Chapter Text
The Fallen Seraphim
The Fall
Sera knew this day was coming. Ever since that day in the courtroom she knew it was inevitable. The whole heavenly host was gathered here, watching as a seraphim was declared fallen. She couldn’t hear the words that the archangel was speaking all she could hear was Emily’s muffled cries, pleading for this to stop. “You have been judged by the heavenly host, as punishment for your crimes you are condemned to fall into hell.” The archangel Zadkiel spoke as his blade was drawn from its sheath; Sera could not watch as it dragged along base of the wings all she could hear was Emily’s pained cries; to her credit she didn’t throw up the bile that had gathered in her throat. When the higher angel came for the halo she shut her eyes, the very symbol of divinity. Seeing the tiara-like halo taken she almost lost her control over her mouth “Former high Seraphim you may now address the court.” Sera looked around to see her audience, many faces she recognized as those she worked closely with. Some lower angels, some winners, and standing to the side with tears streaking down her face flanked by both Lute and Sir Pentious was Emily.
What struck her odd though was the figure behind Lute, the former exorcist commander had turned to her once and held a rather startled expression on her face without having said a word. Standing and ignoring the pain in her back and the wave of nausea that came Sera spoke “People of heaven, you have trusted me to maintain order, security, and peace here in heaven. A trust that I had thought I was defending, but now I see that I was causing more chaos and unrest for those who I once believed were too far gone to earn this paradise. I thought my actions were just, they were not and I have nothing to say in defense of them. I might not have swung a sword but I killed all the same, I accept this punishment willingly. To those who remain after me I ask this of you, welcome these redeemed ones with open arms and hearts let them know peace and love for they have suffered pain and hate enough.” Zadkiel nodded as she turned once again “I’m ready sir” the archangel readied his portal only to stop as a white blur raced between him and Sera.
“Please stop this! She didn’t do anything wrong!” Emily shouted as she flared her wings to shield the elder seraph. Zadkiel’s face remained stoic as he spoke to her; a bit harsher than Sera would have liked “Step aside junior seraphim” tears streamed down Emily’s face as she still stood defiant against him “No! I won’t let you take her!” Sera turned and wrapped her arms around the crying girl “Emily please come here; Zadkiel, please give us a moment” the man backed down as Sera brought Emily into a tight hug “Tell them to stop this Sera it’s not right.”
“Shhhhhh Shhhhhh Emily it’s okay, its going to be okay I promise. Please look at me dear.” The elder sister took her face into her hands wiping away a few errant tears “I promise you I am going to be okay; this is the consequences of my actions. I was misguided and wrong and I must pay the price for it”
“Then take me with you!”
“Oh Emily” she brought the girl close and placed a kiss to her forehead “It has to be this way; my place is now in hell. But here our people are going to need someone to guide them, your place is here to guide them and not just them either.” She said as she looked to the redeemed snake man “I can’t do it Sera, I’m not ready”
“Yes you can Emily, I know you can. You are so much stronger than you realize and you are not going to be alone.” She placed another kiss to the young girl’s cheek “I love you, never forget that.”
Lute had stepped up to bring Emily back to the group “Please protect her.” The fallen seraph begged as the two stepped away. When the two were finally back with the audience Sera noticed that Sir Pentious had… stepped? Slithered out “If I may approach your holinessss?” Zadkiel turned to the pulpit where the other archangels sat, Sera could not see them but when Zadkiel nodded to the snake, she knew they must have agreed to let him speak. Sir Pentious approached her bowing his head to the two angels “if I might ssugest miss Sera, if you wish to ssseek redemption please go to missss Charlotte at the hotel.” For the first time she saw Zadkiel’s face shift looking back to the pulpit he asked “would this be allowed, for her to seek redemption at the hands of the Morningstar daughter?” a voice from above spoke, she knew exactly who it belonged too “She may seek out redemption, but it may only be given to her by the Princess of Hell once she had deemed the seraphim to have paid for her crimes. I have redeemed all sin I see no reason that this redemption cannot be extended to her.” Zadkiel nodded “Very well former high seraphim you are permitted to seek redemption in hell at the hands of Princess Charlotte, only she may determine how to atone for your crimes.”
Zadkiel once again stood and prepared his portal, the shimmering air opened into a torrent of heat. Sera could feel the thick smoke and scent of brimstone radiating from the portal as she gazed into it seeing the pentagram city down below. Taking one last look behind her she saw Emily bury her head into Lute’s shoulder as she bawled, giving the angel a nod she turned and took a step towards the portal, then another, and another; she imagined that this is what it was like for those humans who walked towards their execution. She stood at the portal and prepared to step in, lightly dangling one foot over the edge she took a deep breath and began to step in, only to feel a pair of arms wrap around her.
She turned, her blood running cold at the fear that Emily had jumped in at the last second. She saw the heavenly host staring as the portal began to close, a shocked expression on Zadkiel’s face, a terrified one on Lute’s, and an equally confused one on Emily and Sir Pentious’ faces. Whoever this figure that had latched onto her was there was no turning back for them as the portal closed “Figured you could use some company on the way down dear.” That voice “you?”
“Oh there’s the ground tuck and roll dear.” Sera didn’t have time to react as she felt the full impact hit her, blinking rapidly as she felt the pain start to creep in on her aching body, she started to see her vision go black. “Well, you fell like a sack of bricks” Lilith said as she stood to her full height above Sera, her purple horns on full display “but for a brick you flew pretty good.” Sera could only stare before her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.