Long ago, before the Lord's fall, Medici followed him but rarely saw him. The Lord was always busy. Most of the time, when Medici got into trouble or caused a mess, it was Sasrir... the Lord's avatar and left hand... who handled things. Sasrir kept the divine kingdom in order and mediated conflicts among the Kings of Angels.
Back then, Medici would indeed go to Sasrir to vent, mostly to rant... cursing Leodero as an idiot one day, calling Ouroboros a moron the next, always an equal-opportunity critic. Sasrir would listen quietly, then offer solutions, acting like a proper priest or… a mother.
Ugh!
Medici shook his head hard, trying to dislodge the bizarre thought. He blamed Alaric for planting such a weird idea in his mind.
"No, it's because deep down, you do think that way. Don't pin this on me." Alaric's voice cut in.
"…You talk too much." Medici snapped, then pressed, "When are you setting up my meeting with Sasrir?"
"Got it! What kind of boss would I be if I didn't make it happen?" Alaric teased, pulling at the air. A figure appeared beside them.
It was a man with black hair and eyes, shoulder-length curls, and a striking face. Tall and clad in an ornate black robe, he exuded an aura of majesty, like a monarch stepped from a painting.
Dark Angel Sasrir, created by the Ancient Sun God to shield against the Chaos Sea's corruption, was the deputy of the divine kingdom and, in terms of power, the King of Angel among Kings of Angels.
Sasrir seemed momentarily stunned upon being summoned but quickly noticed Medici and Alaric, understanding dawning. The regal aura faded, replaced by a gentle smile.
"You must be Mr. Alaric." Sasrir said, his tone polite yet composed.
"Looks like the Sun God mentioned me." Alaric replied, unsurprised. He'd summoned Sasrir from a timeline after the Ancient Sun God's appearances.
"The Lord did tell me a bit about you." Sasrir confirmed, his gaze shifting to Medici. "But why was I summoned this time? Did something happen?" His expression carried a hint of concern.
"Something did happen, but it's not my place to say." Alaric said with a smile, tactfully stepping back. "I'll leave you two to talk. I'll come back when time's up."
Though he loved a spectacle, Alaric knew some matters were private and deserved space. With that, he turned and left the two alone.
"What happened, Medici?" Sasrir's gaze settled on him, and he sighed. "You don't look good."
…
Medici felt like he'd been transported back in time, pouring out his troubles to Sasrir again. Only this time, it wasn't about cursing others... it was about his betrayal.
Sasrir listened quietly, as he always had. When Medici finished, he asked, "So, what do you think, Medici?"
"I…" Medici lowered his head, a rare sight for the ever-proud War Angel. "I won't forgive Adam, even if he's the Lord's divinity."
Sasrir wasn't surprised, nor did he show anger. "That's not what's troubling you."
"No." Medici admitted, not denying it. When it came to Adam, he had no hesitation... betrayal meant no forgiveness, divine or not. His real struggle was with the True Creator, the Ancient Sun God who hadn't betrayed him, and…
Sasrir, standing before him.
Medici couldn't fully separate them. He acknowledged their distinct identities, so he didn't entirely blame the True Creator for Adam's actions. Yet he couldn't treat them as wholly separate either. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to follow the True Creator after his emergence.
He couldn't hate completely, nor love purely. That was Medici's dilemma.
"Pathetic, isn't it? Me, getting all sentimental like this." Medici said with a self-mocking smirk. He was usually decisive, but this left him uncharacteristically lost.
Sasrir sighed, his hand resting on Medici's head, just like long ago when Medici, still a fledgling, was entrusted to his care. "Medici, you're working for Mr. Alaric now, right?"
"Yeah." Medici replied.
"Then keep working for him." Sasrir said calmly, his voice steady as it had been centuries ago. "Alaric is the Lord's ally. Working for him doesn't mean opposing the Lord, but it helps him without forcing you to face him. You don't need to be conflicted or in pain. It's not a betrayal of the Lord... building a good relationship with Alaric is something the Lord needs anyway. Think of it as a task without an end date."
Medici looked up, stunned.
Sasrir gave him a faint smile. "Of course, if you ever resolve your conflict and want to return, I'll always welcome you."
…
Though dying to know what Medici and Sasrir discussed, Alaric had principles and didn't eavesdrop. He returned only when the estimated time was up.
The moment he arrived, he noticed a change in Medici. If before he'd carried a defeated air, now the Red Angel was back to his usual arrogant self, looking down on everyone equally.
So, therapy worked? Sasrir's got some skills.
Alaric muttered to himself, then smiled at the two. "All done?"
"What else?" Medici said, arms crossed, eyebrow raised, his familiar snark returning with a wild grin.
"Thank you, Mr. Alaric." Sasrir said politely, then pushed Medici, making the mighty Red Angel stumble. It was unclear if he'd used a Beyonder ability.
***
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