Uriel felt Raphael’s body relax in her arms. Raphael extinguished his archangel battle flame, except the flames in his eyes. Uriel let him go. Raphael straightened himself, heaved his shoulders, summoned his wings and flapped them twice before dismissing his wings.
“Thank you, sister,” Raphael said to Uriel.
“Thank me when she’s dead, brother,” Uriel replied.
Raphael turned around to face her and a cold, evil smile spread across his face, which elicited similar smiles from both Gabriel and Uriel.
Luciel regarded the three senior archangels with condescension and spite, desperately wishing they would make a move on her. Neither of them could beat Michael and neither of them could beat her. That fact had not changed despite her banishment and incarceration. Luciel could feel the anger and hatred that radiated from her once-upon-a-moment very close brothers and sister. She still felt the love she had for them. She even felt regret for breaking up the family. But she had a bigger vision for Celestia that could not be tainted with the whims and insufferable weakness that came with petty sentiments like false, blind and misguided loyalty to a leader as weak as Michael was.
“Rest assured I will not make Michael’s mistake!” Raphael promised. “You should thank your lucky wings Michael was there to stop me.”
“And whether you believe it or not, that was the only reason why I did not kill Michael when I had the chance,” Luceefa replied calmly. “I owe him my existence. But unfortunately, I’m not responsible for how he turned out.”
Luciel turned around and glared at a grinning Kazuk.
“They listen to you, Luciel,” Uriel said, pushing past Raphael.
It was best she took over the negotiations because Raphael was already losing his temperament again. This time, Gabriel stepped in to restrain him.
“Please, we don’t need another slaughter. You’ll lose again!” Uriel urged.
“Your weakness was your problem then, and with Michael gone, your weakness will be an even bigger problem now,” Luceefa spat. “Look at them!”
Luceefa turned around and waved at the creatures from Hell Realm.
“They know why they’re here. They know what they want. And nothing will stop them!”
“You’re making a mistake,” Uriel said.
“A risk we are willing to take!” Luceefa cut her off. “Against all hope, we have grown in our numbers. Against all expectations, you lost your Michael. Against all logic, I am back. Against all odds, we’ll take Celestia, with or without your consent. And if our path to victory will be paved with the end of the existences of many on both sides, then so be it. But I will be damned for eternity if I do not see my vision come to pass.”
“Wings, Luciel! The ego hasn’t changed one bit after all these cycles.” Uriel remarked, shaking her head. “I feel bad for your followers, though. They don’t know who you are. They don’t know WHAT you are. They follow you blindly because all they see in you is charisma. But they know nothing about your true agenda, do they? Not even Malichiel.”
Luceefa’s eyes flashed, and she glared at Uriel. Kazuk placed a hand on her shoulder, and Luceefa calmed herself down. But Uriel was pleased to see that Luceefa’s ego had been bruised and the look of concern and confusion on both the faces of Kazuk and Metatron was all the reward to should hope for. The seed had been sown.
“Exactly, Luciel!” Uriel continued. “You think you are so wise and full of wit. Well, I have great news for you, you pathetic excuse for an archangel! The only reason you were ever the ‘wisest and smartest’ was because I made you feel that way. I knew of your every intention and your every move.”
“Then why didn’t you stop me, if you speak truly?” Luceefa asked.
“Because Michael wouldn’t believe me,” Uriel replied. “And I didn’t have proof. But I knew! And Michael was so blinded by the insanity you two called love that he couldn’t see or listen to anything else!”
Uriel was yelling. Raphael, Gabriel, Kazuk, and Metatron were so shocked by her sudden outbursts and innuendos that they just stared at Uriel as she went on with her verbal assault on Luceefa. This was Uriel, the kindest and gentlest of all the superior archangels, going into a ferocity that they had only witnessed during the rebellion.
