Pain stood and walked towards the door they had gotten in through.

“Let’s get to it, but first we would like to get some things at our ‘home’.” He said and he opened the door letting in the loud noise from the bar. The sound made it impossible for the others to object and thus they followed after the cloaks were put back on. Pain slammed something that looked like a large round, copper coin, onto the bar. The innkeep took it and tossed it to a small creature that was sitting on a higher shelf behind him. The creature, ghoulish and tiny, caught the coin. It opened his mouth and revealed rows of tiny sharp teeth. Slime was dripping from its teeth as he took the coin and swallowed it whole.

The four rushed outside. Back over the ominous streets with the crisp mist. The two held on to their cloaks as they were led through all sorts of alleys. Cobblestone roads, covered in mud, filth and horrendous water, of which you did not know where it came from, made place for sand, or rather mud, roads. Finally, they arrived at a small cottage, if that’s even what you could call it, with broken constructions. A dim light broke through mucky windows. Pain opened the door and entered. Scare followed. Health and Hope first exchanged glances before entering.

“Well, I believe we are not expected at the ‘Great Lift’ until the morrow.” Health spoke. Pain walked into another room. Health could see a shabby bed with some clothes scattered around. Scare grabbed a small rucksack and started to fill it with clothes in a room next to the other.

“We know.” Pain said while walking back into the ‘living room’. “We can stay here till then, sorry for the mess.”

Pain grinned. Health looked around and found a broken, dirty sofa. He sighed and sat down without complaining. Pain’s grin disappeared and he returned to his room to collect some of his belongings. He rummaged in a box to grab some random items. He could hear Scare going through her room to find some things to bring along. They were going to stay away for a very long time. In fact, no one knew if they’d ever come back.

>

“Your instructions are quite simple.” His lordship spoke. “Accompany two of these bright bastards and keep them from harm.”

“But why… and why us?” Scare asked. “This is ridiculous! Can’t they take care of themselves… tsk.”

“Now now Scare.” His lordship continued. Scare let out a startled shriek. “Remember who you are talking to and who is giving you this task!”

Scare pouted.

“My Lord, I do agree with Scare, why?”

His lordship sighed and seemed to think for a while.

“To save the world. The earths, and their moons. The worlds.” He said it as if that made it clearer. Pain stared at the Lord. His face full of questions. The Lord stood up and waved them away.

“Now now, it’s not that difficult to understand! There is a huge monster destroying the worlds while we sit here and chat.” His lordship rubbed his face. “You guys are two of my strongest and most loyal subjects, so I thought you’d do well.”

It was silent for a little while.

“I need you to take care of this for me… it is very important. Please be good and please, do not kill the two angels.”

<

The Lord had been rather short and uninformative, but orders are orders. Pain sighed. He sat down on his bed for a second and rubbed his face. He looked at his hands.

Going back, huh, I am not looking forward to it.

Pain shook his head and stood up.

“You must be hungry, want anything to…” He walked into the living room to see two brightly shining people fallen asleep on his sofa. “Eat.”

Pain smirked and grabbed a scruffy blanket from his bed. He threw it over the two sleeping angels. Scare stared at him. In clear disdain.

“You were always too kind you know.”

Pain scoffed.

“Yeah… that’s why they titled me as ‘Pain’, hah.”

Scare rolled her eyes.

“You know damn well why they titled you ‘Pain’.” She muttered as she slipped back in her room. Pain followed her with his eyes until she was inside. Then he stepped back into his own room and fell to the bed.

I guess I will sleep too.

He closed his eyes, but sleep would not get to him. After hours of tossing and turning, he sat up. He rubbed his face and fingered the scar across his face softly. It was a long but soft scare and in the dark hard to see. Again he looked at his hands and he sighed. He stood up and looked outside the window. The light of the giant moon loomed inside his house through the mucky window. He saw the two angels were still snug and sound asleep on the sofa. Pain could hear the reassuring sound of Scare softly breathing in her room. He made his way to the front door quietly and slipped out. There he sat down on some sort of handmade bench from leftover items. He stared at the giant moon and could see his own breath in the misty air. It was, however, not cold. In this godforsaken land, it was never cold. About the heat, they did not lie in that stupid book. Although the fires... The fires are far to be found. Fire in the clouds would be a difficult phenomenon.

However, I guess they could have done anything they wanted.