Fallen Angel

Pain.
Pain was the only thing I could feel and focus on as I fell. But I knew-and dreaded-the fact that I was almost done falling. I could feel the air around me slowing and feel heat building up around me. I braced myself for what I knew was coming, the impact I was awaiting. For when I would fall through the ground and down into Hell.
A silent scream escaped my lips as the ground connected with my back and wings, which I could no longer feel. I couldn't feel any part of my body anymore. I was completely numb. I hadn't decided whether or not that was a good thing. As of right now it could be either. Good or bad I would just have to endure it whether or not it brought more pain or helped cushion some of the pain. Either way there was going to be pain. And pain wasn't something I was used to.
I could feel myself losing consciousness to the pain as the ground started to suck me down into it, closing over my face. Before it could close completely I gasped a shallow breath. All I could feel was suffocating darkness as I was pulled deeper and deeper into the ground. As the ground wrapped around me in a tight blanket, pulling at every fiber of my being, I felt myself slip into a cocoon of darkness, darkness that was just there, not trying to destroy my very essence, not sucking at my soul.
~~~~
When I opened my eyes all I saw was that I was in a small room with walls that looked like the inside of seashells, smooth and white. The floor was just plain stone, tinted gray. I had a throbbing headache and black spots kept clouding my vision. I groaned as I sat back on my knees, my wings back and out. I put one hand to my head, rubbing my fingers across my forehead, trying to ease the pain in my forehead.
After a few minutes the pain began to fade and I could finally look around and move without being in constant pain. There was still some stiffness in my joints, but I knew if I just got up, walked around, and stretched I would be fine. I blinked and my eyesight cleared enough so that I could see my surroundings clearly.
The room was somewhat small, somewhat large. It could probably be classified as right in the middle. I could see darker areas on the floor and walls that looked like it could be blood, but it was hard to tell. I had a feeling I wasn't the first Angel to have fallen and end up in this room. I knew that every Angel that fell, fell into Hell, but I never knew where they fell into Hell. We were never really told.
I carefully got to my feet, slowly so as not to make the headache come back. It was now all the way gone, and I wanted it to stay that way. I carefully extended one arm and rolled my shoulder, sighing as the stiffness finally faded, then I did the same to the other. I walked around the small room carefully-watching, just in case-the stiffness fading from my legs.
The next thing I knew, I was laying flat on my face on the stone floor. I rolled onto my side, then my back, and flipped myself up onto my feet. I looked down at what looked like a body, crumpled and still.
I crouched down and laid my hand on the shoulder of the person, rolling it over so I could see its face. I automatically saw it was a woman.
She wore gray pants with black going down the sides and a light blue at the top, with a white design in the shape of a wolf on it. The waistband of her pants was black and rode low on her hips, dipping in a V in the front, and had a belt going around it with aquamarine gems set on a plate on white on grey. Her shirt was the same color as her pants and was just a piece of cloth over both of her breasts that was held in place by a strip of gray cloth around the back of her neck. They were held together by a thin piece of cloth that connected to a cloth that went around her neck, down the middle of her chest and there was another one connected to that one by a small white plate with an aquamarine gem set onto it. On the end of that there was white like plastic, but felt like cloth that went all the way around her body in an almost straight line, but in the front there was a curved line that a gem set into it and there were two more gems above it on two different stems that pointed to each other. It ended way above her naval.
She also had on black gloves that went a little past her elbows and at the top were circled with white. Above that silver bands went encircled her arms and were connected to the white around the gloves by two thin aquamarine strings, one on each side of her arms. Her hair was a tangled mess of light brown and darker blond around her shoulders. Her eyes, when they fluttered open, were a silvery green color.
As soon as she saw me I could see a few different emotions pass through her eyes, but before I had time to think about it, she had me pinned to the stone floor, a sword glowing faintly pressed to my neck. I had barely noticed two of them before. I automatically knew she wouldn't hesitate to kill me. She was a warrior. I could see that easily.
