Angel Incarnate: Second Sight

by Linda Creel

  “This is not why we have come.”

  “You should listen to him,” Lucifer warned. “I’m sure Michael doesn’t want my young prisoners to suffer because of your impudence.”

  Gabriel’s jaw clenched, the muscles in his forearms tightened, yet his voice remained calm. “You dare speak of the seers you took against their will?”

  Lucifer couldn’t contain his smirk.

  “Don’t worry; they are safe – well, as safe as can be expected. You can thank your Father for giving them some added protection. Of course they won’t be returning home any time soon. I do enjoy their company; they are still quite spirited after all these years. I’m certain they will be delighted to know their young friends are alive. Perhaps if I promise not to harm the guardians, the seers will be more receptive to helping me.”

  Michael shook his head.

  “They will never use their second sight to aid you; Heaven has forbidden it. We know your son abuses Esra’s husband. If you’re trying to use him as a pawn to persuade the children to do your bidding, you’ll have to try harder. Fionn’s faith is unwavering.”

  “Yes, that is unfortunate,” Lucifer sighed.

  “I hoped the children would want to end their uncle’s suffering, yet Fionn has survived Mortriel’s torture for more than a century now, and I don’t really see any end in sight. Esra should not have given the mortal her blood; it has only prolonged his agony. Speaking of my sister -- how is she? I do hope she isn’t planning a family reunion anytime soon.”

  “Esra is no longer your sister, just as you are no longer our brother. You will never be forgiven for killing your own kind. One day, you may find yourself a prisoner, and then, perhaps someone will end your suffering,” Gabriel said.

  Lucifer’s smile dissipated, leaving his face ugly and twisted.

  “You should take caution in your tone, Brother. I have the dagger of your wife, Dionese, and she will never awaken from her glass tomb, as long as it remains in my possession.”

  Knowing he had finally gotten under the fallen angel’s skin, it was Gabriel’s turn to be smug.

  “I do not fear you, Dark Wing. You may have two of the sacred gifts, but they are useless without the others, which are well protected.”

  “Aren’t you forgetting about the bow? As I recall, it was broken, and part of it fell to earth during our little scuffle. Sooner or later someone will find it.”

  “Is that why you’re here – to find the bow? You should realize, no matter how hard you try, you will never have access to angel-fire.”

  Lucifer waved his hand in dismissal.

  “I believe we are at an impasse. Each of us has something to gain, and something to lose, if we do not respect each other.”

  He stood and sighed in annoyance.

  “This conversation is beginning to bore me. I’ll take my leave, but you’ll be hearing from me again. Or, perhaps I should send Mortriel to check on the girls. He’ll be pleased to know they are alive and well.”

  Before Tracy could stop her, Bren had wriggled free of her sweater and headed towards the fallen angel. Tracy had no choice but to follow.

  The hawk, with wings extended, hissed and circled above the angel-blood’s heads, determined to keep them safe.

  “Don’t you dare threaten my Uncle Gabe,” Bren shouted. “I know who you are, and you had better leave now before you get hurt!”

  Lucifer’s face changed into a deep scarlet color and black horns began to grow out of his head. When he extended his arms, a fiery red flame appeared in the palm of his hands.

  “You weak little fool; do you think I fear you?”

  “No, but you should,” Tracy said.

  Her jaw tightened, and she thrust out her tiny chest before raising her own small hands.

  The sky grew dark and gale force winds appeared out of nowhere, bending the large oak tree nearly to the breaking point. A swill of water then fell from the sky, extinguishing the flames, and leaving the fallen angel totally drenched.

  Bren stared at her young friend. She knew Tracy’s father, Adam could summon the weather, but she had no idea her best friend was blessed with the gift. Then again, Esra did say Tracy had been given extra abilities when she was reincarnated.

  Wringing the excess water from his shirt, Lucifer rolled his eyes and stepped closer to the little ones.

  “So, when you were reborn, the Creator gave you additional powers. That will make things so much more interesting.”

