A Gluttony Of Faith

by Steven Lindsay

  As for the rest of the world, there is little to report. The Angels have fallen very quiet though the Caliphate grows around Mecca, and Israel continues to grow in strength. The other Gods have been quiet in their activities too. It seems the whole world has been holding its breath.

  The world has given a clear message to all that it will intervene in nuclear weapons. Many nations have publically announced the disbarment of their nuclear weapons. Whether it is all true remains to be seen, but I feel the world is scared of what might else happen if nukes are ever used again.”

  “As well they should, those things are an abomination against nature.”

  “Well, anti-nuclear sentiment is running extremely high the world over to the point that even nuclear power plants are being shut down. People are unwilling to take any risks.”

  She sighed “I can’t believe I killed all those people.”

  “You did what you had to, no more or less than I would have done. Look at what I did to Amsterdam, the city was destroyed and the people within killed.”

  “But I did it across several nations.”

  “But you were selective, you did not kill everyone. People may have survived Pakistan’s destruction, only time will tell. But at least there was a chance to survive.”

  “Amsterdam’s destruction weighs heavy on you.”

  She nodded “just as heavy as British India’s violent annexation. It shows that we are different from our brethren that they do weigh heavy on us.”

  “I suppose so.”

  “We cannot dwell long in our sorrow for we are both needed. You have a vast empire that adores you and needs your protection.”

  “I don’t think they adore me anymore.”

  Sariel laughed “Oh never fear of that Brigid. Imperial sentiment is at an all-time high. Victoria gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and Sorcha has been planning paired celebrations for your awakening. Britain is celebrating the power of its Goddess. It’s strange, perhaps a way to deal with powers well beyond their control but many have turned you into a figure of pride. Britain has the biggest empire and the most powerful Goddess in the world. Some jokers ever flew a small plane over France dropping flyers declaring your might.

  People are scared, they are terrified of the power you wield, but surprisingly many are viewing it as positively as they can. War was cut short in Asia, our losses were stopped by your power. The media has very carefully been portraying you positively.”

  “I missed Victoria’s delivery?”

  “Yes but she knew you wanted to be there, she is home now. Fae healers are much more impressive than Human hospitals. I can send her in when I leave.”

  “Please, I would like to see her.”

  “Good because she has been in here to see you every day, same with Sorcha. Remember Brigid you are loved more than you are feared.” She patted her cheek as she left. Brigid stared at the door long after Sariel had left. It was funny that her Protégé was the one to comfort her when it was meant to be the other way around.

  Brigid looked up as the door opened, she smiled as Victoria entered holding a little baby girl. Following her was Cathair and Sorcha. Both had that predatory Fae face on, they were on defensive edge for the baby.

  “Sariel told us you were awake.”

  “Yes, after what has turned out to be my longest sleep.” She couldn’t believe she had lost a week.

  “Well you had horrific injuries to recover from, we still cannot believe you survived it. Even the other Gods cannot believe you survived it.”

  “Avalon certainly made a good choice in you. Tough as nails or so I believe they say. Your recovery has been most remarkable, though. The Lifestream has flooded much of the palace, particularly this wing and room to ensure that you recovered.” Sorcha sat down in a chair opposite.

  “Gaia granted me power, that is likely why.”

  Her eyebrows shot up “that would certainly explain it. What a rare honour, she must have approved of your actions.”

  “Who can say” she turned her attention to Victoria as she sat down next to her “and who might this little one be?” she smiled at the baby girl watching her with bright green eyes.

  “Elizabeth” Victoria smiled handing the baby to Brigid.

  She bounced the baby on her knees who giggled and drooled while watching the Goddess. She seemed fascinated by her wings. Brigid plucked a feather out and gave it to the child to play with. “How was your delivery?”

  “Incredibly easy. The midwives and doctors had never seen a smoother birth they said.”

  She chortled “Oh I bet they hadn’t, Divine blood will certainly aid any pregnancy and birth.”

  “Well I was worried for no reason it turned out.”

  “I told you that you had nothing to worry about.”

  Victoria turned to face Sorcha “I was hesitant to believe the Fae about Human births but yes, you were right.”

  “I usually am.”

  Cathair and Victoria rolled their eyes. “I have to thank you for this time Goddess, I did not think I would get to spend so much time with my daughter.”

  Brigid looked into those emerald green eyes and saw a level of understanding that surprised her. Why was it everyone around her understood explicably how she was feeling? It was most unnerving. “Well believe me, it was not my intention but there’s the silver lining.”

  “And I thank you for it Brigid” his fingers snaked around to pull the feather out of his daughter’s mouth. A flash of green and it was as good as new again. She delightedly began to stuff it back into her mouth again. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

  “Don’t act all superior Cathair, you were exactly the same. Always sticking feathers and jewellery into your mouth.” Sorcha smiled wickedly at her son who chose to remain silent. “Come, we have many things to do.”

  The three of them rose to leave, Brigid offered Elizabeth to Victoria, who only smiled and shook her head “No, you’re on babysitting duties while we plan the celebrations.”

  “What celebrations?”

