Oh Beautiful Death...
A love story By Paul Brinks

Soaring through the sky, vigilant like a hawk. Some would mistake her for a bird, or an aircraft, but she was more than this. Scythe in hand, jet black wings, black hair, and Ebony colored armor, she was an angel, and she was on the hunt.
I walked up to my door, grabbed my keys, and opened the door to my apartment. “Hello?” I called into the empty apartment. My live-in girlfriend should have been home by now, it was almost 7:00. I walk in and set my stuff down on the ground. “Well, I might as well start dinner, she may be home when she gets home” I said with a smile, little did I know I wouldn't be smiling very soon. On the way into the kitchen, I noticed a note on the table, picked it up and undid the neat folds. After a minute, I choked up, she had left. I crashed into the living room chair, devastated. After several minute of pouting, I looked up and realized, the television and DVD player were gone, as well as the Xbox. I clenched my fists not in sorrow, no, that had just left, I was angry, rageful. “Damn it! Damn Her!” My screams could be heard around the complex. Thunder began to crack as I beat the wall.
High into the stormy skies, The angel has found her target, a figure that seemed to be made of shadow, even when the lightning lit it up for the brief flashes. The only thing that shown were its piercing red eyes.
“Ah, Ariel, did he send you?” The shadowy demon said in a cold, inhuman voice, enough to make ones bones shiver. Thought the black angel held her ground, with unflinching eyes, clenching her black death scythe. “You know why I am here Azriel...” Ariel said as she lifted the massive scythe.
“Don't you know where we are, Ariel?” The demon said, with a grin having formed on what would be his head, but is rather just part of the mass of shadow that made his body. “We are on neutral ground, not heaven or hell...”
Ariel readies her scythe, for whatever the demon may send at her. “Oh please,” The Demon smirked, who taught you everything you know?”  In a flash of lightning, the shadowy, distorted figure disappears, and Ariel felt a sharp pain on her back, and she began to plummet toward the earth with the falling rain.
Everything was gone, all her stuff, the TV, Xbox Etc. All I have left to do is mope... And drink, I got up and went for the liquor cabinet. “Well, again, she cleared me out, perfect just Fu...” amid the sound of rain, a loud crash is heard outside. Did a meteor hit or something? I looked out the rain distorted window, and I couldn't believe what I saw, a crater in the lot next to the apartment. I stop and think for a moment, wondering whether I should check it out or not. “What the hell?” I grab my coat, a flashlight, and ran outdoors into the heavy torrent. I treaded through the mud, making my way toward the lot, and there, I couldn't believe my eyes.
“Ugh... What the hell hit me?” I thought to myself, how is he that fast? My back burned, on top of the pain of what was likely my wing being cut off. Is this what a mortal feels like, trapped in the mud, in pain? Wait, what is that? Is that a, human? Oh crap.”
I looked down, to see a woman deep in the muddy crater, and what was she wearing? Is that armor? “Hey, are you alright?” I call, needing to for the rain and thunder were extremely loud. “Come on, let me help you.” She still doesn't speak. I slide down the muddy crater, when she pulls a short sword tied on her leg, and forces herself to her feet, pointing it at me. “Stay back!” She orders. I retort, but my back meets the muddy wall. “Hey I’m just trying to help! So what gives?” Before the woman answers, she falls face first into them mud. “Well...”
In a split second decision, I grab her arm, and think, “Wow, this is real armor!” I sling her arm over my shoulder, and pick her up. she is surprisingly light, even in her steel armor, at least it felt like steel. I dragged her up over the mud, and back into the apartment.

Damn, did I pass out, In front of a human? I dont think im outside anymore, its dry, and warm. I struggle to open my heavy eyes. Is that the human? “Hey, you're awake, bout time.” He sat up. “So, Who are you, and wasn't it a bit late for cosplaying?”
“What are you talking about human?” The woman protested. I retort, “Whoa ok,  sorry. Lets start over, Hi, I'm Nathan, nice to meet you, and you are?” Ariel’s face lightens a bit, “My name Is Ariel, and I am an angel.” I retort and raise my eyebrow in curiosity, not completely believing her believing her. “An angel? Look on, your really cute, but don't angels usually have white wings and trumpets or something?” And she was really cute, in a punk goth sort of way. She had several piercings, jet black hair that was combed one side and short on the other, and her armor was riddled with skull designs. Badass, but not angelic...I think?
“I'm an Angel of Death. And I have black wings” She responded flatly. A thick black smoke emanates from her back, a single massive jet black eagle wing appears. “Oh, Umm, Wow...just wow, but, where is your other wing?”