  Seconds later, a lightning bolt, so powerful it caused the earth to quake, landed in front of Lucifer’s feet.

  The fallen angel was nearly knocked to the ground, but Bren and Tracy stood defiantly still, unaffected by the rumbling motion. The Almighty Father was sending his own message; these children were under his personal protection.

  Still dripping, Lucifer stared at the young angel-bloods.

  “I’ll leave, but rest assured you haven’t heard the last of me.”

  “Stay away,” Michael warned. “Should any harm come to them, you will suffer Father’s wrath a second time.”

  “I think you should heed Father’s warning,” Gabriel added, “but knowing you, I would be disappointed if you listened to us.”

  “Let’s understand each other -- your Creator is not my Father. Still, I wouldn’t dream of harming these little ones. They are more valuable to me alive.”

  They may be protected, but their mortal friends are fair game.

  Lucifer was still chuckling as he vanished behind the trees.

  When the swords disappeared, Bren and Tracy wrapped their arms around Gabriel who pulled them into his chest.

  Michael continued to stare at the park, half expecting one of Lucifer’s minions to pop out from behind the trees. Thankfully, no one came. He turned to Bren and began to scold her.

  “You should have stayed inside. Now, Lucifer knows you and Tracy are alive.”

  “Relax, at least he doesn’t know about Aura yet,” Bren argued.

  “I’ve never known a dark wing to be able to avoid the wards and enter our valley. Who was he?” Tracy asked.

  Michael gazed at Bren who shrugged her shoulders. Esra had warned her not to give the necklace to Tracy, so she had no idea the fallen angel who just left was Lucifer.

  “We should speak inside,” Michael said. “Who else is home?”

  “Just my mother,” Bren said. “I can have her to send a message to Daddy and ask him to come home.”

  “That won’t be necessary. We will speak to your father when the Guild meets with the Council this evening.”

  Bren’s father, Paul Allheart, and Tracy’s father, Adam Dunn, who was Paul’s best friend, were both members of the Guild who lived permanently in the valley of Aeden.

  Three other members of the Guild resided in Savannah, Georgia, but were often traveling around the country, keeping watch on those who refused to acknowledge their heritage, preferring instead to live as mortals.

  Protecting them from the fallen angels was often difficult because they lacked the skills and training afforded those who embraced their birthright.

  Since the numbers of angel-bloods had increased in the last century, two colonies were established – one in Europe, and the other in Australia.

  They were self-governed, and the Guild tried not to interfere with their politics, as long as it didn’t threaten the well-being of their own children. A few families, wanting greater protection, lived in and around the valley.

  Bren and Tracy led the archangels back to Aura’s house where Eve was waiting. She greeted each of them with a hug.

  Aura occupied the house with her godfather, Howard, and his son, Rusty, but the rest of the family spent as much time there as in their own homes. Maybe because Aura made it so welcoming, or maybe it was because she was an exceptional cook who always prepared enough food for an army.

  Most angel-bloods waited until their seventeenth birthday to move away from home, but because Aura felt such a strong bond to her godfather, permissi
on was given for her to move out when she was three years of age.

  She lived right next door, and since her mother was a seer, there was nothing to worry about… until now.

  Lucifer had never been brazen enough to venture into their valley before today, and his presence meant some devious plot was underway.

  The house was magnificent, resting on five acres of unspoiled land and measuring over twenty thousand square feet. From the twelve foot mahogany entrance doors, to the rich cherry furniture, the home was spacious and tastefully decorated.

  Large cathedral ceilings were covered by hand painted murals of angels; a scene that would have impressed Michelangelo. Even though it boasted an old world charm, all the modern conveniences were included.

  Big-screened televisions with surround sound speakers, and every kind of video game could be found in the family room, but the sweet spot was the updated kitchen which exhibited state of the art appliances.

  The hand-carved mahogany table in the dining room, could seat one hundred, and if more space was needed for friends and family, a smaller, identical dining set was brought up from the basement which could seat fifty of the younger angel-bloods.

