by A. Catherine
It’s been a while since I’d spent time on earth among the mortals. I was too busy in heaven, training other angels for their positions. Even heaven couldn’t rival some of my favorite places in the mortal realm. When I was young, while the earth was still fresh from its restoration following The Tear, I used to love going to Thailand, particularly a small cove in Krabi.
Before humans returned with their new designs to populate every corner of the world, angels could practically live there out in the open unnoticed.
A smile grew on my face when I thought about the times I would join other trainees and jump off those cliffs into the turquoise water. A rare time when I could forget my duty, my position and just live.
I’d have to go back one day, when things calmed down.
Sudden surprise shot through me when vivid images flickered in my mind at the thought of it. In them I saw Kaleus, there at the cove, doing some stupid backflip into the water. Seere pushing Iaoel off and jumping not far behind her.
Lillith sunbathing in an overly revealing scrap of fabric, Daevas and Duma just treading water, watching. Jade and even Heather laughing from the shallows.
They were all there, and they were getting along. I was on top of the cliff, the next to jump. Kaleus shaking out of the water only to look up and challenge me to attempt a better stunt.
Friends. Spending a day together cooling off after a long day. It was a normal activity—even human. Something that didn’t exist for any of us. All getting along like we weren’t polar opposites ready to rip each other’s throats out.
What is this? I blinked and my eyes adjusted back to where we were. Back to the setting sun in Paris.
Chamuel was staring at me, and Jophiel was nowhere in sight. “Where’s—”
“I sent her to stash my art supplies,” Chamuel explained.
When our eyes met again, I saw the knowing smile in them. Those images—they weren’t products my own imagination. “Why did you show me that?” I asked.
Chamuel watched me closely. “We all have our destinies to fulfill, Gabriel.”
“Are you saying that is my destiny?”
He shook his head. “It was a glimpse into what you could have—if you take the right turns, make the right choices. A possible future if you want it to be.”
I crossed my arms. “I’m not even sure what that was supposed to tell me. That I could have a normal life, a leisure day with my enemies?”
Chamuel chuckled and watched the sunset with a small amount of awe.
“It was a scenario, that shaped from your thought process. Pulling from some of your deepest desires and mixing it with something you already knew.”
“My deepest desires?”
He shrugged. “It is in the nature of us all to seek companionship, Gabriel—friendship. An archangel’s life can often be a lonely one,” he sighed. “You may not see it now, brother. But some of the members of your alliance were always destined to cross paths with you. For one—their destiny will be intertwined with yours for all eternity. Again, if you choose to go down that path.”
I didn’t fail to notice that he neglected to tell me who that was supposed to be.
“I thought you only received visions of destiny for mortals.”
Chamuel smirked then. “Everyone always underestimates my abilities,” he chuckled to himself. “We’ll have to find time to discuss this another day.”
Before he fully finished his sentence Jophiel winnowed back in to where we were.
Chamuel nodded to her. “Now, what can I do for you?”
Jophiel glanced at me before answering. “The almighty told us that he gave you a relic during The Fall.”
He blinked, his first sign of recognition. “Yes, he did. That was a long time ago. What of it?” he asked.
“We need it,” I clarified.
Surprise widened his pupils. “For what exactly?”
Jophiel and I proceeded to explain to Chamuel the information we had on the relics, what Lucifer told us, what God told us, and our reasons for seeking them out. We explained that our angel killer might have a relic and may be looking for others as well to gain power. We told him everything, even our discovery of Heather’s genealogy.
Chamuel listened, not interrupting for even a moment. A picture of patience and humility that surpassed all of the eight other archangels.
After we finished, he took a moment to think, scratching his chin and adjusting his bowtie.
“Forgive me, but I don’t entirely see why you need the Love relic from me.”
Both of our brows narrowed in confusion.
“The Love relic?” I asked.
Chamuel smiled knowingly, “Yes. That’s the relic I was given. Now answer my question, why do you need the relic in your possession?”
Love relic. We’ll have to learn more about it later.
“What do you mean?” Jophiel asked.
“Well, isn’t it enough knowing that I have it? It’s one less relic that your perpetrator might have. Why do you need it in your possession?” he asked.
Jophiel and I exchanged glances. “Are you opposed to giving it to us?” I asked.
Chamuel looked away again, thinking, his head tilting to the side as he did so.
“The relic was given to me to keep it hidden, for safekeeping. I may be a little more frivolous than the rest of you, but I do follow orders. I wouldn’t be a good protector if I gave it to the first person who asked for it,” he explained.
“Do you not trust us?” I demanded, some wariness growing in my gut.
