Chapter Text
As its head rose shakily, it could see the car driving off, leaving it behind in the snow - surely it was the end for Spear-bearer #316. It had been too cocky, broke off from its contingent of Exorcists. It believed itself strong enough to take on an imp and a sinner - but then... that anomaly showed up and gave it the beating of a lifetime.
Looking to the side, #316 could see the severed forearm of the dragon it had just faced, lying in the snow next to it.
Grabbing a shard of its spear after realising that it had broken during the beatdown, it began crawling out of the alley and onto the snow-covered streets of Hell.
Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it knew in its heart that the Lord wouldn't abandon one of its own angels, right?
It was so empty here, a city devoid of people wandering - all because of #316 and its ilk.
Ooh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Ooh yeah, I'm gon' fade away
Minutes pass by, and not a soul was in sight. Spear-bearer #316's heart thumped in its chest, an irregular beating as the cold kept swallowing up more and more of its frame. Death approached, all because of one mistake.
Suddenly, its hand brushed against something - a boot! Somebody was here! Craning its head upwards with a lot of difficulty, the Exorcist's eyes landed upon something that looked human. Yet... half of this creature was but a skeleton, and the flesh-covered half was glistening in a sheen of red.
Dressed in a black coat, there was some sort of skull insignia on the chest of this... man.
War, children
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
War, children
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
Its eyes widened when it realised that this individual had pulled out a gun and was aiming down at #316's head. Seconds passed by, but they felt like days - tense, horrifying days.
Just when it believed that the end had finally arrived, the gun was put away and a hand was offered.
It heard a deep voice speak up. "Come on, you need help," it said.
The man bent down to lift Spear-bearer #316 up and hoist it into a fireman's carry position.
"Hold on," he spoke again, before soldiering on with the battered Exorcist on his shoulders.
Ooh, see the fire is sweeping
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost your way
In the semi-conscious haze, #316 could still hear the occasional gunshot as damned souls tried to approach its savior.
After a while, it seemed the message had been heard, and the rest of the trip was quiet. Quiet enough for the Spear-bearer to pass out.
War, children, yeah
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
War, children, yeah
It's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
---
The next time it woke, it was laying in a bed inside of an apartment. Most of its armor had been discarded in its sleep barring its pants, and multiple strips of blood-stained gauze had been wrapped around its chest, stomach, shoulders and arms. Patting around its head, it could feel that its horns had been chipped in several places - some pieces had fallen off completely. Similarly, its halo was dim and cracked.
Trying to sit up, pain shot through the Exorcist's frame. Grimacing for all to see, as the air brushing its face made it realise that its mask had also been taken off.
"I'd advise against doing something like that right now," the voice from before spoke - the man walked into #316's field of view, sitting down on the bed with a stern expression.
Struggling to speak, Spear-bearer #316 instead coughed up some blood.
"Yeah, I checked your vitals earlier... you're gonna live, but you took a really bad beating. The kind I give out... how the hell did one of God's own get shitcanned that hard?" The man spoke, sounding genuinely confused despite his monotone growl of a voice.
After another few attempts, #316's voice finally came through. "I... I broke away from formation. I didn't... didn't expect him... that anomaly..."
"Anomaly?" The grim savior tilted his head to the side, trying to grasp the idea.
"A sinner with an unexpectedly high level of power, or strength... we only heard of the Radio Demon before, nothing about... whoever the golden dragon who tried to kill me was..."
"Golden dragon..." The half-skeleton had only one possible option in mind - Go-Ryu had taken things into his hands, it would seem. "Look, it doesn't matter. Um... I don't think you're going back home any time soon, for the record."
Hearing that made a weight drop in the pit of #316's stomach. It really was left to fend for itself, wasn't it?
"I'll have to weather this storm then, and He shall take me Home come next Extermination," it said, trying to come across as if the idea didn't terrify the Spear-bearer to its core.
"Well. If you're here to stay, guess we should get to know each other, kid. Rook's technically my name, but call me Castle instead." Hearing that name made #316's eyes widen once more.
"Wait. Castle... Frank Castle? The Punisher? Were you not one of us, once upon a time?" The Spear-bearer spoke, respectful so as to not incur the other's wrath.
"Yeah. Wasn't for me. Surprised you guys still remember, honestly," Castle smirked slightly. That sure was an experience. The 90's were strange. "Anyway, do you have a name?"
"I am simply Spear-bearer #316, sir." It admitted, shaking its head.
"You can't just have a number, not right now." Thinking back to what he remembered from the seminary so long ago, Castle's mouth very subtly pulled into a smile as he placed a hand upon #316's shoulder. "How does Job sound to you?"
"I could get used to that, yes," the newly christened Job nodded towards Castle.
"Good. We should probably think about getting you some clothes now. You're not gonna last worth shit going shirtless down here."