I met her narrowed gaze with my own dark one. She blinked once before sitting back on her knees, allowing me to breathe. I sat up and stared at her. She must have recognized me or something to change the atmosphere of the situation so fast. I certainly didn't recognize her, but that didn't mean I didn't know her.
She didn't look as if she would say anything, staring at me as she was. So I decided to speak first. "I am called Echo. What are you called?"
She blinked. "Apphia. My name is Apphia." She looked around, eyes narrowed and slightly wild. She was on her feet in a second. "We need to get out of here. They're coming. They're coming now." She ran to the corner of one wall and pressed her hands up against it. She seemed to be trying to see through the wall.
I got to my feet and walked slowly over to her. "Apphia? What is it? What's coming?" I looked over her shoulder and I saw she was looking through a small crack running up the length of the wall.
Apphia looked over her shoulder. "The Demons. They think they'll find solace in this room. It's the only one free of the flames. Of the horror. It's why we're here. It's where they throw the Angels when they fall." Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. "And before you ask, I am an Angel. They just took my wings. I was lucky they allowed me this chance for a new life. But that's a conversation for another time." She looked back to the crack. "We'll have to claw our way out. It will be hard. I can guarantee that."
That was when I noticed the blood and the jagged holes. It looked like someone had taken a knife and stabbed her then dragged the knife slowly down. I winced just at the sight of it. The wounds were dark with blood. But they were no longer bleeding. "Don't stare," she murmured. "It's rude."
I shook my head quickly, pulling myself from staring at the wounds. "Sorry. I-I've just never seen something like that before. Not like this."
She shrugged. "I know. I never had before, either. Although, it doesn't really bother me. Though I am sure it will at some point. I'm sure I'll want to be able to fly again, even if I can't go back to Heaven."
I nodded, watching her carefully. "I won't ask now, because we don't really have the time to talk, but, you will eventually tell me what you did to deserve this kind of pain, won't you?"
"Will you?"
I smiled to myself. "I don't know. Maybe." I narrowed my eyes so I could look through the hole. "But right now don't we need to get out of here?"
"Are you ready to endure the fiery pain of the fires and the crushing pain of the Demons? They will try to rip your wings from your body. They will try to crush your spirit and steal your soul."
I took a step back and Apphia turned to look at me. "I know this because I have been out there. You found me recovering from my latest venture out there. I honestly don't know if I can go back out there. My Angel blades injure them, but without the power my wings gave me they aren't as powerful."
I nodded, meeting her gaze. "I know. I was always able to fight with swords, and throw daggers, but they gave me no weapons. I'm afraid I won't be any help out there, not until I can find some kind of weapon."
Apphia shook her head. "No. They wouldn't leave you completely defenseless. It doesn't matter what you did, you are still an Angel, maybe a fallen Angel, but an Angel nonetheless." She looked around. A smile curved her lips upward.
I turned so I could follow her gaze. She was staring at something that looked like it was embedded in the wall. I couldn't tell what it was, but I was intrigued. I slowly walked over to the object. I could sense Apphia a few steps behind me. I blinked as I saw what it was.
An Angel sword. Imbedded into the wall.
I blinked then stilled. Wait... that wasn't just any Angel sword. It was my Angel sword...
What in the heck was it doing down here? Was someone truly looking after me? Another fallen Angel, maybe? I had absolutely no idea. I mean, I guess it was probable Apphia and I weren't the only Angels down here. It was actually very probable.
I turned, slowly as to gather my thoughts, to stare at Apphia. She smiled. "I already know the question you will ask." She looked down, smile fading. "That is my Curse," she mumbled, "to know things." She looked up and met my gaze. "The answer is yes, we are not the only ones here. There are other Angels, but some of them are too ashamed of what they have done that they have convinced themselves that they deserve the torture of the fires and the Demons. It's sad, really. I have tried to help some, but most of the ones I've encountered refused to listen to me. To reason."