But right now, Uriel was not fighting a battle or war. She was not slaying enemies. She was establishing an intellectual superiority that both humiliated and humbled Luceefa. Uriel had just crushed one of the main things that kept Luceefa going; her legacy for wit and wisdom. Uriel was not just one of the superior archangels. She was the biggest mastermind Celestia had ever had and probably would ever have. Yes, Uriel was an even bigger mastermind that Metatron was, even though Hell begged to differ. And Raphael and Gabriel were glad she was on their side.
“And I swear, on the light of my fallen brothers and sisters, that if Raphael does not make you pay, I will personally see to it that you pay!” Uriel added.
Uriel summoned a dagger in her right hand. She raised her left hand and slashed her palm with the dagger. Angel light oozed from the gash. She closed her left hand into a fist and squeezed as she dismissed the dagger.
“This, I swear!” Uriel added and glared at Luceefa.
“Well, since none of us plans on surrendering,” Kazuk jumped in with misplaced sarcasm, “I would suggest we go to war then! Good bye, archangels. Enjoy your final moments.”
Each group returned to its respective side.
“Oh, and I forgot to tell you,” Uriel said telepathically to Luceefa. “I was bedding Michael long before he started bedding you.”
“And he dumped your sorry wings for me,” Luceefa rebuffed.
“Oh no, you misunderstand, you whore of a creature,” Uriel countered. “It was I who dumped him. You were just a tool of solace for him. I guarantee you that whenever you two were humping hips together, he was thinking of me every moment!”
Uriel turned around at the perfect moment to see Luceefa turning around to glare at her. Uriel returned Luceefa’s glare with a wicked smile of victory. It was always a great feeling to rustle Luceefa’s wings.
“Don’t worry, Luciel,” Uriel added telepathically. “Very soon, I’ll put you right back in the hole Maziel dug you out of!”
“And I just made you my personal mission, Uriel!” Luceefa promised.
But with every distance the group covered, Uriel’s hope for a miracle dwindled even more. So much for The One being some kind of peacemaker or whatever it was Eliel was supposed to be. Michael was gone, Eliel had not shown up yet, and even if he did, what could he possibly do? One archangel could certainly not take on an entire army by himself or herself unless he or she had some sort of super skill that was completely unknown to anyone else. Well, here they were, two factions about to slaughter each other. Hell would fall, of course. But that was not Uriel’s concern. Her only concern was the number of her younger brethren who would perish in this paranoia.
Uriel watched as Raphael gave his first war speech as archangel supreme. Luciel would be doing the same on her end. Not Kazuk of course, because he was clearly a mastermind and somehow had Luciel by the wings. She had to admit, Kazuk certainly had matured a lot. Still, in his acquired smartness, he was too foolish to see what was slowly unraveling in front of him with Luciel’s release. Uriel raised her spear with the rest of the angelic host as they chanted the song of war. She shut her mind to everything else. She would not be able to prevent the deaths of her siblings, but she would minimize Celestia’s losses by maximizing the losses from Hell’s camp with extreme prejudice.
Uriel’s bracelet glowed on her left wrist, her spear disappeared, and a sword formed in each of her hand as flames spewed from her eyes and mouth. She stood at the front line with the other superior archangels. She smiled, realizing how easy it was for her to switch from big sister to war general. Everything has its place, she thought. Uriel looked to her left and her right. The other superior archangels nodded at her. She nodded back. They were ready and waiting for Raphael’s orde
r. Then, she heard a disturbance behind her and turned around to see her personal assistant floating towards her.
“What are you doing, Beliel?” Uriel scolded her. “Return to the back!”
“No disrespect, madam,” Beliel said firmly. “But after everything you’ve done for me, may I be damned if I don’t fight by your side!”
Uriel shook her head, smiled and mentally slapped herself for doing too good a job. She felt proud that Beliel could feel confident enough to stand among those on the front lines.
“I truly admire your courage, my dear,” Uriel said. “But you will not fight by my side just yet. You will be my eyes behind my back. The front line is for the generals, and you are not yet a general. Okay?”
“Yes, madam,” Beliel replied and moved to position herself behind Uriel.
“Good!” Uriel said. “Now, all you have to do is stay alive!”