  “Why your triumphant annexation of British India, the vanquishing of a Prophet and the birth of our beloved Princess of Wales.” Sorcha smiled as she walked out “Be good Brigid.”

  Brigid could hear her laughter down the hallway. She turned her attention back to the infant in front of her “and what am I going to do with you?”

  She squalled and grabbed at her emerald necklace. Brigid smiled as she dangled the large emerald in front of the child. She was surrounded with incredible people always on the lookout for her. It must be very lonely being a God when one wasn’t so close to mortals.

  Chapter 41

  A hand broke through the surface of the rubble. Gabriel stared with slitted eyes at the hand she recognised instantly, yet she made no move to help her husband. He had created this, he could help himself.

  The other Arch Angels watched the ruined country with horrified eyes, but they made no move to help any of the Angels struggling to break out of the ruins. Ruins wasn’t really the right word, there was very little to suggest Humanity had ever existed or anything else for that matter. All life had been scoured clean by the apocalyptic maelstrom Brigid had unleashed on Pakistan. Gone were the mountains, deserts, grasslands and rivers they had once known. The only thing that was close to being the same was the River Indus carving a new path through the desolate wasteland.

  Lakes of sea water slowly trickled into the fresh waters or sloshed down the rough faces of cliffs into deep valleys. Mountains had grown and split during Brigid’s rage, valleys had been covered over and carved anew. Storms had barely weathered the wild and rugged landscape that had once been so lush and fertile. There was nothing left to use of Pakistan.

  A small blast revealed Michael heaving himself out of the ground. Terror was written all over his face until he recognised who watched him. However, the eyes that watched him were cold and judging. He would have to face the Council, and it appeared that he had no allies, not even his wife.

&n
bsp; All around him other Angels were clawing their way out of the rubble. He used small blasts to assist them.

  He gazed around the devastation around him, his mind refused to believe that it had once been Pakistan. In the very spot he was had stood an entire army facility, now there wasn’t even anything to suggest a wall. There were no bricks or slabs, no twisted metals or broken beams. There were no corpses, no plants, no broken pipes gushing water nor downed power lines. There was no city, no roads, no sign of civilisation in any direction.

  The dark, desolate landscape bore little resemblance to the bright and sun-scorched Pakistan he had known. The clouds above swirled menacingly, winds tore across the barren landscape whipping up sandstorms. He could not fathom the destruction around him.

  What the Hell had he done?

  “Your presence has been demanded by the Council. You and all your Angels will report immediately to the Council chambers.” Oh, how his wife’s voice burned with ice. She was furious, and it would appear that the other Arch Angels were just as furious.

  Surprisingly many Angels stood with him in the Council chambers, but so many had been lost in India and Bangladesh. For whatever reason the sweeping slaughter Brigid had enacted in India and Bangladesh had not swept through Pakistan. Then again seeing what he had climbed out into it was doubtful anyone had thought anything would have survived.

  “Lord Michael, you have been summoned by the Council to explain your actions of which have resulted in the destruction of Pakistan and the ruination of all our plans for the subcontinent and the loss of hundreds of Angels. In breach of the Council’s decision, not more than two months ago, you have used nuclear weapons to attack Varanasi to disastrous consequences. What do you have to say for yourself?” Ariel didn’t bother to hide the contempt from her voice.

  “I failed dramatically. Yes, I broke the Council’s edict and used nuclear weapons. I ordered their use on Varanasi because I had seen the destructive potential of them when used against Ariel. I deliberately sought that potential to eradicate the viper’s nest of Varanasi and also to destroy the Greater Demon Lilith.”

  “Yet you failed dramatically. Instead, she is alive and well, now governing British India. Varanasi has been healed from all its scars, all our efforts in the subcontinent have been for naught.”

  “Who could have foreseen what would have happened?”

  “That is exactly why their use was banned because we understand almost nothing about them. And despite winning the War we still understand so little about the Gods’ powers.”

  “That was not an example of the Gods’ powers. That was something else. Brigid is no longer just a Goddess.”

  “And what has she become? A Primordial Goddess? Ha! Such things do not happen.”

  “Actually, they can. Studying the region revealed a great deal of Gaia’s powers were used.” Gabriel’s words chilled the whole Council. If Gaia were to wake, she could kill them all in a heartbeat. Fortunately, she had not risen from her slumbers when Hell’s Curse was broken. No one knew why but they were all relieved by it.

  But Ariel was in fine form, for she was the undisputed voice of the Council and other Arch Angels today. “Look what your actions have released. Your actions were in direct violation of the Council and the loss of our plans and fellow Angels in unacceptable.” She glanced around the room, there were nods or brief flickers of communication. The vote was unanimous.

  “Lord Michael, you are hereby stripped of all rank and power, you are the least of the Elder and will be treated as such until such a time to have redeemed yourself. You will hold no vote among your fellow Archs or within the Council. You are restrained to Heaven unless on the specific recommendation of the Council. You will be taught humility, and you will wield no power until you have been properly humbled.”

  Michael looked around horrified at all the cold faces watching him. Even Raphael, Azrael, and Gabriel held no compassion in their gazes. He couldn’t believe what was happening, for it had never happened in the history of the Council. This was unprecedented but then so were the actions that had caused it.

