Darksiders fanfic Chapter 12: Ninja Mode

      With the absence of the Golden Sun, night had fallen, and most people had packed up their shops and left for the day. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Birdbrain taking over a shift.
     “Hey Birdbrain, have you seen this man?” Strife asked as he walked over.
      Using his finger, he carved a face with stunning detail into the nearby house. The face looked like a cucumber with two narrow slits for eyes, a broken nose, with a pear as an earring. Birdbrain let out a sigh.
     “Whatever did Ammon do to deserve your attention?”
     “I suspect he was in league with the fallen angels that attacked us.”
     “How do you know?”
     “I saw him light up a device that appeared to be angelic in origin. Thirty-eight minutes later, we get attacked by angels. Coincidence?”
     “I see your logic, but Ammon is the Pharaoh’s most trusted advisor. Not even I can get close to him without bludgeoning through bureaucracy.”
     “That’s ok. We won’t be questioning him. Follow me.”
      With that, Strife began to scale the walls of the nearby palace, and Birdbrain flew next to him. The climbed higher and higher until they were just a few floors from the roof. Once they reached an open space to the inside, Strife looked both ways to make sure no one was there. Fortunately, he didn’t have to kill anyone that might have alerted Ammon to their presence. He walked in, and Birdbrain followed.
     “This is trespassing Horseman! We can’t do this!” Birdbrain whispered.
     “Birdbrain, one; we are already trespassing, and two; no one knows we aren’t coming in unannounced. Not this far up.” Strife said, not even trying to keep his voice down.
      Strife was proven correct, as a group of guards passed without giving either of them a second glance. Strife told Birdbrain to lead the way to Ammon’s chambers, but shortly, they saw the guy harassing a servant girl.
     “Surely a lovely lady such as yourself could spare a moment or two for me?”
     “Only once you’ve gotten a haircut and a clue. Maybe not even then.”
     “Hey Ammon!!” Strife called out. The man turned around with a look that went from annoyance to horror in a matter of seconds. Cold sweat began to make its way down his face as he began to measure the distance between the exit and himself.
     “Don’t try it. Tell us if there’re any others, and we’ll let you live.” Strife informed.
     “I-I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ammon blurted out as the girl left the men to their business.
     “Ammon please. We just need your help investigating the attack by the fallen angels.” Birdbrain said.
     “Oh great, he’s one of those ‘good enforcer’ types.” Strife muttered under his breath in response to Birdbrain.
     “Ah yes. How can I help you?” Ammon asked, wiping the sweat from his brow and gaining a calm composure.
     “You need to bring the angels in by the time the Golden Sun returns. If you don’t then we can’t guarantee your safety.” Strife answered, placing a hand on Redemption.
     “I’m sorry… what?”
     “You heard me. These angels could still be prowling around, waiting for another chance to strike. Birdbrain here informs me that you have the resources to hunt them down by dawn.”
     “I-I-I don’t k-k-know what the Avenger Commander told you, but I’m the economic advisor. B-b-besides, who’s to say they haven’t left?”
     “If they’ve left, we must draw them in. If they’re still here, we must draw them out.”
     “But, I don’t know how I’m supposed to get to them.”
     “If you can’t use your imagination to get results, then perhaps the Pharaoh should consider getting another advisor. You know how to get to the angels, so get to them. I want results by morning, or we’ll have a very long chat discussing your failure.”
     “But… but… you’re asking for a miracle! Plus, I don’t even know where to start!”
     “Come Birdbrain. The clock’s ticking.”
      Just like that, Strife turned around and grabbed a stunned Birdbrain’s hand and left as Ammon already began to panic. Once they got to the point of entry, Strife went back outside and climbed to the roof. Birdbrain flew up shortly.
     “What was that Horseman? How do you expect Ammon to get your angels in such a short time? Especially since he has no leads whatsoever.”
     “Details Birdbrain. It’s a little trick my brother War taught me. Of course, he’d disapprove of my methods and just wait for the fallen angels to attack again, rather than sneak to destroy the competition as soon as possible.”
     “Are you sure it’s Ammon? It could have been anyone with that device, or a trick of the sunlight.”
