Flashback...

“Tell me what happened.” Mariel’s tone was harsh and demanding as she settled down next to Raphael.

He had his elbows on his knees. The crackling fire in front of them was the only source of light in his room. It emanated a dark glow over his figure.

“Uriel was the first to go.” Raphael paused, as if mourning for her lost sister.

“By the time Othiniel was there, she was Lost. Sammiel was sent to help him find her. And then Athiel begged to go down there.

She found her. She tried to Heal her. But she was foolish. She went alone, couldn’t wait for Othiniel and Sammiel.” Raphael’s hands were balled into a fist, his jaws were clenched.

Mariel’s eyes flew at the fire, they were growing bigger. His anger was fueling the fire. She sat down on the floor and held his hands.

His eyes locked into hers. And as she rested her chin on his knee, the fire softened.

“That’s when Caprica found her. Athiel confronted her, but she was too strong for her. She gave her two choices; to die in humiliation or to become mortal.”

Her head snapped up in surprise.

“She took her Gift?” she said in soft whisper.

Raphael closed his eyes and opened it.

She saw anger and hatred in it beyond the capability of a Keeper. And what shocked her most was the vengeance boiling up in his spirit.

He wanted blood. He wanted to kill. Fallen City had turned him vengeful.

“So the Ancient decided to send me with one order; Battle them.”

“And you lost.” She added and their eyes were locked once again.

“They sent Gabriel down, but he too, was defeated.”

She frowned and looked at the fire.

“Gabriel too?” she murmured.

They are all down there, down at the Fallen City. Like the name of the city, they too have fallen.


Present day...

A flash of light made her eyes fluttered.

She found herself standing. Her left hand was flattened against the transparent tall window, facing a dark city. She noticed the rain.

She turned around and found herself in a small, untidy, and filthy room.

The room had a king size bed in the middle of the open space. A shower, with water slowly dripping off the faucet and falling into the tub beneath it, was situated to her right. A shameful toilet and a shady sink completed its function as an open bathroom.

A huge wooden table and a metal chair were situated to her left. There were many pieces of paper scattered around the room, and on the table. On the bed and beside it was a pile of clothes.

Mariel can’t help but to wince. Once again, she looked behind her and saw the city -- the Fallen City.

Dark clouds shadowed over it, as if enveloping it in Darkness. Every once in a while, some screaming could be heard, prove that chaos controls the city.

She made her way further into the room and wavered a bit. The body was a bit heavy for her. She never did get used to being in a human body; they always felt so… heavy.

Burdened by their mixed emotions. Weighed on by their sins.

There was a broken mirror near the sink. She looked into it.

The body was petite, her hair poorly cut short. Her eyes were grey and her face had dirt all over it. Just above her left eyebrow, there was a small scar -- small, but not overlooked.

She took a sniff of the body and didn’t like the result.

But as she faced the tub, she shook her head. No way she’d ever get into the tub.

So, Mariel searched through the pile of clothes and found a black hooded overcoat and put it on, just to cover some skin. And to filter some of the smell coming from this body.

Just before she reached the door, she saw a shiny object below the bed and decided to peek.

She was in luck.

She smiled at the sight of the two survivor blades. Taking it along, she hid it in her sleeves and stepped out of the room.

She made a promise to Raphael. And she intended to keep it.

She needed to find Uriel.

House Of Pleasure.

Mariel winced.

The name suggested exactly what it had to offer. She looked around and saw several men sneering at her direction.

Again, she winced.

Mariel had never been a pessimist. Nor had she ever been so negative about a subject.

But this place.

There was something wrong about it. So many sins surrounding it.

And then, there was something else.

Something dark.

The sound of shattered glasses and blasting sirens jerked her out of her trance.

With the two blades safely tucked in each arm, Mariel walked forward towards the shady building in front of her.

Labels: scribbles on papers