[b][u]Heaven, Kingdom of Caritas[/u][/b]


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[color=fff200][b]Sirael[/b][/color]


[color=fff200]"So? What is it? C'mon hurry it up!"[/color] Sirael fussed, her head turning this way and there in a vain attempt to get a peek at the apparent thing that grew or attached to her back without her knowledge.

"Patience, child. This would go much quicker if you would just hold still." Gritted the much bigger and much older Peniel as he inspected the little angel's back. 

[color=fff200]"Old man, I've stopped being a child a century ago."[/color] Sirael huffed, a bit annoyed at being patronized. 

"Truly?" Sirael couldn't exactly see his face at the moment, but she was doubly sure the geezer was wearing a condescending smirk. "I never would've guessed with the way you're behaving." 

"If you want to stop being called a child, then behave in a manner befitting of your age." Lectured Peniel. 

[color=fff200]"Ugh..."[/color] With a childish groan, Sirael finally obeyed. 

Seemingly satisfied, the old angel continued the inspection. "Now... let's see here...hmm... I believe this is a bird." He said.

[color=fff200]"A what?"[/color] Sirael's face contorted in confusion.

"No no wait... I think it's a fish." 

[color=fff200]"Which is it, Old ma-? urk..."[/color] Sirael winced as Peniel tightened his grip on her shoulders. 

[color=fff200]"I-I mean... What exactly did you find, Seraph Peniel?"[/color] She repeated in a much more polite and respectful manner.

"It's a fish... with wings... and a horn...hmm..." Peniel seemed to contemplate deeply on his own findings.

"Oh... oh dear..." He muttered, his tone gravely.

[color=fff200]"What? What's wrong?"[/color] Sirael asked, a foreboding feeling starting to well up from her gut.

"It seems you have been chosen as a candidate." 

Sirael blinked. [color=fff200]"Huh? A candidate? For what?" [/color]

"For becoming the king." 

Sirael stared at Peniel for a long time before bursting out in a mad laughing fit.

[color=fff200]"Me? hahha- Nominated f-for-pfffwahahha- For KINGSHIP!? AHAHAHAHHAHAHA! Ow-Haha my sides-hahaha can't breath-hehehaha helpfffwahahhah!"[/color] 

Peniel watched patiently as the girl rolled on the floor in her deranged laughter, his expression serious.

Seeing this, Sirael managed to gather her wits and get back on her feet. "You're-aheh kidding... right?" 

When Peniel's face remained unchanged, the girl felt a pang anxiety grow in her chest.

[color=fff200]"...No... Nono...Nononono."[/color] 

Peniel sighed sadly. "I know it's hard to take in...but-" 

[color=fff200]"NO!"[/color] With a flap of her wings, Sirael was floating at Peniel's eye level, screaming at his face in denial.

[color=fff200]"What kind of idiots would- I can barely do my own duties and now you want me to be king!?"[/color] She argued, voice bordering on panic.

"Yes, your methods maybe somewhat... eccentric, but you always get the job done, punctually too." He hummed the last part to himself with a smile.

Sirael looked at Peniel as if he had grown a second head and was well on his way on growing a third. [color=fff200]"What? you're actually going along with this? Why? I mean, do we even need a new king? What's wrong with the one we have right now?"[/color]

Peniel gave her a searching look before a look of understanding dawned on his face. "Ah... child... Sirael, your candidacy isn't meant for the throne of Caritas... It is for the throne that rules over all of the three realms."

That was the proverbial straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. The shock was simply too much for Sirael, it instantly depleted her mental fortitude, shutting down her mind completely and sending her body spiraling to the ground in a messy heap. 

"Oh dear..." 


O~O~O~O~O


In the comforts of her own quarters, Peniel, bless his holy bald head, accompanied Sirael and explained to her the terms and conditions of being a "King Candidate". 

[color=fff200]"I still don't get it. Why do I have to do this? Can't I just throw in the towel or something?"[/color] Sirael asked, beginning to get irritated at her situation.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. Regardless of what you do, you will be dragged into this war." Peniel explained in a resigned tone. He truly wished that Sirael could avoid this fate, but he knows that trying the defy the powers that be who chose her would be... counter-productive. The best thing he could do is support Sirael as much as he could. It would've been better if he could actually go with her but as a Seraph, he has a lot of responsibilities to attend to.

