The Angels' Pride

by Steven Lindsay

  She quickly didn’t recognise the face staring back at her. She looked older and more mature, no longer the child’s face she seemed trapped in. The makeup accentuated her sharp, delicate features, the eye shadow emphasising her violet eyes. Her hair had been styled in a graceful tumble that fell across her shoulders and framed her face. A large amethyst on a golden chain hung between her breasts, even drawing her eyes to them. The black dress clung to her developing womanly curves while perfectly complimenting her wings and hair. It was hard to tell if they were separate or one and the same.

  She looked beautiful. Her violet painted lips parted in amazement, giving her the look of a seductress.

  “You look like you belong here” Persephone whispered.

  She did. She genuinely looked like she belonged amongst these people. She was one of them. At least in looks.

  Persephone held out her arm “come we have dinner to attend to. It is time you met the other inhabitants of the palace, and we are all interest to know how you ended up in the Underworld.”

  Sariel was led into a smaller banquet hall, designed for cosier dinners. There was a wide circular darkwood table, around which were numerous darkwood chairs with high arched backs. Several fires burned in the fireplaces, the natural fires giving warmth and cheer to the room. The strange blue-white fires added a brighter but colder light to the room. Making the shadows longer and more imposing.

  At the table were several people. Hades sat pride of place with one space on either side of him. The space between him and Demeter was clearly for Persephone while the other space was between him and Hecate. She had no idea who the other people were.

  There was a fierce looking woman with one white wing and one black. Was she a special type of Angel she had never heard of? She had clearly been in the Underworld for a long time, her skin had that pale pallor the rest of them had. Her red glare was enough for Sariel to falter in her step, it was pure hatred and malice.

  There was a man wearing a flowing black shroud with only his skeleton hands poking out the end of his sleeves. They had no flesh, but they moved just like regular hands when he picked up his goblet. Next to Hecate was a woman who didn’t quite look solid. Her pale skin fading in and out of what she thought was spirit. She had two long canine teeth like the Vampire Demons she had read about in the library. Was she a Vampire?

  There were three Human looking men clad in white togas with golden laurels on their brows. They looked at her in fascination. There were also three winged women, fierce looking and dressed in short red robes but their red eyes held no malice when they looked at her.

  There were two shadow men, more shadows in the shape of men than flesh and bone. They looked at her with burning eyes sending shivers down her skin. She had never seen anything less mortal looking. Next to them sat two pale skinned men, Angels perhaps? They both had one pair of glorious black wings and matching black hair. One was asleep while the other stared gloomily into his goblet. They matched each other in loose grey robes.

  As she had thought, Persephone sat between her husband and mother but indicated for her to take the seat between Hades and Hecate. She was here to be witnessed and analysed. All eyes watched her as she sat down, but turned away as she struggled to adjust her six wings comfortably against the back of the chair.

  Everyone turned back to their own conversations leaving her out of the loop. She glanced around the table trying to discreetly study everyone. She noticed there was one empty chair left.

  Time began to pass, and Sariel felt politely ignored. She looked like she belonged but she didn’t really. She grew quickly bored of studying the cutlery and tabletop and just wished the last person would turn up. She was getting fed up of ignoring the fact she was being studied by all at the table.

  As though summoned by her thought the doors opened as the last person entered. She was a strange looking woman. Beautiful, oh so beautiful, but stunning in a completely unnatural and entrancing way. Her long black hair floated around her head unworried by gravity. Her skin was the same pale as everyone else, but all her veins were traced in black. Her fingertips, lips, and eyes were completely black. It was as though she was darkness itself housed in flesh. Sariel wondered if it was true. The Angels had always said the Underworld was populated by creatures of Darkness.

  Most alarmingly she sat down in the empty chair directly opposite her. Her eyes flicked to Sariel as she sat down, holding Sariel transfixed by those dark pools. She was powerless before this woman.

  Then she spoke breaking the spell on Sariel “Well it has been a long time since an Angel was allowed in these halls. Or dared to. But never have I encountered an Angel so innocent.”

