The Genesis of Seven

by Sara M Schaller

  We did not answer right away, but eventually, there was a resounding, “Yes.”

  “Good. Let me explain how it will happen.” She motioned with her hand to Metatron, who brought another wooden box to the table. Seraphiel slid it next to the first but did not open it. “Each of you were chosen to be on this council because Father deemed you all strong enough and capable enough to protect a sphere. He assigned a gemstone to each of you, and the rings you wear are an indication of this.”

  I glanced down at my danburite ring and then set my gaze on the open wooden box, where a danburite sphere could be seen among the rest.

  “As you all now know,” she continued, “these spheres can be united into one through a process known as the Union of the Spheres. Father has done everything in His power to make this process nearly impossible by creating a series of keys. The first key is known as the Classic Key. These keys are already in your possession.”

  Metatron demonstrated by laying his metal key in front of him on the table, the same one that opened the door to the council room.

  “The second key is known as the Gemstone Key.” Seraphiel opened the second wooden box to reveal a set of twelve gemstones. They were small enough to hold in the palm of one’s hand, and each had a unique shape. She selected a Gemstone Key and placed it in front of Metatron. The stone now sat next to the metal key. Seraphiel then reached into the first wooden box and pulled out a matching sphere, which she also placed in front of him.

  “All of these objects are necessary to complete the Union. For the angels remaining in Heaven, I will now distribute them to you.” She went about the room, placing the small gemstones and spheres in front of Ariel, Raziel, Tzaphkiel, and Sandalphon. “I expect you all to protect these items and keep them in a safe place.”

  The four of them and Metatron nodded.

  “As for those who will be traveling to Earth, your items will be hidden away in specific locations. I need you all to hand over your Classic Keys so they can be hidden as well.”

  Alarmed, Zadkiel asked, “How are we supposed to enter the council room?”

  Seraphiel looked at him. “After this meeting, you will not need to enter the council room.”

  “We are being sent down so soon?” Raphael asked.

  “Yes.”

  Voiceless, we struggled to come to terms with the magnitude of this. I reached for the key hanging at my side and took it off its chain, then passed it reluctantly to Seraphiel before standing back to watch the others do the same.

  “Will we know the locations of the keys and the spheres?” I asked when everyone was seated.

  She nodded. “Yes. The Classic Keys will be hidden at the Ancient Wonders of the World, the Gemstone Keys at the Natural Wonders of the World, and the spheres at the Modern Wonders of the World. Exact locations will be revealed to each of you individually as you depart. These precautions have been put in place for safety measures. All of you knowing the locations would be dangerous.”

  “Why?” Raziel asked.

  “Because there is always the possibility someone might stray from the path.”

  We all knew what she was trying to say. The empty chair at the table was a sad reminder.

  “What about his keys and sphere?” Michael wondered, staring at the empty seat.

  “They have been hidden in a similar manner, entrusted to others for protection. You should not concern yourself with them. Father has made sure anything heavenly associated with Satan is renounced. All that matters is we hide his keys and sphere.”

  It made sense now why Seraphiel had demanded Samael return his council room key before he was cast out of Heaven. The object was a significant piece in an intricate puzzle, one that could not fall into the wrong hands. Everyone remained quiet, but I knew each of us was thinking about the immeasurable impact of Seraphiel’s words.

  “That is all I have to say,” she concluded. “The seven of you to be sent down may go and collect your things. Once you are finished, please come to the castle in High Heaven for your departure.”

  With that, she left the tower.

  We sat unmoving in the heavy silence.

  Metatron finally cleared his throat. “I believe this meeting is adjourned.” He paused. “I will miss all seven of you, and I wish you luck on your journey.”

  There was a chorus of well-wishes from the angels who were staying behind as the seven of us stood and walked out of the council room together. With appreciative nods and glances, we all went our separate ways and prepared as best we could for our fate.

