Chapter 87

After descending from the afterlife with The Umbridge's help, I ended up on a roof above the kingdom, which overlooked the now dying crimson flames that still seemed to gather and expand slowly. I didn't pay it much attention, instead sitting down on the roof and overlooking the crimson chaos.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Crodio's voice sounded behind me. I looked back and saw the taller angel looking into the distance with a somen expression, the wind shifting and moving his hair majestically. His eyes were black and deep, carrying little to no emotions within them, it was almost like he was reminiscing on everything that had happened.

"It is, but I don't find all the damage beautiful."

I sighed and turned back to look at the flames. The wind began to ebb away at the inferno as the dark clouds negan to roll away overhead us, the distant boom of thunder calling my name like a whisper of the world.

"I knew you'd say that. The only reason I'm not here helping is because I'm dead, and I was also destined to destroy everything in the process."

The angel knelt down beside me with an indifferent expression, which was starting to soften slightly. I turned my head and peered into his eyes.

"The residual authority and traces of your path have already disappeared from the kingdom, and the Umbridge already erased everyone's memories of seeing the symbol, but they'll remember your brave act, Apocalypse."

I could tell the angel's words were supposed to bring me some assurance, but I only felt a different emotion rise in my stomach; guilt.

"Why should I be remembered for killing a person? They were innocent but ended up being corrupted. I had to kill a good friend. Is that worth going to a bar and drinking your problems away?"

Crodio fell silent for a moment, before placing a hand on my back and smiling. The black wings on his back ruffled slightly, sending a feather into the air, only for it to disappear into an illusory and known state. 

"Nothing is worth that. When I was alive, bad deeds and good deeds weren't measured by what they did, but by what you meant to do with them, Apocalypse. I know what you did was something you thought was morally wrong, but after your talk with Aaron, wouldn't you say your perspective on all of this has changed?"

"You're saying I did a good thing?"

I pouted a little, sinking my head onto my curled knees, glaring away from Crodio. The angel continued to look at me, the smile now having disappeared from their face, now replaced with a solemn expression.

"That's for you to decide."

"I know I've already had a similar talk with Aaron, but that same guilt and sense of depravity continue to linger within me. If I'm destined to destroy the world, wouldn't that mean I'm not doing a bad thing since I don't want to?"

I asked in a low and deep voice, hoping for a response. I didn't hear a reply. When I turned around I saw that the angel had disappeared entirely, leaving me stranded on the roof with my own disjumbled and chaotic thoughts.

Behind me stood a door that led to the roof, which I guessed was my only way down from here without having to jump and seriously injure myself in the process. I sighed again and stood up, stretching my back as I approached the door and opened it.

The stairwell was dark and dimly lit gas lamps lining the staircase. Behind me, I could feel the pitter patter of rain begin to descend and hit the rooftop making tiny circular stains all across its stone surface where the water droplets fell.

"Come on, you'll catch a cold, boy."

A gruff voice called from inside the building. An old man approached the stairwell and looked up at me with a serious expression. The old man had fiery yellow eyes and a scar across his face. He had a disheveled appearance, an old and damaged looking top and bottom, and he was carrying a case full of empty liquor bottles.

"Do I know you?" 

He asked as I began to descend down the stairs and into the common area of the building. The room was lined with shelves and products, which made me think it was a store. But there was no clerk or anyone inside hoping to make a payment. Maybe it was the weather or this wasn't a store at all.

"What were you doing up there, scruff?"

The man asked as he slowly approached the stove in the corner of the room and began to make himself some afternoon coffee.

"I was just thinking, I ended up there after the fight, hoping to escape the flames. But why aren't you hiding or defending your place from the fire?"

The older man chuckled quietly as he poured in a canister filled with small coffee beans into a rusty pan in his sink, before filling it up with slightly yellow water. 

"Because I don't see why I should. I've been living here for almost 30 damn years, but I've grown tired of this old place. You can clearly see how the water is almost contaminated."

He replied, not bothering to look back at me.

"But why'd you decide to help me?"

"Because of what you did, Apocalypse."

The man suddenly started to change, shrinking in height before fully undergoing a qualitative change, turning into Raymond. He looked back at me and smiled calmly, bringing the bitter liquid to his lips.

"You helped me."

I couldn't help but not feel that uneasy by Raymond's words. He was telling me that he helped me, while it sounded more on the ominous side given the current conditions, it was almost bittersweet.

"Shouldn't you turn yourself in to the police, Isaiah Walls?"

I asked with a smirk as I watched him drink, leaning against the wooden walls by the dying fireplace. Raymond finished drinking his coffee and tossed the mug into the sink before smirking more.

"Aren't you eager to get rid of me?"

He grumbled, before quickly taking the appearance of the aged man. I figured since no one actually knew about Isaiah's current state and the fact that he was already dead, that the police wouldn't really bat an eye and arrest "him".

I left the house which I had previously entered through the roof and briskly turned left, heading towards the shooting range to get my mind off all the current drama and happenings of the evening. I opened the door to the bar and the tiny overhead bell rang quietly. 

Sebastian looked at me and smiled, his yellow teeth glistening.

"Well, look who's back."