by Leo Ndelle
“It is mother,” Cahen said. “She is in serious trouble and needs our help.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
COCK FIGHT
MICHAEL SUMMONED HIS inner council for an emergency meeting as soon as he returned to Celestia with Eliel. Gabriel took the initiative to inform the realm that their supreme leader had returned. Celestia needed that reassurance and boost in morale after Kazuk’s stunt and the return of Luceefa. Michael and Eliel appeared in Michael’s domain and received the warmest welcome ever. Uriel was the last to hug Michael. She lingered longer than everyone else and spoke words of love and encouragement to Michael as she tried to ease him into a non-warring state of mind. She failed. Then, she left Michael and walked towards Eliel.
Michael watched the other inner council members greet Eliel with something beyond cordiality. Eliel’s reputation as the one had already spread across Celestia, but Michael noticed that the reaction of the other inner council members was… different. There was respect and awe in every senior archangel’s countenance. Even Raphael behaved the same way when he shook Eliel’s hand. What happened in my absence? Suddenly, it hit Michael. Whatever had transpired during his absence to elicit such a behavior from his inner council members, coupled with Eliel’s reputation as The One, Michael teleporting together with Eliel had been the final seal of approval, a final endorsement of sorts. What have I done? Michael thought. Then, to Michael’s utter shock, Uriel took Eliel by the face and planted a long, passionate kiss on Eliel’s lips.
“Let us sit,” Michael said, trying hard not to clench his jaws.
Each inner council member summoned a seat and Michael summoned a round table. It took everything he had to maintain an expressionless face in the light of the recent turn of events. He had just unknowingly endorsed Eliel as archangel supreme and Uriel, his former lover and best friend, was smitten by this Eliel. She chose to not take him as her mate, but, as soon as Eliel turns out to be The One from the prophecy, she was immediately smitten by Eliel. Michael never imagined Uriel as an archangel who was more attracted to authority than anything else. He was glad he had learned this new aspect of her personality. Shame on her for being so shallow. And shame on you for being so immature and jealous! He scolded himself. You know her better than this.
“Brothers and sisters,” Michael greeted. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
“Great to see you again, Michael,” Drusiliel said. “And I believe I speak for us all. It is really, really, REALLY good to see you again.”
The inner council chorused their agreement and applauded. Michael nodded back at them, but his expression remained grim.
“Thank you all,” Michael said and turned his attention towards Raphael.
It was the most logical gesture, especially given that Raphael had been acting-leader in his brief absence. Plus, he had to issue a subtle reminder that he was still archangel supreme.
“You may proceed, brother,” Michael addressed Raphael directly.
“How did Luciel escape, considering you were the only one who knew where she was incarcerated?” Raphael gave Michael a look that dared Michael to speak anything other than the truth, truth which would be subject to his judgement.
“I do not know,” Michael replied. “But it was Kazuk’s doing.”
Michael did not mind Raphael’s question. In fact, he was pleased with his next-in-command. Celestia really would be in safe hands when he was gone; and by ‘safe hands’, did Michael mean Eliel’s or Raphael’s?
“And how did Kazuk obtain the location of her prison?” Raphael asked.
“He used the Prisoner’s Yoke to subdue me and render me more vulnerable and compliant,” Michael replied.
It was hard for him to admit this weakness of his in front of his inner council members, even though he knew there was nothing he could do against this crystal.
“The Prisoner’s Yoke is a crystal,” he added before Raphael could ask the next question. “I used it on Luciel. But what Kazuk used on me was a variation. He also mentioned a name, ‘The Scribe’; a being from another dimension.”
Michael squared his shoulders and met the gazes of every council member. He wanted them to see that his wings were clean and that he had not become soft and weak. He wanted them to believe that he did not help in freeing Luciel, at least not willingly. But if they did not believe him, then so be it. Even an archangel supreme was not above the laws of Celestia. Michael realized that the more his status seemed compromised, the more Eliel’s future status became solidified. He cursed in his head.