  “Can you stay for dinner?” Bren asked Gabriel. “Mom isn’t much of a cook, but we could order some Chinese.”

  Michael shook his head. “Not this time, but we promise to come back soon.”

  Gabriel rarely left Heaven, and Bren treasured every second with him. Next to Tracy, he was her favorite person in the world. Well, maybe not as special as Santa Clause, but he was close.

  Bren had hoped to see her Uncle Gabe when she visited Esra earlier that morning, but his duties must have kept him away.

  She couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. With her eyes staring at the floor, she couldn’t even look him in the eye; he might see the tears slipping down her cheeks.

  “OK, I know you’re busy fighting the bad guys.”

  Grabbing his little protégé and throwing her into the air, Gabriel started laughing.

  “It is a never ending job. One day we will again fight on the battlefield together, my little warrior.”

  The sadness in Bren’s face was quickly replaced by a smile.

  “Did you hear that Trace? We’re gonna fight the bad guys with Uncle Gabe. I’d like to take a crack at Lucifer’s son, Mortriel. I owe him.”

  Tracy gave Bren a quizzical stare. “What did he ever do to you?”

  He killed both of us, but don’t worry, when your memory comes back, you’ll understand. “It’s what he did to Heaven,” Bren said, not wanting to break her promise to Esra.

  When everyone was seated, Eve served chocolate milk for Bren, strawberry for Tracy, and hot tea for the others. There were already brownies on the table – left by Aura before she went to New York.

  “I would prefer one of those cola soft drinks, if it’s not too much trouble,” Gabriel said.

  Bren hopped off the chair and brought a cold Pepsi from the refrigerator. Gabriel popped the top and emptied the can in seconds. Bren replaced it with a new can and made a mental note to always stock plenty of Pepsi for when her uncle stopped by.

  “Are you going to tell us who that Dark Wing was?” Tracy asked.

  “You must be very careful. Lucifer doesn’t often leave the underworld,” Michael warned.

  The little ones scooted off their chairs and climbed onto Gabriel’s lap.

  “Lucifer -- how could he get into our valley? Shouldn’t Gideon’s shield keep him out?” Tracy asked as she snuggled closer to Bren.

  “No one knows what powers the dark one retained when he was cast out of Heaven. His white wings are gone, but he has other means to travel between this realm and his own. Apparently, he isn’t affected by my brother’s shield,” Gabriel remarked.

  “Why would Lucifer come here?”

  Michael reached for one of the brownies. He chose his words carefully, not wanting to allude to his suspicion that Lucifer was there to confirm Aura was alive. “We suspect he is looking for the bow of Bodhi.”

  “My grandfather’s bow was broken during the war,” Tracy said. “The weapon doesn’t work anymore because Daddy says half of it is still in Heaven, and the second half is nowhere to be found. Why would he want something that doesn’t work?”

  “Your father is partly correct, but the bow still holds some powers, and if Lucifer were to find the second half… Well, we mustn’t allow that to happen.”

  Tracy placed her arms on the table, resting her chin in her hands, and disregarding what anyone thought of the scowl on her face.

  Bren patted her on the back. “Don’t worry; we’ll find the bow and return it to Heaven. Then we’ll set everything right again.”

  Tracy turned and smiled sheepishly at her friend. If Bren believed it, then she would too.

  “I know you may have some knowledge of the Great War in Heaven. It was a terrible time -- a civil war where brothers turned against brothers, fathers against sons and daughters, and husbands turned on their wives and children. Angels rebelled against angels,” Michael said.

  “Lucifer became arrogant, thinking he was as powerful as the Almighty,” Gabriel added.

  “He was always jealous of our fathers love for his mortal children, and believed angels should be superior to all living creatures. In some ways they were, given their divinity, but Father loved all of his children the same.”

  Visions of the war flashed in front of Bren as she felt an ache in her chest again. She watched the scene silently, as angel after angel fell dead to the ground.

  The youngest were the most defenseless; not having access to any weapons, they were sitting ducks. Though Bren had witnessed this scene many times before, she was glad Tracy had been spared those memories.

