I Have Friends In Both Places

Atlas didn’t know what he expected Alijah to look like, but it wasn’t this. With dark hair slicked back and a smirk on his dark lips, the man hugged Lele. He looked practically like a sex god, and Atlas was starstruck as he stared up.

Quickly, Atlas clambered to his feet, brushing off his clothes in a futile attempt to look even half-way decent, but his clothes were ripped, and he was probably covered in dirt. His hair felt disgusting, and he knew his wings looked the same way.

Alijah turned his head at the sound, and his face turned to a stoic expression. “Angel.” His voice was raspy as if he hadn’t talked for hours, but it was still smooth as honey. His full attention was on Atlas, and Atlas felt himself nearly cower at his eyes. They were hard and cold, and his stance had changed from friendly to menacing. Atlas knew Alijah could kill him without a second thought, and it was terrifying. “Or should I say fallen angel.”

Atlas ducked his head in shame and slumped his shoulders a bit. Lele spoke up for him, though, placing his hand on Alijah’s shoulder as he spoke. “This one’s different, man. He didn’t deserve it.”

“That still doesn’t explain why he’s in my kingdom. Angels who fall, fall to Earth,” Alijah growled out, his hands turning to fists.

Atlas’s voice was quiet and barely heard as he spoke, but he felt the need to defend himself. “If I didn’t have to be here, I wouldn’t be, and you know that. They threw me too hard.”

“Excuse me, angel,” he hissed menacingly. “But did I ask for your input?”

“Alijah,” Lele hissed back, hitting him on the shoulder. “Calm down and listen.”

Alijah grumbled a bit and glared at Atlas before turning to Lele. The two stood for a bit, talking to each other in hushed whispers that even Atlas couldn’t hear. Atlas moved from foot to foot in anticipation and gave Alijah a small smile while the other glared at him a bit.

“What did you do to get kicked out, huh?” Alijah turned to Atlas with his arms crossed, his eyebrows furrowed.

Atlas pursed his lips and responded quietly. “I befriended a human named Galen Rabattre, and they found out.”

Alijah quirked an eyebrow at the statement. “What do you mean? Is that all you did?”

Atlas nodded and shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, I broke the rules.”

Alijah’s words soon turned angry, and his eyes flared up, turning a bright, fiery red that made Atlas take a step back. “That’s it? They’re stooping that low to kick someone out? Because they befriended a fucking human? This is the exact fucking reason I left that shithole! Their system is the most corrupt system I’ve ever seen, and I literally run Hell.” His voice boomed down the empty hallways, and Atlas felt his knees weaken from terror.

Lele placed his hand on Alijah’s shoulder and muttered in a language that Atlas didn’t understand, which was strange, to say the least. Atlas knew every language on Earth and in Heaven, something he had spent the time to learn instead of using his grace to learn like some people. Alijah slumped his shoulder and took a deep breath before letting composing himself again. “I’ll be back. Watch him.”

Lele nodded at the statement and watched as Alijah exited, his footsteps light compared to how they were earlier. Atlas sat down as the door slammed shut behind the boy. “Is he okay,” Atlas questioned, watching as Lele sat on the ground in front of him.

“He’ll be fine. He just gets a bit overwhelmed when it comes to Heaven.” Lele sighed lightly. “Y’know, it used to be his favorite place. He loved Heaven and the angle with all his heart, and he wanted to get his point across nicely, but it didn’t work out too well, as you can tell.”

Atlas nodded, and Lele leaned back against the wall behind him, his eyes closing. The two sat in silence for a long time before the door was opened again. This time, however, it was someone else. A boy with blonde hair that looked entirely too shy to be anywhere in hell approached the two.

Lele turned at the sound and pulled himself to his feet again. “What is it, Nolan?”

The boy he now knew as Nolan was dressed in what appeared to be metal armor with bits painted black or red. It resembled Heaven’s soldiers’, but it looked sturdier, and it covered a bit more. His blonde hair fell around his face in tufts while large gray horns that looked like they belonged to a ram curled beside his head, coming from the sides of his skull. Atlas cursed to himself. If everyone in Hell was going to be this beautiful, he didn’t know if he could survive. The freckles dotting across the boy’s face made him even cuter, and Atlas couldn’t tear his eyes away as Nolan spoke. “The king has requested for the angel to be brought to dinner, so he can speak to him properly. He must be chained, though.”