[color=fff200]"Wait a minute, what do you mean war? Are we going on a tournament to decide the rightful king or something?"[/color]

Peniel caressed his beard in thought. "That is one way of looking at it." 

[color=fff200]"You're joking."[/color] She groaned almost painfully when she found no humor on his face. 

[color=fff200]"Isn't this the demons' way of doing things? Why do I have to play along with their deadly barbaric games?"[/color]

"Cunning, Virtue, Wisdom, Might, the Candidacy takes all attributes and traits into account. This is, after all, the system that would decide the King who governs all." 

[color=fff200]"If that's the case, wouldn't Yahweh be the better choice? "[/color] She suggested a little bit hopefully.

"Perhaps, perhaps not... what matters is that you, Sirael, have been chosen as a candidate."

Sirael grumbled, still not satisfied with the answers she had recieved.

Peniel smiled gently and placed a fatherly hand on her head. "Do not sell yourself short, Sirael. I believe you are destined for great things. I'm sure you will make a fine king... someday."

Sirael pouted. 

With a chuckle, Peniel decided to share a little of wisdom. "If you truly do not want to become king, you can simply collaborate with another candidate and become a supporter. And if he or she happens to win the candidacy, you'll become his/her retainer."

[color=fff200]"That still means more duties and responsibilities though..."[/color]

"Well, at that point, I'm sure you can probably quit." [i]'Assuming you'd still want to, that is.'[/i] Peniel left that particular last bit of his thoughts unsaid. 

Sirael looked thoughtful for a moment before giving off a resigned sigh. [color=fff200]"I guess..."[/color]

"Good. Now, that's decided. Let us make sure you are amply prepared for this trial." Peniel spoke with a gleam in his eye.

O~O~O~O

"This is called a 'mace'. When some dastardly fellow tries to force you to do unspeakable things with him, you pull this string, aim this on his face and push the button." 

[color=fff200]"I know what a pepper spray is... and for the thousandth time, I'm not a child![/color] Sirael blurted out in disbelief at the spectacle she was witnessing. Peniel brought out every conceivable trinket he had. Her own luggage bag was dwarfed by the gigantic pile of junk and assortments that the old geezer recommended she should ALL bring. 

Amulets, potions, knives, grenades, swords, shields, guns, armors... and was that a bazooka? 

"I...I..." The balded old angel looked positively senile as he fretted over her and his pile as if unsure of what to do.

[color=fff200]"What the heck's gotten into you, old man? Weren't you the one who convinced me to go through with this stupid game of thrones in the first place?"[/color] 

"I... Sirael..." Her words seemed to have knocked some sense back to him as the old angel approached her with a solemn face. 

"I know I was the one that persuaded you but... you have to understand... this is a serious matter... It's dangerous, you could even get ki-." 

Sireal rolled her eyes and flew up to his height and gave the bumbling idiot a good karate chop to the head. [color=fff200]"Alright, that's enough gibberish from you."[/color]

"I... You're right, I apologize..." He turned to look at Sirael, smiling gently, he placed hand on her head. 

"I feel like it hasn't really been that long since I saw you in that basket sitting on my doorstep." He chuckled. 

[color=fff200]"Peniel..."[/color] Sirael, swept along by the suddenly tender mood. 

"Who could blame me? When you only grew this much over the course of a hundred years." 

[color=fff200]"Urgh!"[/color] The small angel wasted no time slapping the offending hand away. And with an irritated grumble, grabbed her enchanted duffle bag and stuffed Peniel's entire pile into it and walked away. After a dozen steps, she looked back, surprised that Peniel didn't utter a single complaint about her taking everything. The old angel just stood there, wearing a solemn smile on his not-really-old face. 

Shrugging, she took a few more steps before looking back once more. 

[color=fff200]"Remember this, old man. If and when I actually become king, I'll make sure you'll become one of my pawns. I'll work you to death for making me go through with this!"[/color] After blowing her benefactor and father-in-all-but-name a cheeky raspberry, they waved each other goodbye and finally separated.