  “Nyx this is Sariel, Michael’s sister. She is herself an Arch Angel that has somehow happened upon the Underworld. She was just about so share her story with us all.” Hecate said for her.

  “And here I thought that the entertainment was her execution,” said the red-eyed woman with the malicious glare.

  There was an awkward silence as Sariel looked from her to Hecate before Nyx spoke again “One so innocent cannot be deserving of an execution. She has no crimes to answer for.” The woman snorted in disdain before Nyx continued “if I did not see her wings I would doubt she was an Angel at all. So innocent is she that I would question she was even Divine if it was not so clear.”

  “Why? Angels are pure beings who guide mankind to a brighter future.”

  Everyone laughed at her, cruel and humourless. “My poor girl you are so naive. The Angels have never been guardians of mankind. They are the bastard offspring of the Sun and Sky Gods who usurped Heaven. They brutally killed, enslaved or trapped their rightful masters. You would do well not to mention the lies you have been fed down here otherwise you will find all hostile to you.” It was one of the strange shadow men that spoke, his voice was husky with great age but the enormous power it held pounded against her.

  “She is young and naive, mistreated and deliberately lied to by her own kind. She is unlike any Angel we have ever met because she has been mistreated by the Angels.” Hecate snapped at them all. She felt strangely defensive of Sariel.

  “Curiously Sariel do you know who your parents were?”

  It was pretty standard for Angels not to know who their fathers were in the Age of Gods and sometimes not even know who their mothers were.

  Sariel sighed then swallowed as her throat threatened to dry up “I was born as the War was starting to turn in the Angels’ favour. My parents were killed shortly afterwards leaving me in the care of my brother and his wife. My mother was the Arch Angel Lilith, but I know very little about her, it was rare to find any mention of her in the library. And the other Angels shied away from mention of her. From what I gather, her pregnancy of me was highly unexpected to the other Angels. I think she had left Heaven by then. There appeared to be some incident in Eden.”

  “She married Adam but refused to submit to him. It was a highly strange arrangement considering she was still married to Samael at the time. We were never quite sure why she did it, and yes after she left Eden she seemed to disappear, but it appears she bore at least one more Angelic child.” Hecate interjected.

  Sariel nodded silently thanking her, at least she had another piece of the puzzle that was her life and lineage. “My father was Samael,” there was a sharp intake of breath “as you mentioned they were married, though it does seem a very strange marriage by any standards. I do know more of him, though. He was the first to test Man’s faith. He was also the first Angel of Death, both Michael and I inherited some of his gifts. It has been said Lucifer was his Protégé, and there are hushed whispers about his name. All I know is that he died in the War.

  I do not remember either of them.

  I was given into Michael and Gabriel’s care and raised by them. I led a very lonely childhood, contained within the Governing Palace. In my 1800 years, I was allowed into the citadel six times and never allowed to leave Heaven. I had very little magic to my name, though I was
still crowned as an Arch Angel. I spent my life thinking I was a freak only to discover that they were the reason, they stole my powers to use as they wanted. My uncle made me leave, and I’m worried about his wellbeing in case they figure out it was him that allowed me to escape.

  Perhaps the most important discovery was of the Goddess Brigid imprisoned in the bowels of Heaven” there was much stirring and many looks exchanged between the Gods “she had been transformed into an Elder Angel. I’m not sure what happened, but when I went to free her, I somehow freed myself of my curse.”

  “Containment spells are rather volatile to each other, I imagine the process was quite explosive” Nyx added.

  “Yes, it was. I was passed out when Brigid decided to save me. If I had been found in that cell, I dare not think what would have happened to me. We went to Hera’s palace to seek her assistance in opening a Portal. What we found was sickening, unimaginable cruelty. She was still chained by the chains of her husband, but she had had extra containment spells applied to her. They had tortured her again and again, her fire of Divinity was but a flickering ember such was the torment they had applied to her. They had tortured her for century after century with ever increasing acts of cruelty.” She fell silent shaking in anger. The Gods all looked around at each other, while they were concerned for Hera such actions did not overly concern them. Such acts of cruelty had been very common place amongst the Gods, and such acts had not been uncommon against other Gods.