  21

  Jordan

  Africa, Present Day

  Gabriel still had that faraway look in his eye as Zadkiel finished explaining the Wonders and the Keys. I didn’t want to dwell on the subject too much since it was obviously hard for him to relive the moment, but there were questions I needed answers to.

  “Has Satan retrieved his keys and sphere?”

  “We don’t know. Ever since he managed to escape Hell and travel to Earth, all our prior assumptions about him have been challenged. Retrieving his keys might not be impossible after all.” Zadkiel looked dejected.

  I understood that feeling. The magnitude of the fallen’s strength certainly left me dejected too. But I had other another thought.

  “How is all this possible? I thought there were only seven Ancient Wonders.”

  “History has done a good job of erasing anything linked to Satan when he fell, which is no coincidence,” Zadkiel said. “Anything associated with Satan was either disavowed entirely or was completely reinterpreted to signify something evil. For instance, the raven didn’t always have dark connotations, but now, many consider them to be a sign of evil or death.”

  “The raven is Satan’s bird?” I thought back to the time at Gabriel’s apartment when the angels’ birds landed on his balcony.

  “Correct. My point is, there were Eight Wonders of the World at some point, but the eighth no longer exists. Or, it might still exist but is no longer considered a Wonder.”

  “Weren’t the Wonders of the World destroyed?” I asked as the realization dawned.

  “The Ancient ones, yes, for the most part. Many of them were either attacked, destroyed, or severely damaged by humans and natural occurrences. We had to extract the Classic Keys when this happened, so now they are safe with us at all times, locked away in our chests, which only open at our hand. The Gemstone Keys and spheres remain at the other Wonders. All that matters is the keys and spheres are safe.”

  “For now,” Gabriel amended.

  I stared at my notebook and realized by the time this was all over, I would have numerous journals chronicling everything I learned from the angels.

  Uriel came to join us under the tree.

  “Where have you been?” I asked.

  “Trying to evade Dr. Parr. She’s been trying to get me to dance ever since the festivities started.”

  “I take it you don’t dance?”

  Uriel stared at me, unamused.

  Raphael elbowed me in the side and said, “She must have taken a liking to him.”

  As I smiled at his joke, a group of children ran over and picked up Gabriel’s violin, gesturing for him to play. This small act was exactly the distraction he needed. The angel immediately retreated from his thoughts and stood to accept the instrument. Satisfied, the children ran off again to keep dancing.

  The rest of us remained quiet as we sat under the tree watching the festivities and basking in the spirit of the moment. Gabriel played his violin, the African men continued to drum, and the women sang, but the melody had a different pace and a magical quality. Gabriel strung out notes with ease, perfectly combining his sound with that of the tribespeople to create a symphony of music that was evocative and unlike anything I’d heard before. I finally understood why he was an angel of music. There was an effortlessness to the beautiful rhythm, and his melody held the attention of every person around—though he didn’t seem to notice as he lost himself in the act of play
ing.

  When the music and celebration ended, I retired to the tent, placing the backpack under the cot with my duffel before settling in to sleep. After such a pleasant evening, I didn’t expect my dreams to be filled with nightmares, but there was screaming and shouting, an explosion of fire, someone yelling my name…

  The next thing I knew, I was suffocating.

  My eyes flashed open, and a skull tattoo met my gaze. Automatically, I grasped at my neck in a futile attempt to pry free the powerful hands that were gripping it. Losing oxygen fast, my vision blurred as I stared up at the menacing face and bottomless black eyes. My hands refused to keep up the fight, and my attacker leered down, recognizing the signs of life creeping away.

  I didn’t want to die. My body went lax, and my brain refused to work. My eyes were beginning to close when a voice inside my head yelled, Run.

  Remembering Sister Helen’s plea, I struggled with all my might to get free.

  The man lifted a hand from my throat to restrain me.

  Think, Jordan…

  And then the fence scene flashed before my eyes, the moment I was miraculously released thanks to holy water.