“I remember falling under the control of the yoke,” Michael continued. “I recall getting weaker and more vulnerable as Kazuk pressed for Luciel’s location. I resisted with all my might while unimaginable pain flared from the mark on my back to the rest of my body.”
No one noticed Uriel wince at the mention of pain flaring from Michael’s back. She knew exactly why that was, but that secret was still hers to keep, for the sake of celestial security. Eventually, she would share the secret with Michael, and maybe a few other senior archangels. For now, it was unwise to ruffle any feathers by revealing the origin of the mark on the backs of Michael and Metatron. Uriel was too lost in thought to realize that Michael was done narrating his story.
“So are you saying that you did not reveal Luciel’s location to Kazuk or that you do not remember revealing her location to him?” Raphael pressed on.
“I do not remember giving Kazuk her location,” Michael replied. “But I must have at some point, unwillingly.”
“Alright,” Raphael said without any hint of emotion. “Please, continue.”
“I was going to end Kazuk the moment I regained enough strength,” Michael continued. “But he bargained for his existence by telling me that Luceefa and Beelzebub were now free. And not only were they free, but that they also planned on ending the two children I fathered when I fell to Earth Realm. So I spared Kazuk’s life, only for the moment, and immediately rushed to Earth Realm. On my way there, I asked for Uriel’s help because I knew I would not be fully capable of taking on both Luceefa and Beelzebub by myself. Instead of Uriel, Eliel showed up and it was a very unfair fight for those two.”
Michael gestured towards Eliel and Eliel nodded.
“I concur what Michael says about Eliel and I,” Uriel interjected as she laced her fingers with Eliel’s.
Michael clenched his jaws and relaxed them again.
“Michael did ask for help and I thought it might be better for Eliel to team up with Michael, given his remarkable accomplishment moments earlier.”
“I see,” Raphael conceded. “Do you have anything else to add, Michael?”
“No, but I do have some questions of my own, when you are done debriefing me,” Michael replied.
“Good,” Raphael said. “Does anyone have doubts or concerns regarding Michael’s testimony?” Raphael addressed the rest of the inner circle.
There was a unanimous ‘No’.
“Neither do I,” Raphael added. “On behalf of the Realm of Celestia, I welcome you back home once again and I hand over my authority as archangel supreme of the Realm of Celestia back to you, Michael.”
The inner council, including Eliel, applauded.
“Thank you, brother,” Michael nodded his gratitude. “Now, could you please enlighten me on what transpired while I was away?”
“Of course, brother,” Raphael replied and adjusted his weight in his seat.
Michael did the same and dedicated his undivided attention towards Raphael.
“We received word that Hell Realm was about to go to war with us shortly after your departure with Kazuk,” Raphael recounted. “Hell Realm meant it as a surprise but they don’t know we have spies among them, still. We met them for battle and were shocked to find Luceefa with them and no Kazuk. It was easy to make certain assumptions then, given the fact that you were the only one who knew where she was locked up. It also explained Hell’s intended surprise attack on us. We did try to talk some
sense to them, but you know how Luceefa is.”
“Enough with the modesty already, Raph,” Gabriel interrupted. “You were beyond amazing out there. I’ll follow you any moment, anywhere, if it ever came to that again. Tell me, brethren! Am I wrong?”
Gabriel asked rhetorically and the inner council agreed and gave Raphael a standing ovation.
Michael and Eliel joined in as well.
“Thank you, brethren,” Raphael said. “I truly am humbled.”
“We are all very proud of you, brother,” Michael said.
There was another round of applause, amidst a few shoulder slaps and kisses on the cheek. Raphael tried to suppress a smile and failed.
“Before you continue, why do you keep calling her ‘Luceefa’?” Michael asked.
“Her new name,” Drusiliel replied. “Maziel-Kazuk, Malichiel-Metatron etc.”
“I understand,” Michael said. “Thank you. Please continue, Raphael.”
“But just when we were about to go to war,” Raphael continued with a note of excitement in his tone of voice and gestured towards Eliel. “He showed up.”
There was a look of confusion on Michael’s face. Everyone understood why.
