"Traitor of Heaven ~Chapter Two~" by Ly M. Frick

Chapter Two

Brushing black strands back from her face, the Fallen Demi-Goddess rounded a corner of a busy sidewalk and nearly smacked directly into a stocky, handsome man. He felt oddly familiar and, brushing his mind, Yala glared openly. Her suspicions were confirmed by the touch and she quickly grabbed the looker by the elbow and yanked him into a nearby alley.

“What are you doing Up?” she asked harshly, pressing his back to the brick wall of one of the buildings creating the narrow, darkened space. She had dragged him to the other side of a dumpster so as not to be seen by passers-by.

Smirking at the woman, the being shrugged impishly and winked. “Just out for a stroll, M’lady. You?”

“Shove it, Ecroskt. You’re not supposed to be Up. You’d better have a good reason for this.” Folding her arms across her chest, the dark female raised a thin brow at the truant Demi-Demon. His kind annoyed her the most. Puny half-human half-fallen angels; they were the worst type of creature traversing the world. They respected no one and they did not care if their choice food, the human population, knew about their existence or not. Often, it was these bastards that alerted the dumb food source to paranormal activities. Lucifer had made it clear before that he did not want humans trying to meddle in his affairs. It was bad enough that the stupid creatures kept trying to summon the Dark Lord with nonsense incantations and nauseating incense. If it wasn’t for the fact that the lesser demonic creatures were practically powerless, Lucifer would have ordered them exterminated. None of the other full blooded demons, and certainly not the Demi-Devil, wanted to waste their time on the foolish half-breeds.

“Well...” Ecroskt leaned toward Yala with a gleam in his blue-green eyes. “I had planned on having a snack. Care to join me?” Golden brows waggled suggestively and the half-breed was rewarded with a sharp backhand. Rubbing his cheek, Ecroskt eyed the Dark Lady with apprehension. She was in a very sour mood, more so than usual. “Something you need to get off your chest?” he asked curiously. Then, not able to control himself, added, “Your bra, perhaps?” Another slap was his payment and, rubbing his other cheek, Ecroskt mumbled an apology.

“If you weren’t Lucifer’s son, I’d eradicate you so quickly,” Yala growled, baring her fangs at the younger being. “Now get yourself back to Hell.” Pointing toward the ground, the woman’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Ducking away from the wall, Ecroskt headed back toward the streets, whistling cheerfully. He obviously did not take her threats seriously. “I’d love to follow your pleasant advice, but I have larger fish to fry, as the humans say. Toodles, M’lady!” Waving back over his shoulder, the Demi-Demon slipped back into the stream of people. Following him, Yala grabbed his elbow once more and pulled him to a halt. “Yessum?” the blond half-breed looked over his shoulder at the female.

“You really do annoy me, Eco. One of these days you’d do good to listen to me.” Falling into step beside him, Yala glared at the sidewalk as they started off down the sidewalk in the direction the Demi-Devil had just come.

“Where’s the fun in that?” was his pert reply. “But seriously, you’re upset about something. It’s steaming off of you clearly enough that humans could smell it.”

“Humans can’t smell emotions,” Yala muttered absently, glancing at the wide berth the public was giving her. “You get that from the demons.”

“That’s not what I meant. Even they can tell you’re angry. What’s the beef?”

Still scowling, Yala shook her head, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Stop talking like an idiotic human. ‘Toodles.’ ‘What’s the beef?’ I really have no idea how I tolerate you.”

“Ah, but you do!” Slinging an arm around her shoulders, the Demi-Demon hugged Yala and was shoved forcefully away.

“Don’t touch me,” she spat, rolling her shoulders. “You’re kind are lower than humans in my eyes. Horrible, filthy...” The woman shuddered violently, “half-blooded jokes of nature.”

“Yllrek!” Eco stared at her for a long moment, anger flashing through his eyes. His tone was quiet and sharp when the higher being turned her head to gaze back. “That was uncalled for, even for you.”

“I regret nothing of what I just said. Your kind should never have existed.”

“According to many of the demons, the same could be said of you,” Ecroskt retorted defensively. “Our kind may be unclean, but at least angels can mutter our names and remain untainted.”