  The grenade.

  I fumbled along the bedside table, feeling for the glass ball. When my hand closed around it, instinct kicked in, and I slammed it against the fallen angel’s face.

  “Argh!”

  Glass sliced my hand. The tension around my neck eased. The man erupted into screams of agony while I choked for air.

  My lungs burned. Finally, I could breathe again, and my vision slowly returned. But I wasn’t safe yet. Stumbling, I gripped the table and advanced toward the front of the tent.

  The second I tasted fresh air on my lips, I was dragged back to the ground.

  My attacker had regained his composure but half of his face was burned. As he pulled me back by the ankle, I gripped the tent pole with both hands, smearing blood over the metal and pushing the glass remnants deeper.

  “Help!” I cried out, hoping the angels would hear. “Let go of me!”

  When I kicked my feet in defense, he slammed his fist into my face. Everything went black for a moment, dots coloring my vision.

  That was when an arrow came whizzing through the tent and landed in the fallen angel’s chest. The force of the weapon propelled him backward, and he released my foot.

  Once again, I tried to stand, but my ankle was twisted. Off-balance, I managed to stumble out of the tent and into a scene of chaos.

  “Jordan!”

  Uriel came running to my side, a crossbow in his hand. He threw my arm over his shoulders so I could brace against him and make a fast getaway. We hobbled through the camp as fire blazed around us. Screams could be heard in the smoky distance.

  A lone figure emerged from the noise and smoke. It was Zadkiel, holding a hand axe. He rushed forward to support my right side.

  “We need to get out of here!” he shouted.

  Uriel’s eyes were wide. “What about the others?”

  “They’ll take care of it.”

  “No. We leave together.”

  “Jordan is our top priority right now. We need to get him to safety.”

  That was about all I heard as everything went black again.

  I felt the distinct sensation of flying. I couldn’t tell if it was my condition and the head trauma, or if Uriel and Zadkiel made their escape by taking to the sky. In either case, I regained consciousness in the back of a speeding vehicle. Raphael was looming over me, treating my injuries. We were surrounded by haphazardly thrown luggage. Two others sat up front.

  I stared up at the night sky. The car had no roof. Small pinpricks of pain struck my hand. A bird seemed to be flying overhead, its wings spread wide. Blinking, I followed its flight as it grew larger, realizing it wasn’t a bird at all.

  Gabriel descended upon the car, grasping the exposed roll bar to right himself. He held the backpack in his other hand and gave it to whoever was in the passenger seat. Lowering his wings, he jumped down from the bar and crouched next to Raphael.

  “How is he?”

  “Not well. He has a concussion. I’m trying to pry these glass bits out of his hand, but they’re lodged in pretty deep. Gave him some meds for the pain and some antibiotics so he doesn’t get an infection. He’s awake and hasn’t said a word, so I hope they’re working.”

  Concern was plastered across Gabriel’s face.

  “How did you manage to get the backpack?” Zadkiel asked.

  “Force.”

  “Did you take any of them down?” Uriel asked.

  “No, didn’t have time.” Gabriel glanced at Raphael. “I’m sorry about what happened.”

  “You needn’t apologize. If this was anyone’s fault, it was mine. If I’d agreed to leave with you sooner, none of this would have happened.”

  “We all made mistakes tonight, Raphael.” Gabriel focused on me. “I just hope we can rectify them.”

  The small pinpricks turned numb as the pain medicine took over. I closed my eyes and faded into unconsciousness.

  The next time I woke up, I was lying in a bed, and morning light was streaming in through a curtained window. I blinked several times to get my bearings. My head pounded, and my throat was sore. I shifted my body and groaned at the ache in my right ankle from where the fallen angel had gripped my foot. Lifting my arm, I went to rub my eyes and discovered a bandage around my right hand.