  He lowered his head “as the Council wishes.”

  “Then take your seat, Michael, the Council has more pressing concerns.” She pointed at a now vacant seat next to the door. He ignored the looks of all in the room as he went and sat down, he would not show them what they wanted to see. He would not beg or barter, nor would he give them the scene they wanted. But inside he was seething. How dare they do this to him.

  “Now Jophiel, you are first. How fares our European plans?”

  “Particularly well currently. The European Parliament is completely under our control, all dissenters have been removed. We are trying to keep it hidden, but Europe is currently gathering it armies and assessing its military potential.”

  “So the assault on Britain will go smoothly?”

  “Who can say? In this war anything is possible. We had counted on the fighting in India to distract Brigid and much of Britain’s armies but now they have been freed up for other duties.”

  “They are still fighting in Africa, but Abaddon seems to be conceding territory. We need something to distract them enough that they become vulnerable.” As for what Raphael had no clue.

  Strangely enough, it was Azrael that offered a possible solution. “Is not Egypt still a war zone? Egypt once belonged to Britain. If we were to actually secure it would certainly be tempting. And while they are distracted with Africa is when we can attack.”

  “That is a viable idea. We will discuss it later.”

  Azrael nodded. Of course, Britain would attack, Samael would do as directed, what they didn’t know was that Britain would be well aware of the planned attack on it while it was apparently vulnerable.

  Michael ignored the pitying and satisfied look in people’s eyes as he walked back to his rooms but he made sure to note who gave him what. He would regain his position, the only way an Arch Angel permanently lost their position was by being cast out of Heaven. Besides, he had been the military commander of Heaven ever since he had risen to be an Arch Angel.

  He walked into his rooms instantly aware that someone waited for him.

  Gabriel sat in her favourite chair watching him, there was concern and anger in those eyes. As ever Gabriel was an explosive mix of different emotions. She watched him with those beautiful violet eyes. “Have you recovered?”

  “From the shock? No”

  “I meant your injuries.”

  “I have recovered.”

  He saw the concern in her eyes wither “how could you have been so stupid Michael?”

  “Are you telling me you wouldn’t have done the same if you thought it would grant you an easy victory?”

  She paused, and he could see her running the scenario through her mind “perhaps but not in lands belonging to any of the powerful Goddesses. I would have used it in Egypt or Crete.”

  “That is easy to say in hindsight.”

  “It is but I understand the nature of Mother Goddesses far better than you. When it comes to nurturing the Earth their powers can take many forms and should it be threatened they can be granted extraordinary powers. As we saw.” She paused “though even I struggle to believe the amount of power Brigid had at her disposal. It is most troubling.”

  He sighed as he sunk down into a couch. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Still it would seem he had plenty of time to recover.”

  Surprisingly she moved to his side, pulling his head across her breasts “you should rest Michael, you have had some troubling days.”

  He loved his wife, but he had trouble understanding her. Even by Divine standards she was emotionally unpredictable.

  She stroked his hair as he closed his eyes. “Rest my dear, there is little for us to do currently.”

  “You are sure of this?”

  When his brother didn’t respond Samael glanced at him, he was watching him with a level gaze that said, of course, he was sure.

  Samael sho
ok his head at his foolishness. Azrael didn’t make educated guesses or jumps in logic. He reported facts. “Why would Heaven be so foolish as to attack Britain itself?”

  “Who can say? Desperation perhaps? There are many things I am not privy to. Perhaps they feel sure of victory but why they feel that way I cannot say. Gabriel may have created whole new armies, Hell is still not cut off from her.”

  “I will pass this onto Brigid, but this troubles me. Why would they dare attack Britain?”

  “The plan included the overextension of the empire in Africa and Asia but with Brigid’s remarkable response to the nuclear attacks the plans have had to be altered. I suggested that Egypt becomes a focus, Brigid does have eyes on it, but it is currently ruled by other who will not submit.”

  Samael smiled “it is times like now that I see you have spent too long around me.”

  “Every Divine has their own agenda, it is those that work with several at a time that are the most likely to succeed.”

  Hypnos walked into Tartarus’ rooms unsure as to why he had been summoned. There were few things that linked them together in power or politics. Neither of them had spent much time on the Surface since it had been unlocked to them. Nor had either of them joined any empires or lent their strength to those who had.

  He was not in his apartments but stood out on his balcony, looking down on the gates to his realm hidden beneath the fire and smoke. The fiery pits were often called Tartarus or Erebus, both of them had power in that section of Hades, but in truth, it was merely the gateway to the Underrealms beneath. They were collectively called Tartarus, and he was its master, but even he had not traversed them. They were a strange collection of forgotten realms and dangers.

  It was where the Gods had sealed away their greatest opponents and dangers. The last time that had occurred was after the Olympians had won the Titanomachy. They had sealed them away behind the gates of adamantine. It was unusual that they had not been killed, but when so many were the direct descendants and offspring of Gaia it was wise to play it safe. Many of her children had been sealed away in Tartarus, but that too was not without dangers.