South of Heaven [IYRIN spin off - Terzo x OC Angel]

The New Inner Circle.

Note: this is a spin off (in 3 parts) of the main story IYRIN. You can find through my books.

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"The night we met I knew I needed you so, and if I had the chance I'd never let you go..."

The little plastic horns attached to their headphones' headband followed the rhythm of the music as they lightly moved their heads while walking down the hallway.

The sun had risen only a little before, but they were already awake to witness that spectacle from the window of the Papal's bedroom. As the Ronettes' song played on, a burnt smell began to tickle their sensitive nose.

They frowned but continued hopping through the almost-empty corridor. Maybe someone nearby was smoking something strong.

"So won't you say you love me? I'll make you so proud of me, we'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go..."

They often strolled around the abbey with music in their ears at unusual hours, helping drown out the voices they claimed to hear inside their heads. Sometimes in the heart of the night or at the first light of morning, the only sound through the corridors was their soft voice singing some joyful melody.

The smell of smoke intensified uncomfortably, and while no one seemed to be awake until a few minutes before, they started to notice more people all converging in the same direction.

"Be my baby now... Whoa-oh-oh-oh... oh."

Iyrin halted and slowly freed their ears from the large headphones, frowning at the scene before them. In front was the main entrance of the Ministry, and the crowd around the large door couldn't hide the consequences of what had likely happened during the last hours of the night, when parties were over and everybody was defeated by tiredness or intoxication. They turned at the touch of a hand on their shoulder. It was Terzo, probably still half-asleep when called for the emergency, judging by the way he was still trying to adjust his cassock.

"Are you okay? What happened?" he asked, anxiously.

"I don't know, I just arrived," Iyrin shrugged, as shocked as him. "Looks like a fire."

"Well, a door doesn't catch fire by itself..." And with that, he walked past them to meet the group of people gathered at the entrance. Iyrin followed soon after, observing the scene, confused like all the others.

The large entrance doors had been destroyed at the bottom half, where the fire had started, leaving the entrance open. The only coverage now came from the surviving wood of the top half and a part of the right side. Luckily, the fire hadn't spread inside, but it had ruined the marble of the entrance and the closest furniture. As Terzo had said, the door didn't catch fire by itself. A ghoul handed him a letter and the knife used to pin it on the external wall of the building, probably by the perpetrator of the attack. Terzo read it briefly, nervously jiggling at the content.

"Ah, what's this? 1991 again? Is Burzum back with his shit?" He shook his head, as if talking to himself.

"What's written?" Iyrin asked.

Terzo folded the letter, "We'll discuss it in an emergency meeting. I need Sister Imperator."

A nun stepped forward, stopping the Papa from walking away. "Papa," she began, timorously, "they have made a sacrifice."

Terzo frowned at her words. "A sacrifice...?"

"A cat," the nun lowered her gaze, "Can't tell which one, it is... carbonized."

Iyrin saw his nostrils widen as he took the longest, raging breath before blinking. "Go look for Bastet," he ordered whoever was listening, barely turning his head in their direction.