  Trying not to panic, I put my arm back down and lay there, not knowing where I was or who I was with. It looked like a hotel room. I opened my mouth to speak, but my dry throat kept me mute.

  When the bedroom door opened, letting in more light, I was able to distinguish Gabriel entering the room. He approached the bed as I attempted to sit up.

  “You’re awake,” he said in apparent surprise, reaching out to help me sit straight against the pillows.

  I nodded, which triggered a crashing headache. With a grimace, I lifted my hand to my head. “Where are we?” I croaked out.

  “Johannesburg.” Gabriel reached for a glass of water on the bedside table. He gave it to me, and I took a few sips.

  Swallowing hurt too.

  Gabriel left my side briefly and went to the door. “Raphael, he’s awake.”

  The other angel entered the room. “How are you feeling?”

  I eyed him skeptically. “Terrible. But I’ll survive.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.” He unraveled the bandage and inspected my hand, applying some medicine and a fresh compress. When he went to touch my face, I stopped him.

  “What’s wrong with my face?”

  “That punch caused some damage. Bruising, a black eye, and a deep cut.”

  I chuckled. “Is that why it hurts so much?”

  “You’re lucky to be alive,” Gabriel said.

  “Please, don’t start with that again. I understand now why you were all surprised when I escaped them the first time.”

  “That’s not what I meant—”

  I cut him off. “How long have I been out?”

  “A few days,” Raphael answered.

  I sighed. “We’re behind. We need to find the others.” I moved to get out of bed.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Raphael halted my efforts.

  “We need to leave.”

  “You’re not going anywhere yet,” Gabriel said.

  “Fine.” I gave in, struggling to think through the horrible headache. “What exactly happened?”

  “Ambush,” Uriel said from the doorway.

  “The Six attacked with a crew of demons,” Zadkiel clarified, entering the room with him.

  “The demons set fire to the camp as a distraction,” Uriel said. “Raphael, Zadkiel, and I went to deal with them.”

  “I stayed behind,” Gabriel explained, “to guard you. But The Six attacked me all at once. One of them managed to retrieve the backpack, and when that happened, they took to the sky. I followed, thinking you would be safe since the bag was no long
er in your possession.” He shook his head. “I was wrong. I should have realized I was only chasing five.”

  “Gabriel, it’s not your fault. Even you can’t be in two places at once,” I said.

  “But it is my fault. And I swear, it will never happen again.”

  “How were they able to touch the bag?” I thought back to the holy water.

  “They had gloves on…some special kind,” Gabriel said.

  I reached for the cross hanging around my neck. “Is that why this didn’t hurt him when he choked me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And the tribespeople? What happened to them?”

  Raphael looked away, unable to answer.

  “A handful were killed in the attack. They tried to help us fight the demons. Most of them made it to safety though,” Uriel said.

  As this information sank in, so too did the shock. “And the doctors?”

  “All of them made it out except one. Dr. Reynolds took on one of the demons to save a child. I’m not sure you met her,” Uriel said solemnly.

  “And Dr. Parr?”

  “She’s fine. Raphael left her in charge. She was more than willing to fill the role,” Uriel explained.

  “Raphael, I’m so sorry.” I set my eyes on the dejected angel.

  He shook his head. “It’s not your fault. I should have left with you. Instead, I put the natives and my team in danger.”

  “But you can’t blame yourself. How were we supposed to know the fallen were closing in?”

  “I see your point, Jordan, but it doesn’t change the way I feel. If anything, I’m more invested in my duty now than I was before, as I must put a stop to the evil that took my earthly friends.”

  We all fell to silence at the gravity of Raphael’s words.

  “What now?” I asked eventually.

  Gabriel sighed and paced. “I don’t know. We have three cities left, but I’m not so sure this is the right thing to do anymore.”

  “Why not?”

  “Jordan, look at yourself. You’re injured and incapacitated. You expect me to continue on like nothing happened, when in reality, you were nearly killed?”