He shook his head quickly. “Of course I trust you. But you can’t blame me for trying to be logical about it. Do you intend on using the relic for a specific purpose?”
Jophiel looked like her own resolve was faltering. “We may in time. If our opponent wields a relic, or even two, we may need this one to counter against them.”
Chamuel looked at her intently. “You don’t even know what it does or how to use it. If you did, you might think differently.”
“We have the best intentions, Chamuel.”
“Your intentions are to use it as a potential weapon against another weapon. Horrible events have happened with the best intentions,” he countered.
We were all quiet for a moment. Just staring at each other. Chamuel was being rational and protecting an object of great power from those who might seek to exploit that power. He was justified. But it didn’t stop me from being offended by his mistrust.
“What is the Love relic capable of?” I asked gently.
Chamuel’s eyes softened. “It’s not a weapon. Its only capability is to restore and sustain. It has healing abilities far greater than our own. And I’m afraid, even if you tried to wield it, you might fail. It is like a living thing, it requires you to be pure in your intentions while using it, otherwise it won’t give you the power it possesses.”
Something about the way he said that touched a nerve, and he noticed that it did. He put a graceful hand on my shoulder and looked deep into my eyes—his full of sympathy.
“There are obstacles you too must face before you’re ready for your destiny, Gabriel. You have not yet experienced true suffering and humility.”
He broke our gaze to also look at Jophiel.
“This ordeal is going to become much bigger than any one of us imagined. Your alliance is going to be tested.” He turned back to me. “You will need to trust those you see as enemies in order to overcome it.”
“You say that as if you know what we’re facing. If you do, I would advise you to disclose that information to us,” I instructed.
He shook his head. “Not everything comes that easily. I can’t see the specifics, only the broad implications and possible outcomes. Even the Angels of Sight can’t see anything beyond that. As I’m sure you already know, Jophiel. All I see for certain is…this is only the beginning.”
The Angels of Sight were Jophiel’s division, creation. But destiny and creation went hand-in-hand, and so did their divisions.
Really, with Chamuel’s premonition abilities, it would have made sense for the Angels of Sight to be a part of his division. But they also saw death and pain. Chamuel could see those too, but in choosing compassion and love over his innate gift, he defaulted to charge over destiny. Whatever he saw that was dark and painful he ignored it, letting the AOS deal with it.
Jophiel sighed, watching the last of the sun dip past the horizon. “You’re beginning to rival our father with foreboding crypticism, Chamuel.”
Indeed. But they all knew too well that even those with the Sight didn’t see everything. And what they did see wasn’t always conveniently helpful.
Chamuel chuckled. “I apologize for not possessing the same level of candor as you, Jophiel. But in my line of work, being completely forthcoming can alter the future, and not always in a good way.”
It seemed we were not going to be acquiring the Love relic today. Chamuel was solid in his reasoning, and we truly couldn’t blame him for it. I didn’t feel an overwhelming need to push him on it, maybe because the mysterious predictions he gave me were putting me out of my right mind, or maybe I was just tired of arguing.
I took one last look at the city of love and then clasped my arm in Chamuel’s.
He nodded to me, “When you truly need it, I will give the relic to you. Until then, I wish you luck on the rest of your search.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know where the others are, would you?” Jophiel tried.
Chamuel shot her a sympathetic glance. “If I hear anything I’ll let you know.”
I smiled genuinely at my older brother. “It was good to see you otherwise.”
Jophiel scoffed and rolled her eyes. She winnowed out without another word. She was never one for heartfelt exchanges. Chamuel shook his head at the empty place where she left. “She’s always a joy to have around.”
I chuckled. “Better than Uriel.”
Chamuel nodded in exasperated agreement. “Yes, I completely agree.”
I went to leave but Chamuel called my name to stop me.
I half-turned back. “Yes?”
“The human. Is she truly a Nephilim?” he asked.
I nodded. “I’m surprised you didn’t know, isn’t that part of your division?” I teased.
He laughed. “More Jophiel’s than mine. But even the almighty misses things from time to time, brother.” His expression dulled slightly. “I can’t see her destiny.”
I figured that, the AOS couldn’t see it either.
“Whatever her future holds, it’s shadowed by something. Keep an eye on her.”
I snorted at that. “The hell prince isn’t making that easy. For the moment, I’ve thoroughly been grounded from Guardian duty,” I chuckled.
Chamuel smiled widely. “Kaleus is an anomaly in this universe that has always intrigued me. Leave it to the Heir Inferno to finally humble you a little.”
“I would hardly consider his arrogance a humbling tide to weather.”
“If you say so,” he said with an eyebrow raised.
