Against Heaven and Hell

I was preparing for my night job behind the bar when a man walked inside while we were still closed. He looked more worn-out than I did.

“How did you get in? That door was locked.”

“No, it wasn’t. I just pushed it open.”

“Either way, we have another twenty minutes to open.”

The man sighed. “It’s just twenty minutes. Can I just grab a quick drink, please? It has been a long day.”

I felt bad for him. “What do you want?”

I poured the man some whiskey. He downed it in one gulp and asked for another. He did the same again.

“You might want to slow down there. I can’t have you passing out on opening time.”

The man chuckled, his eyes fixed on the shot glass he grasped. “I don’t get drunk. I hate it here.”

“Here?”

He sighed before placing the glass on the counter and turning to me. “Earth. I don’t know how you do it, Tetraxa.”

I moved back from the counter and started to muster my magic.

“Easy there, I’m not looking for trouble,” he said, raising his arms.

“Who—what are you?”

The man smiled. “Zaelle.” His eyes glowed yellow.

My eyes glowed purple without me even realising it. “What’re you doing here? Last I heard, you turned on heaven to work with Satan.”

“And last I heard, you rebelled against Satan.”

The pieces were falling into place. “Things never go the way you expect them to.” I poured him another drink.

“No, they don’t.” He gulped it down. “I faked my death, just like you did three years ago, but it seems they are onto us.”

I felt my heart beat grow faster. “Us? Who’s coming?”

“Both sides have a temporary truce to hunt us renegades.”

Seeing my scepticism, Zaelle showed me his memories. He was telling the truth. There was no time for me to have second thoughts on the matter. Soon, I joined forces with his group of rebel angels and demons; we were to oppose the combined forces of heaven and hell. Victory with those odds would have been a dream, but would not fall in line like they wanted us to.

A month passed before an army of angels and demons waged war against us. We fought back with all that we had, but our forces were halved before we even knew it. It was only then that both God and Satan appeared before us.

“Kneel!” God commanded.

None of us budged.

He struck us down with lightning, forcing us to the ground. Satan raised his arms and sent forth a deep shadow that engulfed us. It suffocated us each passing second. Our energy began to wane, but it did not end there—we also lost our powers. A minute passed before their attacks ceased.

“You brought this upon yourselves,” Satan said. “Join us again and your powers will be restored. Otherwise, feel free to spend your lives as mere mortals.”

“And you will spend the afterlife wandering the endlessness of Limbo,” God said. “You shall remain outcasts for ever.”

I did not yield to their demands, and neither did Zaelle or any of  our comrades. God and Satan were displeased, but they let us leave. We were to be forever exiled.