“I don’t care if my existence ends in this war, as long as it is by your side, madam!” Beliel proclaimed and took her battle stance.
“And I’ll never forget that, sister!” Uriel replied and turned around to wait for Raphael’s orders.
Beliel noticed that Uriel had called her sister for the first time. Too bad she would be the one to sever Uriel’s head!
Hell, with its multitude of different creatures from different parts of Creation, began its charge. Raphael raised his right fist. Celestia waited as Hell charged onwards. Raphael still held up his fist, his weapon not yet summoned. Hell was getting closer, and Raphael’s fist was still held up. Celestia stared at Hell in a unified stare. Hell was getting closer, and Luceefa was leading the charge. While those on her camp either glowed or burned in a mixture of many colors, Luceefa maintained her golden-yellow angelic color. Perhaps to remind her camp that she was their leader. Perhaps it was to let Celestia know that she was one of them regardless. Whatever her reason was, after the war was over, there would be only one supreme leader, and one camp left standing. Raphael smiled, relishing the fact that at long last, he would finish what he would have finished many cycles ago had Michael not stopped him. Raphael brought his fist down and summoned his hammer as Celestia charged.
Suddenly, a brightness that dulled the brightness of Celestia itself flashed between both camps, freezing Celestia and Hell in their respective assault paths. Everyone was stunned at the appearance. As the brightness subsided, an archangel, with his entire body and wings ablaze in a bright, golden flame, and a bracelet on each wrist, gently floated towards the middle of both camps. Uriel could not believe her eyes!
Eliel made a glorious entrance. Eliel, the lowly angel who fell, had returned as the highest-ranking archangel ever. Uriel rejoiced in her heart, and Kazuk was livid. Luceefa was too confused to do anything, and so was Raphael. But Metatron smiled out of the corner of his mouth. He was more impressed than happy that ‘The One’ had finally arrived. Eliel resonated his vocal frequency with the vibrational frequency of Lemuria, a testament that he was also at the level, if not higher, of an archangel supreme.
“There will be no fighting, at least not right now,” Eliel said for everyone present to hear. “Return to your respective realms at once!”
“And who do you think you are?” a general from Hell asked.
Eliel turned his attention towards the general. As soon as he laid eyes on the general, a pair of serpentine eyes manifested above his head. Every angel and creature present coward in fear and awe at the sight. Then, flames shot out of Eliel’s eyes. In an instant, the general from Hell Realm, who dared to defy Eliel, was reduced to nothingness.
“Do I need to repeat myself?” Eliel said.
Raphael and Luceefa hesitated, neither one of them wanting to be the first to leave and look more of a coward than the other. Eliel understood and turned towards Hell camp.
“Off you go now!” Eliel said to Hell Camp.
Luceefa hesitated, but after having seen what had just happened, she decided it would be wise for her not to terminate her new-found freedom so quickly. She gave the order, and Camp Hell began its return home. Raphael gave the order, and Camp Celestia began its return home as well. Uriel stayed behind. She dismissed her weapon and battle gear and returned to her regular outfit. Eliel remained in the vastness of the space between Celestia and Hell that would have been a battleground until everyone had gone, except for Uriel. He too then returned to his regular angelic outfit. Uriel floated towards him. She was cautious at first before she threw caution to the side and rushed into Eliel’s arms. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back.
“I’m so glad you’re here, Eliel!” Uriel exclaimed. “I’m so proud of you! You made it, Eliel! You made it!”
“Yeah, I did,” Eliel replied. “Perfect timing too.”
“By flaming wings, indeed!” Uriel agreed.
Uriel peeled her body away from Eliel’s but lingered close to him.
“Welcome back. I’m so glad you’re here. Wait! I said that already.”