“Angels can speak ‘Yllrek’ all they want and remain as holy as the day they were sculpted,” the woman evaded. “That is my only name.”

Ecroskt eyed the Demi-Devil carefully, sensing it would be a good time to drop the subject. He knew well that she had another name, though the only one he’d ever heard was that of ‘Yllrek.’ It was a harsh word that meant ‘Nameless’ and it suited her. It was common knowledge who the nameless one once was, though her actual name was now only remembered by the original fallen angels and never spoken aloud. His father had never mentioned it in Eco’s presence. It was an untouchable topic.

“Want to go corrupt someone?” Eco ventured tentatively, brushing back flopping yellow bangs. He wanted to break the horrible silence that was forming. Normally, Yllrek would bounce back quickly and start threatening to dismember him with hardly a pause. The fact that she’d said nothing was disquieting.

“No.”

A one word answer was not encouraging. Steeling himself, Ecroskt tried again. “How about pushing people in front of speeding cars?” The man pantomimed the act with an evil grin.

“No.”

The grin faded.

“I know where the stoner kids hang out. Want to go feed on a worthless piece of society?”

“Shut up, Eco. I don’t need to eat like you do.” Though her tone was dismissive, Ecroskt was not going to give up so easily. In the most general terms available, he liked Yllrek and, once he got used to her verbal abuse, she was easy to live with. Plus, Eco knew on a subliminal level that she didn’t really mind his company much at all.

“The park then.” Ecroskt risked injury, seizing her arm and tugging her toward a crosswalk. “We can act like a normal couple just taking a walk in the park. No corruption, no eating, no killing. Anything!” Frustrated, Ecroskt ignored the sharp pain shooting through his arm as Yala dug the nails of her free hand into the flesh of his wrist.

“I told you not to touch me,” she snarled quietly as she was forced to cross the street. He was physically stronger than she was and he could easily pull her the entire way to the park if she let him. “And we are not a couple.”

“I know that,” he dismissed with a wave of his free hand. “But you’re being broody, Rek. And as your friend, I can’t allow that to continue.”

“We’re also not friends,” she snapped, still trying to pry his hand from her arm. “ I don’t even like you.”

“Sure,” Eco agreed in an offhand manor, ignoring the rivulets of blood running along his fingers to drip to the concrete. “But as I look nothing like myself right now, can’t you at least pretend to be my friend? Who’s to know?”

Growling under her breath, Yala tugged hopelessly at her arm. She could blow his arm off easily, but they were in a crowded area. She did not want to risk having humans notice that she just removed a man’s arm through a massive explosion. It was irritating beyond hope. Sighing in defeat, the Demi-Devil allowed herself to be lead through the streets toward a grassy park some distance away. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Eco was very well disguised. Had she not been so accustomed to his constantly changing appearance, she probably would have dismissed him as a human when they had crossed paths some moments ago. She wasn’t overly sure she liked this version of him yet. Yala preferred his real appearance, though she would never admit that to anyone. She was known to despise Demi-Demons. That she actually associated with Lucifer's son was unheard of. As far as Yala was concerned, in the Upper World was the only place she’d ever pay him heed.

After a few blocks, Eco released her arm and, shoving his hands into his pockets, looked skyward and whistled between his teeth. “Lovely day.”

Yllrek chanced an upward look and shook her head. “Looks like rain to me.”

“Exactly! No one will be in the park except those with nothing else to do. Which means no other Traitors.”

The Demi-Devil sighed and sucked blood from her fingertips, making a face at the demonic taste. Ecroskt was, after all, half Lucifer and tasted too much like Traitor. Trying not to gag on the taste, the woman finished cleaning her nails before folding her arms across her middle for the continuation of the walk.

The park, a small section of grass and trees nestled into a tiny lot between large, ugly buildings, consisted of little more than a two square city blocks. The gray giants that towered above the trees were apartment buildings full of middle class citizens. If the day had not been so crummy, those people would have swarmed the green retreat, polluting it with their human smell. Yllrek was glad the park was practically deserted when they’d arrived. She hated humans more than she hated Demi-Demons. It was their fault she was tossed aside and, thus, she blamed them for her entire miserable, immortal existence.

