Justice for the Fallen

Sanna was the fire. It felt like a thousand flames exploded and ravaged my whole body when her lips touched mine. My mind was screaming at me to stop it before it was too late, that this would never work, not while we belonged to two different worlds.

But how could it be wrong if it felt so right? As if all the elements have finally fallen into their places. Before I could make any coherent thought, my arms closed around her, pressing her tightly to my chest, and I returned the kiss eagerly. She seemed surprised at first but seized the moment and her clawed fingers tangled into my hair.

Before we got out of breath, someone harrumphed loudly.

We froze, exchanging dazed and confused glances, and quickly disentangled our limbs.

An Angel of Courage, the one that guarded the gardens today, stood at the entrance and stared intently at the slowly brightening eastern sky, pretending very hard he saw nothing. His flushed face told a different story.

I cleared my throat and ran a hand through my hair, hoping it would make it look less messy. “Yes?”

“All the preparations are done, sir. You can proceed to the court chamber now.”

“Oh, right, of course. We’ll be on our way in a second.”

The Angel of Courage nodded and left the garden as swiftly as if the pack of Hell Hounds chased him.

“We shall go now,” Sanna said in a low and rough voice. She avoided my gaze and tried to walk past me, but I caught her elbow. Her face seemed to have a darker tint of red than before.

“Wait. Shouldn’t we talk about it?” I asked hesitantly. My heart was still hammering in my chest, and I felt strangely lightheaded.

She shrugged. “There’s nothing to talk about. It was just a kiss, nothing more. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I wouldn’t call that just a kiss.”

“Ugh, fine!” she huffed like an angry cat. “You want to talk about mushy stuff? All right, but not now. We have places to be and things to do. You are an Archangel of Justice, remember? Keep your cool.” She patted my shoulder and wrenched her elbow from my grip.

“Very well. But we will talk. After the trial.”

“Sure we will. Now wipe that foolish grin off your face. You look stupid,” Sanna hissed, stalking towards the archway out.

I could not wipe that grin off, even if I tried.

***

The courtroom was a massive amphitheatre under the open sky. The ascending rows of benches were already almost full despite the early hours. For some reason, angels always liked to witness criminal trials. I couldn’t blame them. Serving justice and punishing those who thought themselves above the law was satisfying. The order had to be preserved to ensure the peaceful existence of all.

But was this order really perfect? I rubbed my jaw, stealing a side glance at Sanna sitting next to me. She was tense as a bowstring, ready to jump at any sign of danger. We sat on the witness’ bench on the side of the centre scene so everyone could see us. I looked up at the audience. Multicoloured feathers made countless rainbows along the theatre’s walls. They all stared at us. At her. Some faces were twisted with disgust and disbelief, but many were curious.

It gave me hope that not all of my people were prejudiced.

“How much longer are we going to sit here pointlessly?” Sanna whispered, her brows furrowed. “I’m not some freak in a cage for all to stare at.”

“Of course, you’re not a freak.” I patted her hand gently. “We’re only waiting for the High Judge. He usually waits till everyone is gathered.”

“Well, I hope he won’t slack off. I wasted enough of my time already.”

Before I could respond, the sudden hushed silence caught my attention. I straightened my back and stood to attention, pulling Sanna with me.

The High Judge had arrived.

No one in the amphitheatre commanded as much attention as he did. An Archangel of Wisdom held the highest possible rank and was a direct confidant of the Mighty One. They were scarce, and each served as a leader of angels’ communities worldwide. Omael had been at the head of our hierarchy since I could remember, and I’d never met any other of his rank.

He was tall and well built, his back was straight, and his chin held high. His face was handsome, with piercing lavender eyes and a short beard covering a square jaw. Silver hair seemed to glow in the early morning rays, surrounding his head with a halo. Enormous pale purple wings adorned his back as a fluffy cape, and his simple but well-made robe perfectly matched his feathers.

Omael gave us the briefest glance but didn’t slow down his pace. He crossed the stage and sat behind a huge white, lacquered desk. He looked at the parchments in front of him and waved his hand, indicating that we could sit back.