I narrowed my eyes at the compassionate archangel. “Whatever you’re plotting, Chamuel. Leave me out of it.”
His hands flew up in the air. “I don’t plot, little brother. I simply others towards the destination they’re meant for. Speaking of, I need to return to my responsibilities, I’ve had to donate nearly half my angels to help against the primordial attacks, so I’ve had a lot of backlog to catch up on. Farewell, Gabriel.”
In an orb of dusty pink light, Chamuel winnowed to who knows where, leaving me behind in the Champs de Mars. Even after all of that cryptic destiny-talk and his refusal to hand over the relic to us, I still felt a sense of warmth after visiting Chamuel.
He had a way with people that was unparalleled. The angels that were assigned to him always seemed the happiest amongst the rest.
I suppose being in charge of matching together soulmates and helping mortals find their destinies tends to foster a more optimistic workplace environment than say the Gates of Judgement.
Still though, it was nice to feel even a fraction of his kind presence, if only for a moment.
And as Chamuel said when we arrived, it is important to make time for those moments even while the world is crumbling around us.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Heather
SHE WAS TRYING TO KILL ME.
That was the only logical explanation. Why else would she make me run six miles, spend not one but two hours doing core exercises, and then another hour of weights.
I got a measly thirty minutes to catch my breath before she forced me onto the sparring pad with raised fists.
I tried; I really did. But I felt like jello.
I was flat on my back, after thoroughly just having my ass kicked. And I mean literally, she kicked my ass with her foot and I was on the ground. Seere giggled as she stood over me, the demon hadn’t even broken a sweat. How was that possible?
“Come on, chickpea! We’re just getting started,” she teased.
I was panting like a dog, every inch of me slick with sweat. My head felt hot, my arms and legs trembling. “I…can’t…feel…my…legs,” I gasped out.
She laughed and tapped my calves with the toes of her boots. “Oh you poor baby. You wouldn’t last a day in the pit. They’d eat you for lunch.”
She didn’t force me to get up, instead she just simply sat down next to me, pretzeling her legs together. Seere fiddled with one of her blonde braids, humming a small tune. It was cheery, sounded kind of like a pirate song.
I swallowed. “How old are you anyway?” I asked, my voice was hoarse, desperately thirsty for a gallon of water.
“In human years or immortal years?” She only paused her humming to ask.
“Human, please. I’m nowhere near ready to comprehend immortal years,” I clarified.
She hmphed. “Fair enough. I’d say I’m about one-thousand, five hundred…and nineteen—years old? That sounds about right. You lose count after a while.”
I tried not to choke a bit on that. Taking another steadying breath. “What is that like? Living for centuries? I mean, wouldn’t you get bored?”
“All the time. But in hell time moves slower. What may seem like mere days down there can be years up here. There were a few decades here and there when I didn’t see anything but the brimstone walls of the Inferno, and when I came out again, it was an entirely new century. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to adapt to the new fashions and slang,” she joked.
Something pinged in my chest at what she said. Decades. There were decades where she only knew hell, I hadn’t even reached my third decade of life. To spend that amount of time in notoriously the worst place imaginable, even without knowing exactly what she went through, I couldn’t imagine.
“Kale mentioned when we first met that he was like three-thousand years old. Is that true?”
“Three thousand, two hundred and ninety-seven, I think.”
“But didn’t you say you grew up together?”
She nodded. “We did, sort of. I met Kale when Lucifer threw him into the legion fighting pits to train his body. He saw how the other demons treated me and how I dealt with it. Even as a young demon, I didn’t let those bastards tear me down. Kale was the only hellborn who didn’t treat me like dirt.” She snorted at the memory. “I think he became my best friend when he willingly let me carve him up like a stuffed pig after I had a hard day.”
Seere seemed unfazed by the mention of it, as if talking about her demonic upbringing wasn’t anything to cry about.
But Daevas had told me something during our dream walk nearly a week ago that made me wonder if that attitude and humor was just an act.
A demons life story is unpleasant and gruesome.
Even Kale had implied the other night of their shared past, while he tried to talk to her about her thrown fight. We don’t need to go back there, Seere…Don’t choose that agony.
What horrible things did they endure in hell?
“Who else i
s here?” I asked, mostly to distract myself from the horrible images my mind had begun to conjure with those thoughts.
Seere and I had been alone all day, mostly. The only time we saw others was when they winnowed in and dropped off information and then disappear again. But even then, Seere kept my focus on our fitness routines.
She shrugged, leaning back on her wrists. “Kale’s in his room, being a brood. Duma is around here somewhere, probably avoiding me. Everyone else is out collecting research,” she answered.