The only sound within the dark was the constant beat of massive wings flaying in vain to free the body trapped to the waist in black ice. Uriel continued his descent without moving his wings. Upon reaching the turning point where gravity flipped, he started to beat his wings, adding his own rhythm to the Devil’s beat.
After some time, Uriel’s ascent was slowed by the constant frigid wind pushed down by the Devil’s wings. But it wasn’t strong enough to slow him by much. It even served as incentive to double his efforts. After all, he would rather not waste any time inside Inferno.
The wind became stronger. The breeze turned into a storm.
Suddenly, Uriel pushed through a narrow gap and shot past the monstrosity Lucifer had become. For a second, he feared to be snatched by the Devil, but nothing happened. Curious, he flew a wide circle around the monster and found him merely flaying mindlessly his wings and chewing equally mindless on the three greatest sinners condemned by the Lord and humanity.
“Thou hast been once such a great spirit”, Uriel mused, taking in the whole image. “Thine light once almost as bright as the Lord’s… How deep thou hast fallen…”
A faint mean spirited laughed rushed along the wind. Uriel snarled at it and turned away, using the wind to speed across the silent, icy waste of Judecca. The laugh seemed to follow him across the whole of Cocytus, but as he crossed into Malebolge the laugh was drowned out by the cries and screams of the sinners suffering there.
The giants guarding the well, which was the portal between Cocytus and Malebolge, cried out in anger and tried to snatch Uriel out of the air. His speed and agility served him well. Furthermore, his innate fire and his halos burned them before they could as much as brush his long tunic with their knobby, filthy hands.
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Uriel flew past them, straight up towards the upper circles of hell.
On his way, sinners called out to him, immediately recognising his true nature. But their cries for salvation were met with cold indifference. After all, he wasn’t there to save anyone. For all he cared, they were all in the place they truly belonged.
The fallen angels and demons guarding and torturing the sinners were more of a consideration to Uriel. He was an intruder and as such they attacked him, or rather tried. His uncorrupted light held them at bay, forcing them to avert their eyes in pain. But Uriel was aware that it was just a matter of time until one powerful enough to withstand his light would show up. Making haste, he pushed past the first circle of Malebolge.
Upon shooting past the cliff which marks the entrance to the eighth Circle of Hell, Uriel heard the laugh from Cocytus once more. This time clearer.
It is so rare to have a visitor here. Why not halt for a moment and be properly greeted?
Uriel ignored the disembodied voice.
Although, an honest guest worthy of hospitality does not enter through the backdoor like a thief in the night.
Suddenly, a few rocks broke loose of the cliff. Boulders big enough to crush elephants. Uriel knew they were aimed at him, but their size made it easy to dodge them. But upon avoiding the last one, he found himself face to face with Geryon, the monster’s pleasant human face contorted into a beastly snarl.
Instinctively, Uriel called upon his divine light and the heat of the sun.
The beast cried out in pain and fell past him.
Laughing, Uriel continued his ascent. But his mirth was quenched the moment the disembodied voice returned.
It is easy, is it not? To ascent the depths of Hell on wings touched by the Lord’s divine light. Woe upon those who lack such magnificence.
“Art sinister implications all thou canst muster?”, Uriel finally asked while rising above the burning plains pelted by a barrage of fireballs. “Some mockery of a mighty lord thou art.”
Insult me all you want, Uriel. I will not stop you unless you try to interfere with the workings of this place of woe. Or the Lord sees fit to denounce you.
“This cause of mine is just!”
Keep telling yourself that.
“Thou art no judge of mine!”
Never tried to be, Uriel. After all, I am just the executioner of His will.
Uriel once more decided to ignore the voice of the deceiver and double his pace.