Lele nodded at the statement and held out his hand. Handcuffs connected to chains that had sigils carved into them were placed into the boy’s hand. “Will that be all, Nolan?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then go help someone else.” Nolan nodded at this and quickly jogged out of the room, the metal of his armor clanking loudly as he did so. Lele fumbled with the chains in his hands before reaching to his belt where a ring of keys sat. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Atlas stood up and watched as Lele unlocked the door and opened it. He grabbed Atlas’s hands and cuffed them easily. Atlas felt a surge of power exit him and his shoulders fell as his eyes glazed over. It took him a few moments to collect himself and he blinked quickly and looked up at Lele. “What was that?”

“The sigils on the cuffs take away most of your power so you won’t do anything you’ll regret.” Lele made sure the chains were good. He then motioned for Atlas to follow him, and Atlas did without a question.

Atlas followed Lele down a few hallways, each getting more and more extravagant as he walked. The walls were covered in paintings of the history, while every now and then a crest of Hell would appear, reminding him of where he was. There were barely any doors in the hallway, and Atlas couldn’t help but wonder what was behind the ones there were. However, he couldn’t know as Lele seemed to walk faster and faster, and Atlas knew he didn’t want to get lost down here.

It seemed like they had been walking for at least ten minutes before Lele finally stopped and opened a large door. Atlas followed him slower this time as the room came into view. In front of him was a massive dining room with a table that looked like it belonged in a rich medieval man’s home. It reached from one end of the large room to the other, and it was draped with red cloth while the wood of the table was seemingly pitch black. The walls were painted a maroon that left Atlas wondering if they knew any other colors besides the two. Silver plates and utensils sat on the table while demons stood around, smaller horns than Nolan’s protruding from their heads. Atlas placed a mental note to ask Lele why he didn’t have any.

Atlas was led to a seat at one end of the table, a seat that was incredibly soft. Atlas was sure he could fall asleep then and there if he was able to stay in that chair.

Lele silently moved around Atlas, hooking the chains to parts of the table so Atlas wasn’t able to move very far from the table. He could probably make it to the wall, but that was it.

As Lele worked, Atlas took in the small intricates of the room. He looked at the gargoyles sitting high on the walls with flags falling from their pedestals. The ceiling was a huge mural that resembled the painting on the Sistine Chapel, an odd choice to Atlas, but he wouldn’t question. A large chandelier hung from the middle of the ceiling with crystals that looked like rain falling from it.

The room was truly beautiful, and it was so much more decorated than the rooms in Heaven had been. There were even flowers growing in the corners, maintained to their corners, but still growing beautifully. Atlas was amazed at the sight of everything.

Lele stood back up and moved to stand in front of Atlas. Atlas moved to face Lele easily, watching as Lele talked quickly. “I will be leaving the two of you until dinner ends. After, I’ll take you to wherever Alijah says to take you. Hopefully, you can clean off after this because you look like shit. That’s not the point, though.” Lele sighed and looked at the clock on the wall above a fireplace. “Listen, Alijah is going to be rude and annoyed, and he’s not going to be nice in the slightest. Suck it up. If you’re rude to him, it’ll ruin whatever chance you have at getting a happy ending to this. Let him talk. Answer his questions. Don’t be rude at all. If you follow those rules, you’ll do fine, and maybe you’ll get an actual room. Don’t be a dumbass, Atlas.”

Atlas nodded and pursed his lips. “Thank you, Lele.”

Lele nodded and moved to the door they had entered from. “It’s my job.” Lele opened the door, and Atlas couldn’t help it when he called for the boy quickly. “Yes, Atlas?”

“Is – Is Galen okay? Is he safe?” Atlas’s face was desperate as he asked the question.

Lele smiled a bit and nodded. “He’s safe, and he won’t stop talking about how he’s ‘worried for his friend Atlas.’ But he won’t say more because he doesn’t know that I know. He’s been raving about it all week.”

Atlas’s eyes widened. “How long have I been down here?”

“Well, you were asleep for about a week now because of your injuries.”

Atlas’s head fell and he nodded, sighing. “Lele, tell him the truth about who you are, please. He needs to know. And tell him I’m okay.”

Lele tensed at the statement before nodding. “I’ll try to, Atlas. I’ll try.”

Atlas’s voice was quiet. “That’s all I’m asking for, Lele. Just please. Do it for him.”

Lele nodded again and sent another smile. “Good luck, Atlas.”

“You too, Lele.”

Then, he was by himself and the five demons in the room.