“Eliel made a spectacular entrance that froze both camps,” Raphael continued almost reverently. “A ball of fire crashed between us and Hell camp just as we were about to charge and that great ball of fire was an angel with a bracelet on each wrist and flaming in the exact same way that you flame up. We thought it was you, at first, Michael. But we were wrong. It was Eliel… It was The One!”
Michael managed to force a smile and nodded but deep down, he was dying a slow death from envy as the other archangels applauded at Eliel.
“Everyone froze,” Raphael continued. “We were surprised but Luceefa and her followers had morbid fear written all over their faces. We probably could’ve most likely seized the opportunity and decimated them. But Eliel chose a no-war route. I think it was the right call. We will get them eventually. Total obliteration! No mercy whatsoever!”
Michael banged the palm of his right hand on the table, startling everyone.
“You should’ve seized the opportunity, Raphael!” Michael fumed.
No one understood why Michael was so angry.
“They weren’t fighting and it didn’t feel right to attack them!” Raphael argued.
He did not appreciate Michael insinuating he showed poor judgement.
“I still believe it was the right call,” Raphael added.
“You do realize that Eliel, The One,” Michael spoke with sarcasm, “has zero experience in war, don’t you? It was your call to make, as archangel supreme of the Realm of Celestia! Not his!”
“I did make the call, Michael,” Raphael spat in anger. “It was a tough one, but I made it anyway and I don’t regret it. I chose to go with Eliel, The ‘inexperienced’ One! Besides, I could’ve ended her during the first war, but YOU stopped me. Remember, Michael? And what was your reason again?”
It was a low blow, but a factual one, nonetheless. Michael gritted his teeth.
“Why do you all talk about me as if I’m not here?” Eliel asked calmly.
“This is between Raphael and I, youngling!” Michael replied dismissively. “Your turn will come!”
There were a few gasps and looks of confusion and disapproval on the faces of everyone present in the domain. It was unlike Michael to behave as such.
“You know what your problem is, Michael?” Eliel summoned a heavy dose of arrogance. “You let your title get to your head and now, you believe every decision you make is for the good of Celestia and, therefore, justified to be the best for us all. But you don’t have to be a moron about it. Look around you! Every angel and archangel in Celestia will lay down their existence for you, in case you didn’t know. So, when next you want to communicate something to us, please be respectful about it!”
There were more murmurs of shock and confusion from the inner council.
“You are correct, Michael,” Eliel continued. “I have no experience with war. I wasn’t even around during the rebellion. But do you know one major difference between you and I?”
“Pray tell, youngling!” Michael spoke with venomous condescension.
“When you show up, Luciel wants to either ride you or fight you,” Eliel said. “That’s because she knows she has a chance against you. But when I show up, she runs away and cowers in fear.”
Eliel then leaned forward and met Michael’s burning eyes with defiance as an evil grin peeled from his lips.
“Because you’re still stuck on her and I… AM… THE ONE!” he enunciated each of the last four words, beating his chest in sync with his enunciation.
Every inner council member jumped to their feet in case a fight was about to break out as Michael raged, stood up and glared at Eliel.
“You will not talk to me like that!” Michael yelled at Eliel.
“And what exactly are you going to do, Michael?” Eliel asked calmly, savoring his moment of victory as he slowly rose from his seat and leaned forward. “What exactly CAN you do?”
The message was silent, but it was clear to both Eliel and Michael that Eliel was referring to him beating Michael in combat. While Michael was grateful Eliel did not add this final blow to his onslaught on him, Michael recognized the need to address Eliel’s sudden change in personality somehow. At this rate, though Eliel may not be aligned with the dark, he could lead Celestia to perdition with very bad leadership. And that was an aspect of the prophecy that Michael did not want to come to pass, because, despite everything, Eliel was right. Michael did care for Celestia and his brethren and, as such, every decision he made from then onwards, including probably the possibly rashest of them all, was going to be for the benefit of the realm and his brethren.