“A demon, the one I am hunting, he cast me down last night, when you found me, and he took my wing.” She looked down, with a defeated look on her face, as she leans to the side, allowing me to see the bloody stump on her back, where a great black wing once was.
“Oh crap... Let me see that” I rush to the kitchen and take the first aid kit from the cabinet, and took them to the couch where she was sitting, getting out hydrogen peroxide and bandage wrap.
“Hey, I don’t need help.” She protested. “Like hell you don't, this wound looks like it will fester if I don’t do something about it!” I declared. “Now hold still would ya.” I said as I began applying the antiseptic.
“So, what’s with this? You being on Earth I mean, and why are you hunting a demon?” She responded, with a grim look on her face, “His Name Is Azriel, and he was the first Angel of Death. He was called to train an apprentice, something that had never happened before, so he feared he would be replaced, so he went renegade, and I'm after him.”
“Wow, thats kind of harsh...” I continue to patch up her wing, but before my eyes, the open wound closed, and feathers begin to sprout. “...Woah, you heal fast!”  She turns to me, surprised “What? we heal like humans, unless we receive affection.” I suddenly notice her deep crystal silver eyes, almost haunting, and just how soft and fair her face really is. I turn away in embarrassment, as I could feel my face burning up. “Oh, Em, sorry bout that.” She lightheartedly chuckles. “Oh no, its alright, I'm quite flattered.” “So, While you recover, are you at all hungry?” I asked politely. “I've been on earth a little too long, so yes.” She said with a big, bright smile, which was contradictory to her dark, grim armor.
I prepared dinner for about an hour, talking with Ariel for several hours after, learning about her job as a death angel, and the afterlife. To think I had just been stabbed in the back by my Ex, and now I'm entertaining a lovely woman, and an angel no less! Then, I heard knocking on the door. “Oh, one moment. I'm coming!” As I went to the door, and was about to turn the handle, Ariel screamed, “Nathan, Dont!”
Suddenly, I felt a sharp, burning sensation through my right lung, as I looked down, what looked like black, metal spike was sticking through the door, and dripping with blood, my blood.
A sinister voice spoke from behind the door, “Oh honey, I’m home.” The door seemed to disintegrate, and I was flung back. When I could collect myself, I could see a red eyed, spoiled, shadowy mass, with sinnister, glowing sanguine eyes. I had been caught by Ariel, and she was talking to me, it looked like she was screaming, but I couldn't hear anything.
“Damn You Azriel!” Ariel Exclaimed, forming a black scythe out of thick black smoke that formed around her hands.  “Ha! Do you not remember what happened last time? You can die here Ariel, why not yield?” The demon said smugly, as twisted fangs appeared where a mouth should be, forming a sinister grin.
I was starting to hear again and was regaining my senses, bit by bit, And boy oh boy did it hurt, as I saw Ariel and the Demon face off, so I did what i could, and reached for the cabinet, or the lockbox inside. As I fumbled, I heard the demon cackled. “Haha, Look at the worm squirm.” Ariel lunged at him, “Don't take your eyes off your opponent!” She exclaimed in a mighty battle cry.
Lets see, lock box, I took the key and turned it, opening the box that had a .22 revolver in it, weakly, I took the gun, and pointed it at the demon. Taking aim...BANG! The bullet seemed to hit, and wound him.
“Filthy LITTLE!” The Demons shadowy mass began to form what looked like a spiked claw, and I knew he was going to eviscerate me. Then Ariel, in blinding speed, and attacking with Azriel’s distraction, swung her scythe through him, cutting the demon in half, causing his shadowy body to disintegrate.
It was the coolest thing ever, but my senses were beginning to fade again, slowly slipping into unconsciousness. Then I felt, as if I was in heaven, the pain I felt had disappeared, and warm, soft lips were pressed against mine, as I slowly opened my eyes, there was Ariel’s beautiful face. She pulled me up, and I saw I was still in my apartment, blood still on my shirt, but the wound gone. “How, how am I not Dead?” I asked in Disbelief. Smiling, Ariel said, “Affection from an Angel heals.” I Pulled her lips back to mine, and there we stayed for the shortest eternity of my life.
“I'm Sorry, Nathan, but I cannot stay here. My job is done, and I must resume my duties as the Angel of death.” She looked so defeated, and sorrowful. “Will I see you again?” I asked. She looked back, with those same eternally deep eyes, “Of course, but you must live your life first, and I'll be there when your time comes.” We both got up, and walked through my destroyed apartment. On the balcony, her two night black wings formed, and she turned to me, and we kissed one last time, before she flew away. One day, I hope I will see her again. No, I know I will see her again.