Anauel sat at the smaller desk close to the archangel. She put delicate, gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, rolled out clean parchment and raised a silver quill, ready to make a report on the trial findings.

Omael cleared his throat and spoke, his strong voice echoing through the arena.

“We gathered here today to judge a criminal accused of brutal murders. Thanks to the hard work of our people─”

Sanna snorted. “Your people. Right.”

I elbowed her.

Omael ignored us and continued, “─the perpetrator was apprehended and brought to us, so we can make a fair assessment of all incriminating evidence and decide if he is guilty of said crimes or not.”

The audience murmured, and people exchanged excited whispers.

The High Judge turned his brilliant eyes to me. “Melkyal, Archangel of Justice, was leading the investigation. Do you want to say something before we bring in the prisoner?”

I got up and cleared my throat. “This investigation was successful only because we received aid from my associate, Sannarah, who was able to lead me where no angel could pass freely. Thanks to her efforts, we found the sorcerer and pacified him before he could do more damage.”

The silence that followed my statement rang dully in my ears. Everyone seemed to hold their breath and waited for the High Judge’s reaction. His lavender eyes drilled holes in my head, and I suddenly felt small and insignificant under the weight of that gaze.

“So I’ve heard,” he said, his voice so cold I felt goosebumps on my arms. “If you have nothing important to say, please sit down and don’t waste our time.”

I nodded and sat back down.

“Isn’t he a charming fellow,” Sannarah murmured.

“Bring in the prisoner,” Omael ordered.

There was a commotion at the stage entrance, and two Angels of Courage came in, dragging behind them a slumped body in chains. My eyes widened as I took the sight in. Khaneus looked horrible, worse than when I handed him off to the other angels just a few hours before. His feet were dragging on the ground, and his head was lolling on his shoulders as if he couldn’t keep it straight. His eyes were glassy, and there was no comprehension in them.

The Angels of Courage dragged him into the seat at the centre of the stage, surrounded by golden metal bars and pushed him into the simple, sturdy chair. His body slumped there, his head resting on his shoulder, drool trickling from his half-opened mouth.

“What on Hell did they do to him?” Sanna asked, baffled.

“I have no idea.”

Omael frowned and turned the stormy glare at the guard. “What is wrong with him? He doesn’t look like someone who can answer any questions.”

“We are not sure, sir.” One of the angels saluted. “He turned like this right after being put into his cell.”

“We think it’s dark magic overdose,” supplied his companion. “He certainly used loads trying to avoid capture. It happens to the prisoners sometimes.”

The High Judge raised a silver brow. “How convenient.” He turned to the limp prisoner. “Khaneus Surinus, can you hear me?”

The only answer was a low inarticulate groan. A hand twitched twice, but that was all.

The Archangel of Wisdom sighed and looked at Anauel. “Make a note that the prisoner is not in a condition to provide any statement. We will move on to investigator and witnesses report, which we will base our judgment on.”

“Noted, sir.”

“Melkyal, Archangel of Justice. It’s time for your statement.”

I nodded and got up, catching Sanna’s troubled gaze. I let my wing brush her shoulder, hoping to encourage her, and I walked to the rostrum on the opposite side of the cage.

I reported all that had transpired since I took over the investigation, not omitting any vital detail of the case, from finding Sanna through following the trail of Greed Demon to the sorcerer’s capture. Omael was occasionally nodding while Anauel scribbled furiously every word I said.

“Thank you for your report, Archangel. Now I believe we have one more witness.” He shuffled through the parchments on his desk, and his eyes narrowed. “Sannarah, the Wrath Demon.”

I walked back to the witness’ bench, and when I passed Sanna, I leaned in and whispered, “Don’t be nervous. You’ll do great. Just tell them everything.”

She scoffed. “I’m not nervous.” But the slight shake in her voice was telling another story.

I watched as she took her place on the rostrum and stood there, holding her head high despite the hateful glares and outraged whispers around her. The rising sun illuminated her as if she was a star of the show.