Uriel was grateful when Palubiel suddenly appeared in the domain. She was grateful when the center of attention shifted towards Raphael. But she was not grateful when she heard what Palubiel had to say. She definitely did not like Eliel’s and Michael’s exchange and she liked Eliel’s sudden departure even less. Both her best friend and lover were right and wrong on multiple levels. She would have to find a way to address their relationship, for the good of Celestia. A power struggle between the archangel supreme and The One was brewing, a power struggle that was going to make Celestia weaker and Hell stronger. Paradise versus perdition… the choice was Celestia’s and Uriel swore to do everything in her power to influence that choice for the good of the realm.
CHAPTER NINE
LONG TIME COMING
A HOUND SPRANG for Lithilia and another lunged at Kazuk. The couple sidestepped and the hounds zipped past them. Other hounds pounced and the couple evaded their attacks. The hounds repeated the sequence until the couple grew tired of the attacks.
“Are you sure Metatron sent you?” Lithilia asked.
“Of course, he did,” Chiram replied.
“Are you absolutely sure about that?” Lithilia reiterated.
Chiram shook her head in exasperation.
“Because you act like you’re bent of failing.” Lithilia said
“Have you ever heard of a hound who failed?” Chiram asked.
“Of course, I have,” Lithilia replied as she dodged three more hounds. “I sent a hound to locate a certain creature recently and she failed woefully. Any idea who that hound might be?”
“Make no mistake, creature,” Chiram snarled as she telepathically ordered the hounds to stop attacking. “I still have not forgotten what you did.”
“You bore me with this petty grievance, Chiram,” Lithilia scoffed. “You knew you had no business approaching me in the first place. Not my fault you thought I was an easy prey. Get over it, hound!”
Chiram smirked and took a few steps closer to Lithilia.
“Regardless, Lithilia, I still remember and I will have my retribution,” Chiram promised. “I will execute Metatron’s orders and who knows, there might be an ‘accident’ and you might not make it
back alive.”
Chiram bared her fangs in a grin as she turned her attention toward Kazuk.
“He is even more wanted than you are, Lithilia,” she said, gesturing towards Kazuk. “He must be returned alive, unfortunately.”
“You really don’t have to do this, Chiram,” Kazuk said. “Think about it. Hell doesn’t care about you. Metatron, Beelzebub and Luceefa do not care about you. And yet, you take orders from them. Now why would a hound take orders from creatures from the Dimension of Lemuria?”
Kazuk waited for a reply, knowing fully well that none would come. He was pleased to notice Chiram growl silently in anger.
“I may even have a proposition for you-” Kazuk offered.
“You have nothing I need!” Chiram exploded.
“You know I have what you need,” Kazuk remained calm as he dismissed his archangel battle flame and took a step towards Chiram. “Let’s face it. I don’t care about you or your hounds and neither does anyone else in Hell. You’re nothing but scum to me. But Ashram,” Kazuk nodded slowly. “Now THAT’S a true hound! No true hound would wallow in a realm like Hell and take orders from creatures like fallen angels.”
Chiram bared her fangs in anger. How dare Kazuk make her look so foolish in front of her followers. She had herself to blame though. It was her fault that she and her followers were at Kazuk’s and, by right of marriage, Lithilia’s mercy. She wondered if Ashram knew about the situation and, if he did, why no reaction from him? But then, so many things about Ashram eluded her. Chiram growled at Kazuk as she recalled the events that led to her enslavement.
***
Cycles had gone by since Lithilia had stolen a part of Chiram’s essence. Chiram had searched a countless number of realms and dimensions for Lithilia without success. Question: how did Lithilia mask her esoteric signature from her, Chiram? Answer: by cloaking herself with Chiram’s esoteric signature. As such, whenever Chiram tried to scan for Lithilia’s signature, she was unsuccessful because she was scanning for her own esoteric signature. As such, Lithilia remained undetectable to her and she would only be able to find Lithilia out of cosmic luck, which could be anywhere between easy and impossible. However, that cosmic luck had come to pass when she visited Hell Realm, just because, and found Lithilia.