Augustine

Azrael's gaze softened as it went on him. She sighed, and pain emerged in deeper parts of her heart. It was such a waste that he decided that; it would have been nice to meet him once she was out of there. But nothing could be done now, she should hurry up with him and then go search for those souls.

"Why don't you sit down?" She spoke, pulling out a chair from him. Trying her best to keep a straight face, and not meet those forest eyes of his.

August could sense the nervousness in her voice. He understood it was time for him to leave, the thought of leaving squeezed his heart. Is this how his story will end? If only, if only there was a chance of a miracle but miracles are not real.

He sheepishly smiled, trying to act like it was nothing, happily walking to the chair. At least he tried to look happy and August knew he can act well enough to fool anyone because that's what he had been doing for over a decade now.

"Looks like we have a new guest." Just as he sat down, a voice came from behind with the staccato beat of his crane hitting the floor with every step he takes.

Both Azrael and August's gazes diverted towards the direction of the voice. Soon an old man walked out of the dark, in one hand he was holding a crane. While his other arm was linked with the old woman standing beside him. They look like a loving couple.

August was puzzled if they were two souls who had died but those words the old man said didn't feel like he was some kind of soul. He peeks back at Azrael. She was frozen to her place, her already whitish tone turned paler than ever. While August still tried to get a grasp of the situation when Azrael bowed down.

"My lord. My lady." Her voice was more polite than ever, her head down looking at the floor, not daring to look straight at them.

August quickly understood the old couple were far more important than they look. In appearance, they look nothing different than a couple in their 80s with a clean appearance but if Azrael was bowing to them it only meant he ruled the dead. August got up from his seat and bowed, repeating Azrael's words.

The couple looked at each other and let out a sweet smile and the woman walked close to them. She wrapped her arms around Azrael like a gentle mother meeting her daughter after a long time.

"Oh, Azrael! How have you been?" She adored her with an enthusiastic voice like a mother. August peeked through his peripheral view, seeing them reminded him of his mother. If his mother was still alive, she would hug him like that too.

"And you must be Augustine?" Her silvery voice brought him out of his thoughts. He looked up at her, a bit shocked that she knew his name. But then again they were in the netherworld, it was no surprise she knew.

As if the lady read his mind, she let out a warm smile and stepped up to him. Like a mother, she gently cupped his cheeks. The warmness made his chest tingle, it's been a long since someone has caressed him like that.

"Just like what your mother said, your eyes are magnificent." She said looking into his eyes.

August's eyes widened in disbelief. He recollected when he was eight or nine years old, he asked his mother why his full name was Augustine. To which his mother laughed, and cupped his cheek replying, "Because Augustine means magnificent and that's what your eyes are. Magnificent and magical."

Though there was another reason, he was born exactly at midnight on the first of August. His mother at first wanted to name him Augustus but once she saw his eyes the first word that came from her mouth was Augustine. Sometimes she did call him Augustus or just August.

Most people only call him August, including his girlfriend, but now she was nothing but a past. Now the name Augustine or Augustus feels foreign to him. But hearing his name did bring back those warm memories.

"You met my mother?" August arched a brow curious about his mother. The lady just nodded, keeping that same gentle smile.

"Cora." The old man called the lady in a sweet and loving voice but only returned with a glare from her. Her gentle expression changed as if another soul took her place. Her face was dark, eyes sending chills down his spine. The room turned colder, with each passing second just a few points away from freezing and he meant literally.

Cora walked up to the old man, storming in fury. While Azrael walked closer to August. Even though she was trying her best to keep herself warm. Still, she was shivering, but it was worse for August. His body was already soaked from before and this cold did nothing but made it worse.

"I hope you like couples dramas." She quoted, shaking. But suddenly she stopped, her eyes flickered, with a devious smile appeared on her lips. She turned her face towards him.

"Want to see hellfire?" Azrael asked evilly, biting her lower lips as she waited for him to answer. August felt scared hearing her question. Was his sin so big that she was now planning to put him on hellfire?

He gasped, holding both hands on his mouth, with a tearful face. How could she put him on hellfire? He just made a few souls escape. Even castration sounds better than hellfire.

Azrael could read through his face and she had no words. She had no thought of burning him in hellfire like some barbeque pork and she was sure even if she did he would taste horrible. And Azrael couldn't bring herself to torture her delicate mouth with something like that.

"Stop imagining weird stuff, you weirdo!" She hissed, scowling her face in disgust. "What I meant is…"

Azrael put her hand forward and in a second her hand was covered in blue flames.

"This." Finishing off her sentence.