She was so marvellous it took all my self-control not to stare.

“Wrath Demon, I believe there is additional information you can supply to fill the gaps in Melkyal’s report?” the High Judge said. His tone was levelled, but his brows were furrowed, and his lavender eyes sparkled dangerously.

“It’s not much,” Sanna replied, ignoring the hostility. “I approached the sorcerer first, alone, to apprehend him.”

“And why did you do that?”

“We were expecting traps. Getting in there together was risky.”

“Fine, go on.”

“Before Melkyal came and we fought, Khaneus was… gloating. He was sure he covered his tracks using dark magic and tried to misdirect the city watch by framing the demons.”

“And that’s how you ended up on the crime scene?” Omael asked, doubt lacing his tone.

“Yes,” Sannarah replied. Her hands gripped the edge of the rostrum tighter, her knuckles turning white. “He also told some other, rather interesting things.”

“Go on.”

“Someone tries to stir discord between Heaven and Hell again. Khaneus was paid to make it look like it was Fallen’s work. Paid very handsomely in gold, I might add.”

My heart sank. Don’t go there, Sanna, I pleaded silently, hoping she could hear me and stop before saying too much. She glanced at me and gave me a thin smile.

I knew she wouldn’t stop now, and it chilled me to the bone.

“Now, you might not be aware of this, living your peaceful lives up here, in your fancy floating city, but down or earth, gold is scarce to come by in the Mortal Realm. An average human can live all their life without seeing a gold coin once. Only a narrow group of nobles could spend money on such a ruse with a meagre success rate. Humans are prudent creatures. They do like the risks, but usually, they choose their bets wisely enough to ensure at least some profit. That only leaves us with one possible group.”

Please don’t say it here. I felt hot and cold at the same time. I reached the same conclusion, but it was not the time and place to raise it. Not when Sanna was standing alone, surrounded by angels. But I knew it was already too late.

“Your people,” Sanna said, looking straight at the High Judge. “Angels have the biggest reserves of gold and control its flow to human cities. It would be easy for someone from your kind to pay a bit to stir a little trouble.” She couldn’t hide her bitterness anymore. “Maybe frame the demons into breaching the Peace Treaty to repress the Fallen further.”

Before she could add anything else, the shouts of protest and outrage filled the air. The angels were horrified and disgusted by this accusation. And the fact that it came from the mouth of a demon only intensified their righteous fury.

“Silence!” the High Judge roared and slammed a gavel into the desk several times until the audience settled down.

Sanna stood there tall and proud, indifferent to the hateful outburst. I wished I could go to her and stay at her side, but I couldn’t. I could not stand against the Archangel of Wisdom. His words were the will of the Mighty One. I could only pray he would be considerate.

He wasn’t.

“You have some guts. I give you that,” Omael said in a tone that could freeze a running river. “You dare come to our home and accuse us of sabotaging the Treaty we drafted?”

“Yes,” Sanna replied without a pause, looking at him defiantly. “Also, don’t you find it curious that your prisoner, held captive in your home, suddenly became a mute vegetable? Looks to me like someone is trying to silence him permanently.”

“Enough of those pointless incriminations. You came here as a witness. Nothing less, and nothing more. I do not care about your opinions. Do you have anything else to add? Anything that is a fact and not a wild tall tale?”

Sanna’s jaw tightened, and her claws dug deep into the wood of the rostrum’s desktop.

Just walk away, I urged her. You’ve said enough.

She didn’t.

“I’ve told you everything already. I came here to make sure both sides uphold the Peace Treaty.” She glanced at me. “Someone told me that justice must prevail. That if we work together, we can keep the peace. Unlike what you think of us, I’m sure that not many demons would like to face war again. That’s why I brought this up. I don’t believe it’s something your people would want, either. But someone is clearly trying to sabotage the peace, and all the signs point to someone from your kind.”

The silence fell, and all the eyes turned to the Archangel of Wisdom. He smiled. But it was a superficial smile that didn’t reach his brilliant eyes. I had a foreboding feeling that something awful would happen soon. It set my heart racing like crazy, and all my hair stood out on the ends.