  Sariel continued on “I freed her and healed her, then we all fled to Mount Olympus to use its Portal. But we were followed by the Angels, Hera threw me in early to protect me, but we were all separated. I hope they are okay.”

  “Believe me, Hera can well look after herself. She is one of the most naturally powerful Goddesses the world has ever seen. Plus she has a brilliant mind for scheming. It was through fear that Zeus chained her to her house. Brigid, I do not know of but as an Angel/Goddess hybrid, I imagine she will be safe no matter where she goes to ground.” Demeter said to her across the table “Both are also Mother Goddesses, they can ask the earth itself for protection. Have no fear of their well-being Sariel.”

  Sariel relaxed feeling a knot of anxiety she hadn’t realised unwind in her.

  “Samael was your father?” someone suddenly asked her. She leaned forward to look. It was one of the pale skinned men with the black wings and hair looking at her with wide black eyes. He was clutching his goblet as though it was trying to kill him. She missed the worried looks the Gods shared with each other. Nyx and the red eyed woman were watching her intently.

  “Yes. He was the first Angel to have black wings, a trait of our family alone. I would guess it was a gift from Samael and Azrael’s father, that was then passed onto Michael and me.”

  “Samael and Azrael are my sons” she dropped her goblet with a clang, the dark red drink splattering across like blood.

  She stared at the man. Her grandfather? “What?”

  “Samael was my son by an Angel, I think she was one of Zeus’ progeny but I could be wrong. As you said, he was the first Elder Angel to have black wings and pale skin much like myself. He held considerable power for a Demigod with a wide array of skills. He was instrumental in the overthrow of Heaven, but he and Lucifer were also instrumental in the proposed peace between Gods and Angels. That was until Michael and Gabriel betrayed them, casting Lucifer into Hell and sealing shut the Underworld. It would seem betrayal runs thick in my lineage.” He hung his head in shame.

  “He was young and power-hungry, something encouraged in the Gods. Who can blame him for his Divine heritage? If we had not been affected, we would have praised him. Indeed, we did praise him for his successes in Persia. He has mortal weaknesses in his Divine mix to make him far more volatile than other Gods.”

  “He still betrayed us mother,” said the winged woman.

  “And yet sister he pushed for peace, he and Lucifer reached out to us before they were betrayed.”

  “This argument has been going since the Underworld was sealed, save it for another time. The more pressing issue is what do we do about Sariel? She has committed no crimes, lived a life of isolation, freed two Goddesses, one of them our own.” Hades ruled over any argument.

  “We accept her into the family of course. Blood is thicker than water, and our blood thicker yet. We have lost so many of our family members in the War. It is heartening to find her, a sign of destiny. The prodigal son’s own innocent daughter has returned in his place. Samael is still Thanatos’ son, and she has committed no wrongs against us. Indeed, she has helped us, and I welcome my great-granddaughter into the family.” She suddenly appeared next to Sariel, pulling her into a hug. Sariel sat there stunned. She and Michael were not alone, Azrael was not their only family, they had a whole clan.

  “Mother you cannot expect me to accept an Angel as my great niece” the red-eyed woman was absolutely horrified.

  “Nemesis you will accept my granddaughter. She is so lost and alone, mistreated by her own brother. She needs us, and I recognise the call of blood.” Thanatos snapped at her.

  Apparently what he had said was final, no one offered any argument, though some looked appalled.