     “Birdbrain, did you not hear him? He asked ‘Who’s to say they haven’t left .’ If he was innocent and truly was only there to see a firefight, he would’ve said something like ‘How do you know you there are any alive?’ or ‘What makes you think you didn’t kill all of them?’ Wouldn’t you agree?”
     “But why? Why would he betray the Pharaoh?”
     “Ambition, Birdbrain, ambition. Either he’s under orders from your Pharaoh, which I doubt, since you fought with me, or the angels made an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
     “I’m sorry. I’m used to acting with more proof, and all I have to go on is your word.”
     “I have no reason to deceive you, Birdbrain. Ah, there he goes now.”
      Sure enough, below them was a cloaked figure making a mad dash of the alleyways. Strife jumped from the roof and kept an eye on the figure. Once he landed, he climbed his way up a nearby barracks and began moving across the rooftops, staying close enough to see him, but far enough not to alert him. After a short pursuit, the figure went into an abandoned storage building. Birdbrain had been circling from the skies above and landed next to Strife as the Horseman approached the building.
     “Clever. Give him unrealistic expectations to make him crack, causing him to go to the angels for help, follow him to the hideout, and spring the trap.” Birdbrain thought aloud.
     “I do try.” Strife replied as he threw an Obliteration Bomb.
      The storage facility must have been smaller than Strife thought, because there were cries of pain and metal scrapping against stone as the angels tried desperately to ready weapons.
     “YOU FOOL!! YOU HAVE LED HIM STRAIGHT TO US!!” an angel roared.
The angel was apparently unharmed by the blast, but before he could reach a nearby Salvation Cannon, Strife shot him in the head. He then turned to the remaining angels and pointed his guns at their faces.
     “Anyone tries to play hero, gets shot. Anyone who doesn’t cooperate, gets shot. Anyone who tries something, gets shot.” Strife warned.
     “Yes, you are all under arrest for disturbing the peace, for property damage, and for injuring the lives of civilians under my protection.” Birdbrain reaffirmed as the angels surrendered.
      Ammon just climbed up from under the rubble he was trapped under, coughing uncontrollably, as Strife made his way to a nearby angelic halberd. Before the man could have time to react, Strife fired a shot that took his head clean off.
     “HORSEMAN!!” Birdbrain yelled, horrified.
     “Look at it this way Birdbrain, now you have an excuse to keep the angels here locked up for as long as you want.” Strife replied, with a calm tone.
     “Excuse me?”
     “Just tell the Pharaoh this; we made our way to the angels’ hideout, and as punishment for leading us to them, they killed the Pharaoh’s advisor. And thanks to the halberd shot, you have proof. Naturally, he’ll be furious, and you’ll be free to interrogate them for as long as you’d like.”
     “And what if we tell the truth?” An angel asked.
     “Go ahead. He won’t believe a fallen angel, especially over the word of Birdbrain.”
     “You expect me to outright lie like that?” Birdbrain demanded, distraught.
     “Yes, I do. And if they haven’t talked, tell them I’ll be back, and I’ll want answers.”
     “Answers? To what questions?”
     “Questions like; are they alone? Who’s their leader? How many more are out there, participating in the Race? Things like those.” Strife replied, hoping that they really weren’t with the Culprit.
     “I’m not your lackey. I’ll serve the law of the land, not you.”
Strife pointed Mercy at Birdbrain’s face.
     “That’s fine. I just so happen to know a place I can lock them up without issues, and interrogate them later. Neither your assistance nor approval are needed. If you want to live, you’ll do as I say. Use the proof I just gave you, tell the story I just gave you, and do what I told you to do, or you’ll be meeting Anubis shortly. Am I clear?”
     “…………Yes. But you’d be wise to avoid causing trouble in the Oasis from here on out.”
     “I’ll take that to heart.”
      Just as Strife turned to leave, he experienced yet another mind blast. This time, he saw a beautiful garden, a hand of golden armor reaching for a map. Once the map was in the hand’s palm, it led to a lighthouse in the middle of an asteroid belt. And just as quickly as it came, the vision vanished.
      He then broke into a jog to get back to Jess. Heaven just found its first clue, and judging from the style of the lighthouse, the next one was also somewhere within the angelic borders.