“Aren’t you a noble little demon? It’s heartwarming to see you care so much for the Peace Treaty.”

Sanna perked up and narrowed her eyes. I didn’t know what exactly moved her, but something the Archangel of Wisdom said hit her as hard as a hammer.

“But first things first,” the High Judge continued. “I think there is no doubt that Khaneus the Sorcerer is guilty of all seven murders. Killing mortals is a clear breach of the Peace Treaty, and for anyone guilty of such crime, demon, angel or human using dark arts, the punishment is death.” He slammed the gavel on the desk and nodded to Angels of Courage. “Take him away and prepare to be taken down to earth to face the public execution.”

Khaneus was indifferent to whatever was happening around him. He seemed to be far beyond any comprehension now. I watched as the guards dragged his limp body away with an uneasy feeling in my stomach. There was something very wrong going on here. I could feel it in my bones.

“Now, as we have this little thing out of the way, let’s move on to the second case for today.”

“The second case?” I asked before I could bite my tongue. I was not informed of other trials that would be held today.

Omael raised his hand toward Anauel, and the girl handed him another scroll. I tried to catch her eye, but she looked at her feet, clearly avoiding everyone’s gazes.

The High Judge unrolled the scroll and read with a satisfied smirk. “Sannarah, the Wrath Demon, I accuse you of murdering Raphael Gallagher, the head of the noble Gallagher family.”

“What?! That’s preposterous!” I bellowed, no longer caring about my own station. “Sanna is innocent. She would never kill a human. She wouldn’t….” I trailed off when I looked at her.

Suddenly she looked small and delicate. She hung her head, letting her hair fall like a curtain, hiding her face. Her hunched shoulders trembled.

My heart stopped beating when the realisation hit me.

“No, you didn’t….” I gasped, suddenly barely able to draw a breath. I dashed to the rostrum and grabbed her hands. “Tell me you didn’t do it. I know you didn’t. You wouldn’t… Say something!”

But Sannarah only turned her face away from me, tears glistening on her cheeks.

“Oh, she did,” Omael said without mercy. “She tried to conceal her crime very cleverly, I must say. Humans would never find the body. But unfortunately for your Fallen friend, the Gallagher family is very powerful, and they would do anything to ensure the murderer of their kin was found. And so they turned to us. And as you know, Melkyal, we have ways of unearthing the truth.”

My body got numb. I let go of Sanna’s hands and swayed backwards, wishing I could fall and let the ground swallow me whole.

Sanna was not innocent.

She killed a human, even though she knew what breaking the Treaty meant for her.

And she never once thought to tell me the truth.

She was a demon, after all.

Sannarah raised her head, and there were no more tears in her eyes. Only red-hot fury and hatred.

“He deserved it for what he did,” she spat. The edges of the rostrum finally gave in, and the wood broke with a thunderous crack under her grip. “You knew what he’d done, and you did nothing! You sit in Heaven all high and mighty, speaking about peace and justice, but you are as corrupted as the worst demon!”

“That’s enough,” Omael said. “Guards, chain her, and take her to prison.”

The air filled with blue feathers, and several Angels of Courage fell on Sannarah to apprehend her. She fought like a furious animal but had no chance against an overwhelming number of armed angels.

I watched as they beat and chained her, unable to do anything. I felt hollow. My heart and my soul burned in one brilliant explosion of fire. And now, there was nothing left.

“Let go of me!” Sannarah screamed, struggling against her captors, and her eyes finally met mine. “Help me, Melkyal! You can’t let them take me!” Her voice broke and became high-pitched and desperate, and it felt like she was clawing at the remnants of my heart. “You promised you’ll keep me safe! Don’t leave me now! You promised!”

“Take her away,” Omael commanded, his tone bored and indifferent.

The Angels of Courage dragged, kicking and screaming Sannarah away.

But even long after she was gone, her voice still echoed in my mind.

You promised.