our Father will judge.”

We know. We stand our ground. We shall not be moved.

“It certainly is ironic,” Gabriel sighs, spinning his sceptre.

“I heal the innocent alone,” Raphael manifests a caduceus in his hand. “Fighting on behalf of one may heal more than even I know.”

“I don’t understand,” Hyun runs his hands through his hair; they shake with clear adrenaline. “I just don’t understand why or how I ended up in the middle of a divine grudge match. All I ever wanted was to go to school and work towards maybe by some miracle being able to transfer to Korea National Sport University…”

“No mortals are ever prepared to interact with the world above and beyond them,” I reply. The strange impulse to place a hand upon his shoulder strikes, but I suppress it. There is no need for another accident, especially not now when we are staring down the might of Heaven.

“Why are you helping me?” Hyun turns to look at me. “Wouldn’t it be easier to...you know…”

“Do you wish to die?” I arch a brow.

“No,” he waves his hands.

“Then why bother with the question,” I sigh.

“I guess I can’t really see what’s in it for you.” He motions at the archangels, “It’s pretty obvious they’re all just using me as an excuse to settle some sort of stupid family feud, but I don’t see how that matters to you. Wouldn’t it be easier for you to hand me over to him?”

Lucifer starts forward but I hold up a hand.

“Life,” I say.

Hyun blinks, brows knit together. War, too, frowns in confusion at my words. The only ones on our side who do not look confused are Gabriel, Conquest, and Famine. Even the other archangels and the Morning Star look at me as though I have spoken a language unknown even to them.

I turn fully to face him.

“If you die, so do I. And, for now, I am not yet ready for this all to end.”

“We should talk on this after the Apocalypse is over,” Gabriel cuts the moment short, reaching over to give my arm a brief squeeze. I look at him questioningly, but he just shakes his head as if to say: now’s not the time.

Lucifer reaches out towards Hyun, but the latter throws him off, “No, I--”

“Whatever else is going on with Mikha’el and I, you are my son!” Lucifer snaps. “That’s all that matters to me -- that is all that has ever mattered in this situation!”

“It’s true, you know,” drawls a voice behind us.

A young man stalks towards us, one hand deep in the pocket of his hooded jacket. The other holds a spear across the back of his shoulders; its sharp tip flashes like lightning where the moonlight hits it. I have seen him before. At Hyun’s training academy, he was the one who wielded a jangbong into Hyun’s head; he was also the one whose car Hyun jumped into to commute back and forth between school and training. I was so focused upon Hyun at the time that I had paid him little heed.

And why should I: I do not come for angels, not even fallen ones in human masks.