Fungal Halo

Perhaps compliance came easier to other angels, but whenever my halo compelled me to turn from what I felt was right, or kind, or at least merciful, it grieved me. The love of the Light sometimes seemed so cruel and fickle. I did not see the wisdom in it that my peers did.

The angel quivers in my grasp as I hold her by the neck.

"You shouldn't be here, pretty thing," I breathe. She whimpers when I let my fangs graze the gentle curve of her ear as I whisper into it. "This is *my* realm."

"That was a waste," they admonished. "How much of your Light did it take to rescue those people?"

"It wasn't a lot…" the angel demurred.

"Nevertheless." The archangel scowled. "You knew they were nonbelievers. You knew you would not be getting that Light back."