The two walked quietly along a winding, gravel path that meandered through the oasis. As they traversed the park in their silent manor, a few misty drops landed upon their heads and shoulders. Shortly afterwards, a drizzle of dirty city rain was sprinkling itself onto the two non-humans. Eco smiled a welcome to the rain and held his arms out as if to embrace the falling water. Yllrek merely shook her head.

Looking around, the woman spotted a small pond teaming with ducks. They seemed just as jovial about the rain and the sight tugged upward at the corners of her mouth. Ignoring Ecroskt, Yala left the path and made her way to the pond. Though it was wet, the woman sat upon a large, flat boulder strategically placed next to the tiny lake. She did not care if she was getting wet. Rain would dry and she could not get sick from the damp as the weakling humans could.

Ducks had been her idea and seeing them always made Yllrek smile, regardless of the situation. It was odd to see something she had come up with be so abundant upon the face of the earth. True there were far more variations than the common brown duck she’d originally asked her father to make all those centuries ago. Yet, seeing anything vaguely duck-like brought a peaceful feeling to the woman. She had only been... seven?... when she’d come up with the idea. It came from the platypus she’d seen God fiddle with...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“What’s that?” A chubby hand was jabbed at the furry, beaked creature waddling around on God’s workbench. Large, dark blue eyes sparkled from behind brown lashes as the little girl sat on her father’s knee.

“For now I will call it a Tarrig. Though that may change,” the divine patron replied, bouncing His joy upon His knee as He spoke. “Do you like it?”

“I like birdies better,” Ylazarael replied with a chirp. “Can we mix that with a bird?”

God furrowed His brow and attempted to envision the result. “I’m sure we can, with a few changes. What would you like it to be?”

“Uuuhm. Keep that nose and the feet, but only make two of them so we can have wings, too! Long neck, but not too long. And make it float on water, not swim under it.”

“What color?”

The child’s face scrunched up as she thought hard. “Can we make it blue like Mama’s hair?” Her request elicited a hearty laugh from God, who shook His head.

“Why not try a more subtle color? We’ll start with brown and, if you don’t like it, we can change it.” Smiling down at His progeny, the Lord smoothed the child’s dark hair away from her face and kissed the top of her head. “If it comes out alright, it will live on Earth forever, I promise. It’ll be yours for always.”

Giggling, the girl threw her arms around her father’s neck, squeezing Him in a hug. “And I’ll be yours for always, right Daddy?”

“Of course. For always and ever you’ll be my baby...”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Rek? Are you okay?”

Startled, Yllrek looked over at the confused face of Ecroskt. His hair was plastered comically to the top of his head and water dripped from the tip of his nose. Apparently, the rain had started to come down more vigorously. “Why wouldn’t I be fine?” she snapped to hide her shock that he’d snuck up on her.

“You’re crying,” he replied blandly, sitting on the rock next to her, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees.

“Am not,” she lied, glaring at him. How could anyone see her cry in this weather? Water was running down her face anyway.

Sighing, Eco leaned forward and licked her cheek quickly. “Salty. I knew you were crying,” he accused. He was promptly slapped for his actions but Ecroskt ignored the hit. He was used to being smacked around by women, especially this one. Turning his head back toward her, the Demi-Demon sighed and rubbed the redness spreading across his cheek. “You know... we’re really not that much different-”

“You’re a half-breed, of course we’re different,” she interrupted, not wanting to listen to what he was about to say. She had a feeling she’d be better off not hearing it.

“Shut up and listen to me for a moment,” Ecroskt snapped, his usual cheerful attitude dropped for a moment. He was acting in an unusually serious manor. What he wanted to say was important to him and he wanted her to hear it, regardless of if she wanted to listen or not. “You call me a half-breed, but you aren’t exactly one or the other either. From what Lucifer told me, Baine was almost human. And you sure as Heaven aren’t a full Goddess. So do everyone a favor and stop acting like you’re the hottest thing since sliced bread. In some respects, you’re no better than my kind.”