Uriel realized she was babbling and averted her eyes to the ground to hide her embarrassment. Eliel reached for Uriel’s chin and tilted her head upwards so that she was facing him. She gazed into his eyes and could see a fire that burned in them that Michael never had. She saw a new being in those eyes and her confidence in the fact that everything would be alright intensified. Whatever ‘everything’ was, it would be alright. Eliel was here, and he had made his presence felt. But beyond that new being she saw in Eliel’s eyes, Uriel saw the lowly angel she had fallen in love with the very first moment she had laid eyes upon him. And as Eliel kissed her on the lips, angel lights of joy streamed down the corners of her eyes because no matter what had happened during the fall, Eliel had not been lost or replaced. He truly was special. He peeled his lips from hers, and the couple smiled.
“Let’s go home now,” Eliel said, and she loved the new-found authority in his voice. “We have a new order to establish.”
***
Lithilia watched as Camp Hell returned and knew instantly something had gone terribly wrong. She would deal with that later. But first, she had to finish what she had started when they were all away chanting war cries and all-what-not. She was a woman scorned by some creature burning in a violet flame. She had to hunt this creature down; but could not risk doing so as herself. She needed to track down this creature while it was in its ‘human’ form.
Lithilia took the outfit she wore the night she traded punches with Patrick to a domain in Hell. She was hoping that there still would be esoteric traces of the creature on the outfit. She stepped into the seemingly empty domain and dropped to a knee, setting her outfit on the floor. Two bright red orbs formed in front of her. As she reached around the orbs, the body of a hound with thick, dark-gray fur formed out of the emptiness.
“Hello, Chiram!” Lithilia said gently rubbing the hound behind her ears.
Chiram bent down and sniffed on the outfit.
“I can pick up something,” she said, ignoring Lithilia’s greeting.
“Wow, not even a ‘hello,’ Chiram?” Lithilia asked, trying to sound friendly.
“Let’s be clear about something, you bitch!” Chiram retorted. “You and I are not friends! Obviously, you’re here for something. So, start talking!”
“Can’t say I blame you for your hostility towards me, Chiram,” Lithilia tried to sound apologetic.
But Chiram bared her fangs and growled menacingly at Lithilia and Lithilia decided not to push her luck.
“Okay, okay!” Lithilia said. “Could you please find this creature for me?” she asked, pointing at the outfit on the floor.
“Of course, I can,” Chiram spat.
“Good! And when you find the creature, could you please contain it till I get there?” Lithilia asked.
“That will depend,” Chiram said sarcastically.
“On?” Lithilia asked.
“My mood at the time,” Chiram replied with more sarcasm.
“I’ll ignore the attitude, Chiram,” Lithilia burst out, losi
ng her patience. “If you can’t forgive me, that’s fine. I accept that.”
Lithilia stood up and went to the door. She knew Chiram would never forgive her for stealing something so precious from Chiram, despite countless attempts at explaining her reason for her action. Apparently, ‘survival’ was never a good enough reason.
“Thank you and again, I’m truly sorry.”
Lithilia walked out and closed the door behind her.
Chiram stood staring at the door for a few moments. Then, she summoned six other hounds, and they manifested from thin air.
“Get ready, fellow hounds!” she said. “We’re going hunting!”
And the six hounds howled in excitement. It had been a while since there had been any hunting outside of Hell Realm.
***
It was almost 4 a.m., and Sara was sound asleep. It had been another long day and night at the bar, and she had only been sleeping for a little over an hour since she returned home. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and glowed as bright violet orbs. She remained motionless in her bed, sensing a familiar presence in her room. As Sara waited, an avalanche of memories came crashing down from her subconscious. This made her smile. She identified the presence in her room and relaxed.
“Hello, Ashram,” Sara said.
Ashram manifested from the shadows and walked around the bed towards her. His thick white fur glowed beautifully in the glare of the moonlight that pierced through the curtain-less window. He licked her face, and she brushed the fur around his ears.
“It’s been a while, my friend,” he said. “You know why I am here, don’t you?” Ashram asked.
“I know, my dear friend,” Sara replied and smiled as seven pairs of red orbs appeared in the darkness in front of them.
Sara’s eyes glowed brighter, and Ashram’s eyes glowed in a bright, white radiance before Sara spoke again.
“I know, and I remember!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
COUNTER MEASURES
An Archangel's Ache Page 32