  “I believe that introductions are in order.” Nyx turned to point to each person in turn “I believe you know Hades, Persephone, Demeter, and Hecate. That is Thanatos, your grandfather, the God of Death, next to him asleep is his brother, Hypnos, the God of Sleep. Someone will have to fill him in once he awakens.” She pointed to Nemesis “That is my daughter Nemesis the Goddess of Vengeance. That is my son Charon, who is the Ferryman for the dead. Cerberus is also a family member, he is my niece’s Echidna’s son. The two shadows are my brothers Tartarus and Erebus, our sister Gaia slumbers within the core of the planet unable to rise. You will find many relatives among Gaia’s descendants, Hecate, Demeter, Hades, and Persephone are all distant cousins of yours. Sadly so many were lost during the War.”

  She then pointed to the three red-robed women “They are the Erinyes, family members as well. They once had free reign to chase criminals across the land for which they were widely known as the Furies. Sadly like the rest of us they are wasting away down here.” She pointed to the vampirish woman “That is Mormo an old friend of Hecate’s. The three men are the Judges of the Dead; Aiakos, Minos, and Rhadamanthys. Don’t worry they’re not related to you” she smiled, encouraging a smile from Sariel.

  Nyx stood up, pulling Sariel up with her “Come child, you need your rest and today has been full of surprises. It is a lot to absorb.” Shadows engulfed them both then they were standing in Sariel’s room. Nyx gently kissed her on the forehead sending her to sleep. She used magic to lift her onto the bed and wrap her up in the covers.

  So one of Samael’s children had returned home, life was full of unexpected surprises.

  They all watched Nyx and Sariel disappear into shadows before the room brightened again.

  Hades was the first to break the lingering silence “What do we do with her?”

  “We admit her into our fold, she is my granddaughter. The call of blood has been recognised.”

  “She could be used against us, a spy from Heaven. She may be on a scouting mission, can any of us actually verify her tale.” Nemesis countered.

  “Mother recognised the blood. She is our kin.” Charon finally spoke in his deep haunting voice “And there are ways to prove her story as either fact or fiction. Hecate has the gift of seeing, Mother has mastery of shadows, combined they can see all that shadows have touched.”

  “That is of no use in Heaven, they’ve swamped that place in light since the War.”

  “But the Surface belongs to both day and night, light and shadows. We can find either Hera or Brigid.”

  There was a murmur of appreciation at his wisdom.

  “What if they have remained in Heaven, though, throwing down Sariel as a distraction? My sight does have limitations, even with Nyx’s help.”

  “Hecate it is worth a try. Not
only could it verify Sariel’s story but we can see that Hera is actually well. To think Demeter one of our sisters still lives.” Hades gave his sister a hopeful look which she returned. Family relations had not always been the best, but they had missed their brothers and sisters since the War, presuming they had all been slain.

  “”Yes it is worth a try, what harm can it do? If she speaks the truth then she can stay and be of use, if she speaks lies then I’m sure we all have suggestions of what can be done to her” her smile was cold and savage. The cruelty of the Gods was legendary and with their powers, they were limited only by their imagination.

  “You speak so candidly of my granddaughter’s life.”

  “A granddaughter that you have only just met and known of from today. Where is your Divine sense? She means nothing to us, she is our enemy, the spawn of our enemy. The daughter and sister of our betrayers Samael and Michael. She has been raised by him and that viper Gabriel, how can we accept anything about her. She is the epitome of everything we hate about the Angels. Her sole use lies in the fact that as an Arch Angel she has the potential to break the Curse on Lucifer and free us all from our imprisonment.” She snapped her wings wide, her blood red eyes blazing with her anger.”

  “She has great use either way. Regardless of whether she is trustworthy or not her only possible way to the Surface or Heaven is by descending through Hell and breaking the Curse on Lucifer. She is the tiebreaker to this stalemate we are stuck in. If she speaks true, then Hera sent her to us exactly for that reason. Heaven certainly wouldn’t willingly send one of their Arch Angels into Hell if there were the slightest chance they would break the Curse. I am inclined to believe her, but that doesn’t change her worth.” Hypnos finally roused himself enough to join the conversation, stunning them all. Then his head lolled back on his shoulder as he fell back asleep.