Rise of The Fallen

Chapter 5

TRIGGER WARNING: TORTURE

Kokabiel, f*****g Kokabiel. He wasn't just any fallen angel, he was a high ranking fallen; and the commander of an army of spirits. Residing in the nether realms usually, it was rare to see him and those that had, never lived to tell the tale. He was known as the most sadistic of the Watchers, and one of the most powerful; and he had Jason.

Frozen in place we watched in horror as the angel opened its mouth to scream again, ensuring we all could not move. No wonder those who encountered a Watcher rarely came back; these earplugs would not work against them. He began to strip Jason down, taking care with his clothes and folding them. Jason was trying to struggle but with little success, the scream rendering him more useless than us. I watched, unable to even blink, as Kokabiel knelt by Jason, grabbing a fistful of hair and forcing his head so far back I thought his neck would snap. Then he slammed Jason's face into the ground, I heard the crunch of bones breaking apart, and when he pulled his head back up his face was already bloody and bruised. His lip was split, blood oozing out of it and I was fairly certain he was now missing some teeth. The angel studied the hair he held in his hand, and seeming to remember something dropped it and Jason's head abruptly. Jason's head landed on its side, facing us, his eyes locking with mine. I tried to communicate with my eyes, my feelings, how much I loved him; that I was sorry. Jason, our comic relief, friend, sometimes lover, jokester. He was going to die, and we were condemned to sit here, like statues, and watch. His white eyes understood, I saw a small smile tilt his lips upward, accepting the fate we all knew that was about to happen. I heard Devon make a strangled noise in his throat as Kokabiel plucked a feather out of one of his wings. Studying it, he went back to Jason; and lifting up his head again plunged the sharp end of the feather into his eye.

Blood streamed from his eye, and a scream formed on his lips; unable to be heard. c*****g his head as if curious, Kokabiel began to slide the feather across his eye horizontally. Blood ran in separate rivers down his face as his eye was sliced open, his body shaking with the shock. With a swift motion the feather was plucked from his eye and the angel had pried his mouth open. Reaching in with his long fingers he grabbed Jason's tongue, and in a swift movement yanked. The motion was so fast I hardly saw it, and didn't believe it until I saw the chunk of flesh writhing on the ground. Jason sputtered, blood spraying from his lips; splattering the dirt in a macabre type of spray paint. His was wheezing and bubbles of spittle and blood were forming and popping on his lips, light pink to dark red the bubbles grew in number until they were pouring down, freely frothing. The blood from his eye mingled with this new wound, and had created a puddle of blood under his head, bubbles from the froth floating on top. Jason must be close to passing out, there was no way he could still be awake. I looked at his battered face, and saw big thick clots sliding down the corner of his mouth. I had forgotten that the deep lingual artery was under the tongue. His body was already trying to clot, with little success; he coughed and a stream of blood forced its way out. Grinning Kokabiel reached up and pulled a strand of his golden hair out. Twisting it around his finger he focused his attention on Jason's lips, pinching his lips together with his fingers he stabbed a hole in them with the feather. The action was in direct contrast to the angel. Slender, porcelain digits that looked so delicate were now speckled with blood, a feather piercing through Jason's upper and lower lip. He pulled the feather out and moved a few inches before repeating the action, and then did it again on the other corner of his mouth. I was fully choking on my sobs at this point, as I watched the angel use his hair to thread Jason's lips together. Looking at his work in satisfaction, Kokabiel stepped back, nudging Jason with his foot. I only hoped that Jason had lost consciousness. The Watcher nodded to several Nephilim standing close by, and they came forward and picked Jason up. Together they held him on his feet; one of their hands under each of his armpits. Jason's head lolled to the side, blood dripping from his chin, his brown hair that was matted with blood had a slick sheen to it. I felt myself gag as the iron stench hit me, and I saw the angel smile a sick, sadistic grin that made my soul cry out.