“Sliced bread? What’s your point, Ecroskt?” Rek growled, tired of his babble. She was better than his kind, regardless of her being a form of half-breed.

Sighing, Eco brought his hand up to place it on her shoulder, then hesitated and let it drop without touching her. “My point, M’lady,” he murmured, standing and shoving his hands back into his pockets, “is that you need to stop pretending to be less humanistic than you are. We both have the same emotions and the same human reactions to them. I just wish you’d let yourself admit that once and a while and stop being so cold. Regardless of what you say, I am still your friend.” Ecroskt turned and wandered off, shoulders hunched under a rain that had become a downpour.

“I don’t have any friends,” Yllrek muttered to his retreating back, though she doubted he could hear her. “I have nothing....”

* * *

“How long, O Lord, wilt though forget

me unto the end? how long dost

thou turn away thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsels in my

soul, sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted

over me? Consider, and hear me, O

Lord my God.

Enlighten my eyes that I never sleep

in death: lest at any time my enemy

say: I have prevailed against him.

They that trouble me will rejoice when

I am moved: but I have trusted in thy

mercy.

My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation:

I will sing to the Lord, who giveth me

good things: yea I will sing to the name

of the Lord the most high.”

~Psalm 12 Usquequo, Domine

She stood at the back of the church as usual, staring up at the Christ. Brother Hubert watched her with sorrowful eyes. He wished he could touch her soul in some way and help ease whatever pain was written plainly on her face. Yet the woman remained unapproachable. Still, today seemed different than the other days. Was it just him, or was the woman hesitating over something? The Brother watched her, as he always did, and almost stood from his seat in shock. She was crying! For the first time, she’d actually shed tears. Many times, she looked about to break down, but her resolve had always remained solid in the past.

Standing, Hubert made his way quickly to the back of the church and to her side. “My child?” he started tentatively.

The woman brought a trembling hand up to wipe the wetness from her face, shaking her head. “He’s right, you know... Eco, I mean.” It sounded like an absent thought, not really directed at the Brother. “I’m just as human as he is in a way. I can’t tell him that, though. He’d never let me forget it.” She sighed and turned her dark eyes to the priest. “I really wish I was like your kind sometimes. I’d be forgiven all my sins without doing much but an ‘I’m really sorry.’ You should be grateful that you’re His favorites.” Her tone had turned dark and it startled the Brother. With a glare toward the pulpit, the woman turned and headed for the door.

Determined to keep her there, Hubert reached out a hand and took hold of her shoulder. “My child, please stay,” he begged, gently turning her to face him. He was thankful she did not resist him. “Come, join us. What is your name? You are welcome here, Miss...” His voice faded away as a peculiar look flittered across her features. In that brief instant, Hubert felt a wave of unspeakable pain and dejection wash over him.

“I have no name that can be uttered here, Brother. Let me go.” Pulling away, she turned and left, closing the door with a soft thud.

Taking in a lungful of city air, Yllrek closed her eyes and let the chilly air blow around her body. That was more draining that usual, something about Father Albert’s Psalm choice struck a bad chord with her and brought up thoughts of last week’s conversation with Eco. Sitting on the steps of the church, the Demi-Devil watched people mill by. It was upsetting that something so trivial as the Demi-Demon’s lecture would still be irking her. It didn’t matter what he said, she was still better. She was not human, nor was she a filthy half-breed along the same lines of that pest.

Why, then, was she still troubled by his words? Why did it matter what he said to her? “We both have the same emotions and the same human reactions to them. I just wish you’d let yourself admit that once in a while and stop being so cold. Regardless of what you say, I am still your friend...” She did not have any friends and refused to make any. She would not declare that Ecroskt was her friend, regardless that they spent at least a few days a week walking the streets together, regardless that she sometimes hoped he’d show up and kill the monotony of the days, regardless that she’d helped him get out of probation numerous times by giving him an alibi. Yllrek did not have friends, especially not friends from the lowest sect of demonic creatures.

“Rek.”

The single, sharp word brought the Demi-Devil snapping back to reality. Standing a few steps away from the short stairway she sat on was just the Demi-Demon she’d been thinking bitterly about.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” Eco snarled quietly. “This is a church! Are you insane?”