  “Didn’t you know what Lucifer was planning?” Tracy asked.

  Seeing the obvious pain on Bren’s face, Michael spoke in a quiet tone.

  “No, we were ill-prepared for the devastation that would befall us. No one could have imagined Lucifer would take his rage out on the youngest, thus many of them were left unprotected,” he sighed.

  “What about Esra? She must have known what he was going to do.”

  “Esra is bound by a covenant; she cannot alter fate, even when it means the deaths of those she loves the most.”

  Michael took a bite of the brownie, and then washed it down with a long drink of tea. “Did your father ever speak to you about the Angels of the Tier?”

  Tracy shook her head.

  “There are several levels, or tiers of Heaven, each protected by an angel. Because these guards were defending the holiest of places, each received a special gift from our Father. These weapons became known as the Sacred Gifts. Each was unique and held a special power. My wife, Kaelariel, was given a whip; Gabriel’s wife, Dionese, a dagger; Ariel’s husband, Bodhi, a bow; Raphael’s wife, Cerci, a bracelet, and Avriel – the first angel murdered during the rebellion – was given a ring.”

  Gabriel’s silence shrouded the heaviness of his broken heart.

  Though he never spoke of his wife, Bren knew how much he longed for the day Dionese would awaken.

  Michael continued his story. “Two of the sacred gifts were stolen by Lucifer -- the dagger and the whip. Bodhi’s bow was broken, and Avriel’s ring was hidden before she died. Unbeknownst to Lucifer, the gifts lost their powers once they were taken. They were not intended to be used anywhere else, except Heaven. It was an insurance policy of sorts to keep him from using the weapons against us.”

  “If these gifts had no power, why would Lucifer want them?” Tracy asked.

  “After Avriel’s death, the Angels of the Tier were placed in a deep sleep. Our Lord Father wanted to ensure they would not fall by Lucifer’s hands. They were positioned in glass tombs, and gently laid to rest for all of Heaven to see.”

  “So they have been asleep since the war?”

  Michael nodded.

  “It was foretold, if the gifts were ever returned to Heaven,
the Angels of the Tier would awaken and once again return to their positions. Lucifer would never allow that to happen.”

  “Did he kill Kaelariel and Dionese?”

  “No – they were injured, but Raphael was able to heal them. Do not concern yourself with Lucifer. Your fathers have trained you well. We don’t believe you are in any danger.”

  Bren’s expression turned severe. “I hope he comes here again. I’ll send him back to Hell!”

  “Yeah -- we’re not takin his crap,” Tracy added.

  Eve couldn’t help but stifle a giggle. Bren had no fear, and Tracy tried to be brave, though she had no idea what she would be facing in the next days.

  Bren was in a volatile state. Eve had seen the same visions and knew many of the young angels who died were close friends of her daughter.

  Perhaps if she had been in Bren’s place, she would want revenge too, but they had to be patient because any small change could have a devastating effect on the outcome of the next war.

  Going off half-cocked wouldn’t help anyone. In fact, it could lead to more angel-blood and mortal deaths. But try reasoning with a five-year-old who has been holding a grudge since the beginning of time. Eve would definitely have her hands full restraining her young daughter.

  Michael stood and pushed the chair under the table.

  “We must be on our way. We’ll see you again, soon.”

  Eve and the girls walked the archangels to the front door.

  “Don’t forget to mark October 31st on your calendar. Aura’s friend Ryan is being ordained as a priest on the 30th, and we’re having a party to celebrate. It’s Halloween, so we’ve decided on a costume party. Will you be able to come?” Bren asked.

  Eve’s thoughts drifted to Ryan.

  A few years older, Ryan and Aura met through his sister, Ella, who was engaged to one of their angel-blood friends. They instantly hit it off, and Ryan confided things to Aura that he told no one else.

  A botched surgery his parents forced him to have when he was an infant left him a transgender with no hope of ever fathering a child. Because of his strong faith, and the realization he would never be able to father a child, Ryan entered the seminary.