I stared at her, slowly taking in her words. They were true, that much I could tell, but for some reason I could sense that Apphia felt the exact same things she had just described to me. She shifted her weight back and forth uneasily and I knew that she knew what I was thinking. I didn't know how I knew that, but I did. Then it hit me. She had talked about a Curse...
I narrowed my eyes. "Apphia, you mentioned a Curse..."
"Damn," she muttered. "I was hoping you didn't notice." She twirled her blades around her fingers as she started walking around the room. "Well, when Angels fall, a Curse is placed on them. It's their way of punishing us. Not that they aren't already. Mine just happens to be that I know things. Sometimes it's just random thoughts and other times it's...bigger things. Like I know things that other people don't. It's been happening ever since I woke up here. It even happened when I was falling. And I've been hearing this Voice..." she trailed off, eyes thoughtful and troubled.
She suddenly stopped her circling and twirling of the blades and turned towards the crack we had been peeking through. "Someone's coming... An Angel... Emeyo."
I stared at my Angel blade for a moment before coming to stand at Apphia's side. Her eyes had paled even more, making them look ghastly. Her skin which had before been a little darker than pale and was now almost white. She was most definitely worried, which automatically made me be worried. I just hoped I didn't look as freaked out as Apphia did at the moment. I mean, my skin was actually a lot darker than hers, making me look hispanic-I had heard the humans say this before, when they had actually seen me, which wasn't very often-and my eyes were so dark they almost looked black with specks of lighter colors that I had never been able to identify spread throughout them.
A woman suddenly burst through the wall right in front of us, breathing hard, blue eyes wide with fear, but I could also see excitement in those dark depths. She stared at me and I stared at her. She wore the same ensemble as Apphia, as did I, except the gems on hers were a light purple and the ones on mine were a silver. Our swords or whatever weapon we chose to use always glowed the color of our gemstones.
I briefly wondered if she had a Curse like Apphia did. I didn't think I had one, but it was hard to tell. I hadn't really taken the time to figure it-or anything, really-out yet. And if what Apphia said was true, then we both did. As soon as I escaped this hellhole I would figure it out. I laughed drily and silently at my own joke.
I felt Apphia tense at my side and glanced at her. She was glaring daggers at the newcomer and she had her hands wrapped around the hilts of her two swords, which were glowing a fierce and angry aquamarine. I immediately stepped back, afraid she would turn on me. The hate in her eyes... It scared the hell out of me. Which was ironic, because I was in Hell.
"Apphia..."
She turned to me, the fire in her eyes brightening into a full-out bonfire. She raised her swords to attack and I knew I would die. I knew I would right there, right then with absolutely no chance to do anything to defend myself against her attack. I was going to die.
The blades grew brighter and the lighter harsher as they swung down, one aimed downward, going for my throat, and the other aimed upward, going for my stomach. In the seconds before the blades touched me and I would die all I felt was fear, and for a second I felt like I would die for nothing. That I had fallen for nothing.
In the span of about two seconds I was flung back and the strange woman was in the spot I had been, her swords-which were glowing a light purple-clashing with Apphia's own swords. She was straining, her muscles tight, that much I could see. I wanted to help, but I had absolutely no idea how I could.
My eyes fell on the sword embedded in the wall. I glanced from the two straining warriors to my sword. It took me all of a second, if not less, to decide what to do. I was going to somehow help get Apphia back in her right mind.
I turned to the wall and I gripped the hilt of the sword in both hands. I felt a smile curve my lips upwards as it began to shiver and vibrate in my hands. It responded to me. I tightened my grip and pulled. My muscles screamed in protest as the sword moved an inch out of the wall. I gritted my teeth and pulled again. I almost screamed as the pain in my arms and then my back increased painfully. This was not good. I was not going to be able to get it out. I was too weak.