Rek started blankly at the man who stood before her. He looked as he did last week, blonde topped and aqua-eyed, only this one was furious. He was reaching out toward her, trying not to touch the steps.

“And how in the Heavens can you sit there? You’ve got to be crazy!”

She continued to stare blankly at him. “How did you find me here? And stop trying to get to me, I’ll go back inside if you keep acting like an idiot so publicly.” She glared at a few members of the public who were staring at the scene Eco was causing.

“Back inside? You’ve been inside this place? Rek, it’s a church! Holy ground!” He had lowered his voice, but Ecroskt was still motioning for her to come down off the steps. He was afraid that this was some form of self torture she was partaking in. He may have been half human, but even he couldn’t stand on sacred ground without feeling like he was about to be ripped apart. “What... What do you think you’re doing? Whatever it is, stop it. This isn’t funny, do you really want to be destroyed?”

Sighing wearily, Yllrek stepped down onto the side walk and palmed his forehead sharply. “It doesn’t effect me. I can stand on Holy ground, idiot. It comes from my father’s side. Now get out of here. You annoy me.”

“Do you always have to hit me?” Eco demanded, falling in step beside her as the woman took off down the street. “I have enough marks on my face without you adding to them.”

“And you’ll just hide them like you hide those.” Yllrek motioned absently to his left cheek. In his human disguise, the skin was flawless. In his actual form, five horizontal slashes were permanently imprinted, a ‘gift’ from another Demi-Demon that took exception to the pretty-boy.

“Well, I don’t like drawing attention to myself when Up,” her companion replied absently with a shrug. “Why were you in that church?” he asked quietly after a moment of silence.

“None of your business,” Rek snapped.

“He won’t take you back. Why do you keep trying?”

Yllrek stopped in her tracks and started at the Demi-Demon.

“I know what you’ve been up to, though I wasn’t aware that going to church was part of it. I just want to hear it from you so stop pretending you don‘t know what I‘m talking about. You’ve been seeking redemption. You want back in.”

The dark woman lowered her head and started walking again. “Do you blame me? Your father’s been trying to find a way back for a long time, too.”

“I don’t think anyone would blame you, Yllrek. But stop hurting yourself like this.”

“Why would you care? You’re part demon.”

Ecroskt was silent for a long moment and Yllrek thought that perhaps she had silenced him. She was wrong, he was mulling over her words carefully. “I care, not because I am part demon, but because I’m part human. It is in my nature to care, to feel. As it is in yours. It is for that reason that you need to stop hurting yourself and getting your hopes up. He won’t take you back, as He won’t take back my father.”

“I can still try. What else do I have to do? One mistake, one lousy mistake....” her voice faded away and Yllrek half closed her eyes. It was difficult to speak so openly of such things. Eco was aware of her mood enough to remain respectfully silent. It wasn’t often that Demi-Demons were respectful, but Eco knew better than most of the others.

The sound of children’s laughter and quacking brought Yllrek back to reality. They were standing just outside the park they frequented. “Reedy Park...” the woman near whispered, somewhat surprised to find herself there. She heard the quacking again and looked toward the pond. A scowl formed quickly across her features and, without a word to Eco, she stormed across the grass toward the water. The Demi-Demon’s eyes followed her and saw what she had spied. A group of children were harassing the ducks, throwing rocks into the water to scare them and chasing any that ventured onto the land to get away from the projectiles. The ducks would not fly away; they were nesting and the ducklings could not flee yet.

Ecroskt watched in amusement as the woman shouted angrily at the human offspring, waving her fist in the air. She was a menacing sight and, for effect, let her eyes blaze red for half an instant, a neat trick any demonic creature knew. She gazed after the running, sobbing children with a smug look gracing her features. She turned to the pond and knelt at the edge, frowning as she dipped her hands into the water. She thought she’d seen something lurking in the reeds. She was concentrating on the water and did not notice Eco approach curiously.

