Angelic - Part III [Patron-Guided]

The usual preparations have been made in the city for the visit of an angel, at least by this region’s standards. Though not a universal procedure around the world, most cultures and locations of this time period and beyond have constructed specifics for how to interact with celestials. In order to limit unnecessary hazards to any community, a delegation is intended to be had when an angel arrives at any city, allowing the humans a chance to understand the reasons for Heaven’s intervention with their lives. For the sake of protection, a modest military unit is assembled at the specified meeting area, ready for the possibility of a rogue attack. None of the humans wished to see violence thrust upon their mundane lives -- these processes were meant to keep relationships between them and the celestials as just as possible.

Cyth frowns from outside the city’s limits. Their arms cross with discontent, their expression twisting to slight disgust. Down below, they see that a wide field away from the buildings and factories has been set aside for them, farm land repurposed for the event with light-up signals from government officials blinking at them. The space could not contain their foot; they were expected to be at a smaller size. “This city thinks highly of itself,” they murmur. Their voice rumbles the air despite how softly they speak to themself. “Do they really expect me to go through this whole bureaucracy just for their civilization?”

It matters little to Cyth what the future of this city can be. They know the facts as well as any angel would -- that this location becomes festered with cult activity. The smell of smog and grime confirms how on-track the city is for that destiny. It was quite possible that this city is one that contributes to the earth’s overall decline into filth and reliance on Hell. Researching the city to verify that theory was why Cyth was here, and these barriers of procedures were impeding on that progress. After all, if any devils really had claimed the city as their territory, it made sense to keep angels as obstructed as possible.

Cyth disregards the peoples’ efforts to contain them. They plant their right heel into the ground, angling the foot to hang threateningly above the crowds that came to greet them. Immediately are the citizens stricken with fear, gazing up at the giant wrinkled sole of an angel, Cyth’s dismissive glare pointed onto them. “I am an angel from Heaven,” they announce with a breathtaking volume. “I am here on important research. I do not take directions from humans. Let this be understood, and do not disturb me.”

The screams conjured by Cyth’s warning are drowned by the rapid fire of bullets and missiles. Having made their methods clear, the city launches a feeble defensive attack on the foot above them. The explosions tickle Cyth into flexing their toes, unleashing a sleet of debris and dirt that had been wedged between them that falls onto the military attacking them. Such disrespect from humanity cannot go unnoticed; Cyth responds in kind with a stomp of their foot, an effortless step that instantly flattens a block of the city. The small space that the humans had intended for Cyth to shrink down and occupy is completely overwhelmed, becoming a smear of wasteland the moment the massive foot is relieved from the unfortunate area.

“Resistance will only incur more penalties,” Cyth explains dully, one arm propped against their hip while the other hangs loosely at their side. They bring their foot forward, pointing a lone big toe; with just a push, they topple a lowrise building into rubble, unflinching to the destruction. Crowds swarm away from the random devastation, their heads darting back at the comet-like toe in the midst of their fleeing. “My research may uncover toxic cult activity. You should be grateful that I am here to purify this land…”

Speaking of such reminds Cyth of that very job. Already, they think, the citizens have distracted them from their cause. They scan over the city once more while taking a seat outside its perimeter, electing a lower angle as to better survey the environment. Adjusting their stance so dramatically results in more destructive consequences directly underneath them, none of which interests Cyth. Their focus is on cult activity, and they produce a magical ping from their finger that is to find such influences. Although this power is inexplicit in what it can find, it serves angels well in quickly confirming a selected area’s corruption.

For Cyth, it is as if they can see hotspots along a map of the city -- though the city they perceive is the actual city itself. Places with cultist influences appear as red marks that glow with intensity appropriate for the pinging. Across a vast number of corners, numerous specks of faint red can be seen in isolation. This is fairly normal; metropolises attract those with vices, and it’s ordinary for humans to, in rare instances, pray to Hell or even offer involuntary support. These spots do not alert Cyth -- but the entire buildings that appear crimson from top to bottom, those are noteworthy. Blatant cultist activity transpires in these places, and so Cyth finds themself with decisions to make.

Cyth leans over the city while thinking of how to investigate further, allowing streaks of black hair to slither and sway over the streets. A single corporate headquarters near the heart of the city pings the brightest, promising a core of cultist schemes. Beyond just this one skyscraper, several other locations scattered through the city ping with distinct energies as well, such as the factories and the shipyards. The cult had clearly established a few footholds to maintain its strength, but was any of it responsible for the earth’s decline in health decades from now?

A plethora of information could be uncovered with further investigative work. Remaining one step ahead of Hell was crucial for Heaven to keep hold of its authority, and there was potential to set back the cult significantly if more details could be found and linked. As an angel, Cyth had the power to clean the city away entirely; one swipe of their arm and the maze of streets and structures would become a lake of debris, cultist activity included. Of course, acts of destruction on that scale are discouraged, for in the aftermath of these “angel attacks” do humans turn to Hell for aid, thus undoing the progress they intended to make. Yet, the coverage of cultist influence was quite widespread, and perhaps it was deserving for some of these locations to be stomped out -- no questions asked, no answers pursued.

To deliver an immediate fix to humanity’s errors, or to inspect the city deeper for clues on the cult’s exact status. Cyth had already introduced themself as unkind, and so cooperating with these humans was unlikely, as was the chance that any devils had not noticed the behemoth sitting on the horizon. After considering their options, Cyth concludes how to proceed…