“Well, this is romantic,” Vaina told herself as she sat on a tree stump outside of a nearby grotto that was now concealed from the public’s eye due to the forest’s overgrown greenery. The serene view was at least admirable for the hours’ worth of waiting, the natural stone structure becoming more mesmerising the longer she absorbed its details. The sudden breeze of the cool wind brushing against her pale skin kept her awake from the tedious ordeal. 

Wait, a sudden breeze, here? 

Her eyes widened as she turned to see Malachi’s sharp glare fixated on her from the distance, approaching her at lightning speed as the golden blur gradually became clearer.

“Lady Vaina, you are to return with me for punishment of your crimes of treason against Mother Ylipeste.” She was a split-second away from his grasp, so close to capturing her after his lengthy search only to find his movement immobilised to his confusion. He howled an ear-piercing scream in agony, feeling a sharp pain stun him completely in his right foot as he looked down to notice a metallic contraption with sharp teeth pierce into his flesh. “You traitorous wench...! His Worship will never let you see the light of day ever again once he finds out what you’ve DONE.”

He was bewildered upon being violently grabbed, his eyes meeting Renatus’ menacingly keen gaze and predatory grin. 

“Remember me?” he asked in a playful sing-song tone.

Malachi gulped sharply, feeling his throat dry up in fear. “You…should’ve perished by now...!”

Renatus returned a bored expression, strengthening his grip on the Messenger. “Boo, shame.”

“Whatever business you have in setting your filthy feet here in Ylipeste, His Worship will surely find out and tear you apart like he did before, and properly kill you this time,” Malachi hissed, violently squirming in his grasp. 

Despite the intricate golden winged helmet that masked most of his expression, Renatus could almost taste the delectable fear in his lips. He chuckled, then smirked, his eyes as sharp as daggers. “I’m not afraid.” 

The brief gleam of the Heavenly Blade that he unsheathed in his free hand left the Messenger trembling, more blood leaking onto the sacred grass. 

“That…how do you have that? It never left his chambers…”

“Who told you to lie about our deaths?” he demanded. Vaina silently watched in the distance, keen for an answer. “Watch your words. I'd be careful…” 

The blade rested beneath Malachi's chin, burning against his skin as the blade grew closer, it’s cool steel barely grazing against it.

“...If I were you,” he finished.

“The Watcher… they’re a spy for the Underworld. We all work under His Worship, not necessarily with him,” Malachi choked. “After you escaped… a great evil has been lurking amongst us, causing a widespread disruption amongst the Realms. Getting rid of you should’ve resolved it entirely. His Worship refused to take responsibility for the tainted souls, as it would affect his reputation and integrity as the All Mighty One. To avoid further disturbances and for the peace of Ylipeste, I was directed to tell each of you that the other was dead, until we found the actual source of evil amongst us, since both of you would likely interfere with the investigation process. His Worship’s sanity grows worse day by day, some souls becoming insane to the point they’re turning to cannibalism. We got it all wrong-” 

“Damn. You’re just as bad as this supposed impure soul that’s been on the rampage, “Renatus huffed, releasing the Messenger from his grip. He recalled Malachi’s brief mention of his abuse, feeling his blood boil beneath his skin. “You could’ve stopped Godric if you knew about that. Maybe you wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

Malachi grew into a panic as his body continued to tremble, his hatred fuelled gaze returning to Vaina. “There’s so much you don’t realise, Renatus van Raynes. It would’ve been better if she was actually DEAD.”   

He warmed up his feet and momentarily increased his speed as fast as he could, the grip of the metal teeth digging further into his flesh. His flesh gave way, tearing away from the contraption as his bones sharply snapped away from him, a thick pool of blood splattering it red. He leaned forward to fly, spreading his wings and beating them with as much force as he could before feeling his foot lift from the ground, hopeful to escape the monster - except a strong firm grip against his throat put his foolish ambitions to rest. 

“Oh, not so fast. You’re not getting away again.”

Renatus forcibly pried his mouth wide open, dropping one of the Heavenly Blades down his throat as it began to spin and twirl inside his innards as it made its way down, slicing and dicing his organs as it danced rapidly inside him, shredding them into slivers of fine meat.

Malachi violently coughed up blood that hurled onto Renatus’ face, his eyes rolling into the back of his head from the immense pain, unable to resist against his strength as his body grew limp. He didn’t think death itself could be so unfathomably unbearable let alone this excruciatingly painful, as death’s grasp reached into his consciousness as the world turned pitch black. 

I did what I had to do. 

Renatus transformed the blade into a large broadsword whilst it remained inside him, watching it burst through the Messenger’s body with delight, scarlet rain drenching him and his garments from head to toe. He tore the wings from his back as he carelessly hacked it with his blade, each bone individually ripped from his spine, splitting apart like thin bits of bark shedding from a tree. He then severed his left ankle with a couple of slashes of his Heavenly Blade and fractured it into pieces with his heel as it constantly cracked and popped beneath him until it became a soft mound of unrecognisable flesh soaked in blood. 

Renatus sheathed his bloody blade, feeling the stickiness of the thick dried blood that encased his body as he observed the mutilated corpse.

A wide grin cracked on his lips as he bared his teeth, trembling as he felt a trapped laughter leave his chest. Oh, how he’d miss the satisfaction of slaughtering those who warranted an ill fate.

Perhaps he could have some fun in this Realm after all.

The rustling of the trees drowned out the echo of his menacing laughter as the beautiful sight of the Messenger’s lifeless body laid before him, the shine of his golden helmet beginning to fade.

He licked the blood from his lips clean, the familiar taste of rusty iron filling his mouth.

"Now you can't escape from me, even after death."