The kneeling woman was lifting a brown, water logged lump from the water. A trickle of red seeped from under the head feathers and Yllrek sat back, crossing her legs. She held the duck between her hands and merely looked down at it. Eco could feel a sorrow radiating from her and, kneeling next to her, touched the duck with the tips of his fingers.

“It’s dead, Rek,” he told her. “Put it away.”

Yllrek refused and stood, still holding the duck. Moving toward the large boulder, she took up her perch, re-crossing her legs. Ecroskt followed her and sat next to her, brows furrowed.

“What’s so special about a dead duck?”

“ ‘It will live on Earth forever, I promise. It’ll be yours for always.’ “ The words were breathed out softly and she absently brushed away a tear. “He never did destroy them. They’re still mine.”

“Your father gave you ducks?”

Yllrek nodded slowly. “It’s my hope, Eco. You told me it was useless to think I’d ever get to go back. But He didn’t destroy the ducks.” She couldn’t really explain her reasoning to him, though it made perfect sense in her mind. Surprisingly enough, Ecroskt seemed to understand enough to recede into his own thoughts for a while and not ask her inane questions that would eventually lead to a heated argument between the half-breeds.

“Father once told me that you helped him because God no longer loved you. Do you think that He really hated you?” The question hung in the air for a long while and Rek closed her eyes, refusing to answer at first.

“At the time I did. Your father cares nothing for you and you know it. My father acted the same around me when he was creating these stupid humans.” Her voice was full of malice and Eco winced at having struck a raw nerve. “He didn’t speak to me in a year, Eco. As old as we are now, I know that’s not a lot. But when you’re barely out of adolescence it’s still a long time. I was sixteen, Eco, barely more than a child for our kind. After that, He maybe spoke two words to me in a month and one of those words was my name. The other was ‘Hello.’ Then He was back off to walk with his new toys in a pretty garden He’d made especially for them.”

“So you made Him pay attention.” It was a comment and did not need an answer, though Rek nodded anyway.

“I was young and stupid. I didn’t think that He’d throw me out...”

“What you did was rather human,” Eco replied. “I don’t think it was right for Him to do this to you. But, if He hadn’t, I would never have met you under friendly terms.”

Rek waved aside his comment, making a face. “It wasn’t right for Him to do this. He took everything from me except my ducks.”

“He didn’t take everything. You still have your body and your soul, corrupted as it may be.” He knew his words backfired the moment her stony gaze settled on him. A chill passed down his spine.

“My soul I have. This is not my original body. He took my beauty along with my purity.”

“Nonsense. You‘re gorgeous,” Eco murmured softly after a moment, staring down at his knees. “There’s nothing wrong with how you look now.”

“Shut up,” Yllrek grumbled, not trusting him or his compliments. He had no reason to be nice to her and she didn’t expect him to be. “Ugly black wings, black hair, black eyes. My wings used to be golden, Ecroskt. Golden. I had my mother’s eyes... they were so bright and blue. He changed me that day, Eco, so no one would recognize me. He took everything away from me, even my identity. You have no idea what that’s like.” The more she spoke, the more bitter she became. It had been years since she’d ranted to anyone about her pain and, though Eco had not seemed a likely candidate, Yllrek found herself feeling somewhat better the more she spoke to him. “To no longer be who you once were, without an identity. Completely untouchable and nameless....” She barked out an resentful laugh. “And now I am still ‘Nameless’ aren’t I? Yllrek. One Without Name.”

A heavy silence descended upon the two demonic beings and a light quacking could be heard as the ducks started to venture out of their nests. The danger had passed for them and they had to continue their short lives as if nothing happened.

“What was your name?”

Yllrek turned her head quickly to look into the blue-green eyes of her companion, studying him carefully. His words echoed in her head for long moments as she merely looked at him. No one had actually asked her that before, not for her specific angelic name. Then, much to her own surprise, her lips parted. “Ylazarael...”

______________________________________________________________________________

 

AN: And that’s the revised chapter two. I forgot about the censorship rules and had to go back and edit out a few cases of cursing, but it’s all good now. The changes have, in my opinion, taken nothing away from the story. I do hope I caught them all. All I want is to appease the lovely mods ^.^ Hehe, I really am shameless, aren’t I?