The Prophecy of 9 Sins

“It was over, right? It was over. We ended it, like we were destined to. So why? Was this also destined?” Father Landon Kaiser lay on the ground thinking. His body feeling so heavy and his limbs quickly growing cold. The sky looked ready to rain, gray, cloudy, and dark. Landon Kaiser had been shot, practically torn to ribbons by machine gun fire. He could barely hold a thought and felt as if he had even less a chance of even moving a finger. "How did this happen to me, to us?" Suddenly Landon remembered Akihiko Oishi. He was also shot. Landon managed to turn his head to the side with great effort, he had to see Akihiko, his adopted son, one last time before he died. The white haired boy was still writhing, still clinging to life as his finger tips started to vanish. It was horrifying to realize the boy from the future was turning to dust and being blown away. Landon couldn’t even muster up enough strength to pull himself closer to the boy, but he had to comfort him none the less. “Aki…” His voice sounded so strange to his own ears. The boy stopped writhing and looked over. “Landon. Oh fuck! They...” He hissed through his teeth. The white haired boy turned onto his stomach. “No. Not him!” He started to crawl the rest of the way to Landon. “Landon... I thought... I can’t believe they got you. This looks bad, Landon.” “It’s alright,” Landon said on instinct, knowing it wasn’t alright. More than anything he didn’t want to boy to be sad, even now. It was irrational, they were both dying, but the thought of Aki being sad stung more than his now numbing fingers. The boy lay his head on Landon’s shoulder. “It’s not alright… thanks though.” “Thank you for traveling with me.” His voice was no more than a hoarse whisperer now. “I... I thought I’d always be alone, thanks for that too and...” Akihiko’s head was warm against Landon’s shoulder. “And I’m sorry too… I didn’t think this was going to happen…” “With any luck, we’ll see each other again.” Landon felt his vision going dark but he held on. “I can’t imagine us going to heaven, so…” Akihiko laughed weakly. “I can’t either…” Landon’s hearing was fading he almost didn’t catch the last word as he slipped away. The last thing he knew was he could feel Akihiko sobbing against his shoulder. He had failed, he had made Aki sad. It was dark, cold, heavy. He found himself wondering if this was all there was. No light, no choir of angels, just nothingness. Landon couldn’t tell if his eyes were open or closed. He blinked a few times, feeling l his eye lids move. Still nothing. It felt like he was there for hours, but suddenly he felt more than heard someone speak and all the time he'd felt turned to mere seconds. “You have lived righteously, you sook to save the world, you fought for the lives of millions, alas still you have sinned and for this you must repent. You’ve killed, you’ve stolen, you’ve turned a blind eye, but your worst sin is Pride. Thus you must toil in hell in a demon form of your greatest sin. Repent and the kingdom of god awaits.” “God?” Landon turned to look for where the voice was coming from, but everywhere was dark. “My lord, I repent!” But the voice did not speak again. “My Lord.” It was silent again, the darkness was oppressive. “I’ve been judged by God and found unworthy...” Even after his judgment had been passed, Landon found he had more questions now then before. As a catholic priest, Landon knew better then anyone that without proper forgiveness the fires of Hell would burn one's soul for eternity, right? So why had this... voice, why had God said he could repent in Hell and ascend to Heaven? Then as suddenly as the voice had come to him, a light appeared. Blinded by the brilliance Landon found he was filled of fear at the sight. Was this the radiant angel Lucifer, here to claim his soul personally? As his eyes adjusted to the new light he realized it was a being made of white feathered wings, from what Landon could tell, the being was made of about 7 massive white wings. He'd seen this angel's form in a dream once, the dream had inspired him to get a tattoo of a spiral of 7 wings across his back, if this was true then the being before him couldn't be Lucifer. Right? He felt a new voice that seemed to resonate higher than the last. “Fear not my Charge. For you of all others have the will to repent! Struggle in Hell and make a way for yourself, your path will reveal it’s self to you!” The angel called to him. “You’re… my guardian angel aren’t you?” Landon needed to know. His 7 winged tattoo felt almost as if it burned at the thought that he'd known all along his angel's form. “Yes, I was.” The angel spoke calmly. Even as waves of relief washed over him, Landon couldn't shake the feeling of worry and fear for his son's soul. “Can you tell me where Akihiko is?” The words nearly fell from his lips almost faster then he could think them. “No, for he is outside of my reach. Repent my Charge and we will speak again!” The light was fading now. “Repent my Charge.” “Please, don’t leave me.” Landon needed the angel’s presence, something to see, he was more afraid of the nothingness and of being alone now more than ever before. “Repent.” Was the last word the Angel mustered before it was completely gone again.