Holding Jason upright the two Nephilim pushed him slightly forward, so that his head was hanging forward, eyes to the ground. I watched in horror as the two Nephilim on either side of him each grasped a handful of hair and yanked his head even further forward. Holding him steady for Kokabiel, they braced his sagging body. The larger angel approached, like a hunter sighting its prey; a small weapon in his hand. He grasped the front of Jason's hair and began to scrape the knife at the nape of his neck upward. His skin peeled, like an orange, exposing his tissue underneath. He repeated this motion until all of Jason's head was bare, not a single strand of hair remained. Blood trickled and oozed down the side of his head, dripping onto his shoulders; it was clear Jason was no longer with us. He did not even move, he must have either passed out or passed on during that. I felt the tension rolling off everyone, the desire to move taking over us, yet left unable to do anything. Not only were we rendered immobile, but Nephilim surrounded us, ready to kill at the first sign of motion. Kokabiel dropped Jason's hair in a furry pile on the ground, blood, flesh and bits of brown hair mingled together. I squeezed my eyes shut, and willed myself to move; I felt a muscle twitch in my arm. I would be able to move soon, very soon. While I couldn't save Jason, maybe, just maybe; we could get out of here mostly alive.

Kokabiel made a shrieking sound, my ears rang with it but it didn't have the same effect as his scream. The two Nephilim pulled Jason's head back, his mouth lolled open; blood tracking down it and smeared. His nose was obviously broken, black and blue. His one good eye, if you could even call it that, a filmy white; the other looked like a cut grape, the clear mucous membranes inside squeezing out like the jelly of a donut, mixed with blood, creating an almost gel-like substance that was pink tinged. I felt myself gag, grateful that my friend was dead. I tried to move my arm slightly, as not to draw attention to myself. Yes, it moved slightly; I tried to wiggle my toes, no luck yet. Kokabiel was directing the Nephilim in some way, and they laid Jason's naked body on the ground, I watched, horrified as the angel studied his nails and they began to lengthen; like talons. A sense of dread punched me in the gut, and with wide eyes I watched as he raked his talons along the length of Jason's body, his skin peeling underneath them like an apple. Jason's blood slowly seeped out, forming rivulets down the side of his body, the crimson liquid slowly pooling on the ground. Smiling a rather self satisfied smile the angel continued his torture, his nails raking up and down Jason's prone body until it looked as if someone had colored on him with a red marker. The jagged lines in direct contrast to his tattoos, it created an almost disturbingly beautiful tapestry.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Liam's finger move, as long as that fucker didn't paralyze us again we stood a chance. He seemed way too intent on skinning Jason at this point, to notice us; I made a mental note to report to command that these ear plugs were worthless against him. At least we now knew why no one had ever come back alive, Kokabiel was a grade A asshole, and would deliver the dead bodies to the base, like a trophy; that was the only reason we knew they had even encountered him. We had never known what his attributes were, just his appearance; well now we knew. And it was truly terrifying. We had to get out of here, if not just to report this newfound information. I simply did not feel like today was a good day to die either.

Kokabiel had continued to deface Jason's body; it was hardly recognizable. Then I saw it, a giant cross being carried by some Nephilim. I heard what I thought was Devon's sharp intake of breath behind me, and knew exactly what was about to happen. My tears had dried up because I simply could not cry anymore, I felt my eyes straining to spill more at the scene before me. Jason's body was being draped over the crucifix, positioned with his arms outstretched and feet hanging down toward the bottom. The Nephilim began to drive stakes into his hands and feet, attaching him brutally and solidly to the wood. The blood oozed from the holes, and I was surprised he was still able to bleed. I knew where this was going, he was mounting Jason on the cross and probably intended to take it to one of the bases. I shuddered, surprised I even could; and felt Liam's body shift slightly. We were about to be back in business as long as Devon and Todd were also able to move. We had already lost Jason, we certainly were not about to lose anyone else. Putting slight pressure against Liam with my body I signaled I was able to move. I saw the slightest nod in return and knew instinctively that the other two could move. It was time to get the f**k out of here!