I tumbled backwards, sword in my hands, onto my butt. A breath escaped my lips and for a second I could see a faint figure in front of me. I could have sworn I had seen the person before, and was about to say something, anything when he disappeared. I blinked.
I looked down at the sword. But there was now something strange about it. It began to glow and it's glow was a silvery black glow. Don't ask me how it was silver and black, because I have absolutely no idea. I just know that's what it looked like.
I carefully got to my feet and turned to face the two warriors, but they were both passed out on the floor. There seemed to be two more faint figures standing nearby. I blinked, confused. What had just happened?
I sheathed the sword at my side and it fit easily into the sheath on my right hip. I crouch down next to the two collapsed warriors. I gently shook Apphia, then the one I had yet to identify. Apphia's pale green eyes slowly opened and she sat up, a hand to her head. She hadn't seen the other woman yet, but just in case I casually pushed her swords away from her. She stared at me. "What just happened? One minute I'm madder than I've ever been in my life and I don't know why. The next I'm so exhausted I can't hold my swords. And the Voice... It reacted badly to whatever drained me, yelling at me. Also afraid."
I stared at her. "What Voice?" I demanded.
The other woman sat up. "You mean yours hasn't talked to you yet? I'm Emeyo, by the way. My Voice is called Fury. She brings out the worst in people. I believe Apphia's Voice is called Reason. Which goes right along with her Curse."
I stared at Emeyo then at Apphia. I had finally figured it out. They were both insane. And I was apparently almost there. "You aren't crazy. And neither are we."
"You hear Voices," I mumbled.
So do you.
My eyes widened. I had just had a thought that I knew didn't belong to me. I gripped the sides of my head with both hands, one on either side of my head. I could hear Emeyo and Apphia saying something and I immediately chose to focus on that, instead of the panic exploding inside my chest.
"She heard her Voice, didn't she?" Emeyo asked quietly, as if she didn't want me to hear.
"Yes," Apphia answered just as quietly. "But I can't tell who it is. Neither can Reason. What about you? Can either of you detect?"
Emeyo shook her head. "No. And Fury is so upset about what's going on that she's quiet. Silent as the grave."
"Could you please not use that term?" I muttered, trying not to bang my head against one of the walls, even though I desperately wanted to.
I could feel their stares, as well as see them, settle on me. "How are you still conscious? Usually the Angel passes out when they hear their Voice for the first time. Unless..." The two glanced at each other. "Has your Voice identified itself yet?"
I shook my head, hands still firmly locked on either side of it. "She only said one thing."
"She?" Emeyo spoke, but Apphia looked extremely worried. I was starting to freak out myself. I somehow knew my Voice should be speaking to me, even though I hadn't said anything to her.
I closed my eyes and decided to take the leap in full-out insanity. Hello? Who are you?
Ah, good. You have accepted it.
I wanted to die. Who are you?
Your Voice.
"Oh, wonderful," I groaned as I opened my eyes. "Sarcastic."
Apphia stared at me. "She is speaking to you, then?" She glanced at Emeyo. "What did she say? Did she tell you her name?"
You should tell them that my name is Sarcasm.
Why? And why won't you tell me your name? You are a very annoying Voice, if I do say so myself. Of course, I am most probably insane for talking to a Voice in my head.
I thought I heard the Voice snort. I sighed and settled myself on the floor, in front of Apphia and Emeyo. "She won't tell me."
Apphia rolled her eyes. "The first conversation is always frustrating. I nearly killed myself banging my head against the wall. That's what the dark spots on the wall are. Some of them at least."
They are quite funny, aren't they? Interesting humans. They have interesting Voices, too. Reason and Fury, I know them. They do amuse me. Plus some are idiots.
Is that your name? Idiot?
No.
I could have sworn I heard her laugh. I groaned in frustration. I was going to end up killing myself if she didn't tell me something-anything-soon.