Legends (To Absolve the Fallen Book 3)

by Aaron Babbitt

  “For the Prometheus Broadcasting Network, this is Oracle, with Rita Conway.”

  “Fade to black,” the producer commanded. “And cut.”

  Alex looked to have fallen deep into thought. Rita placed a hand on his shoulder, and he started, then smiled at her.

  “I thought that went really well.” She searched his face, looking for a hint of agreement.

  “Yes,” he agreed softly, obviously still half in his state of reverie. “Thank you so much for all that you put into this. I know the last few days couldn’t have been easy.”

  She laughed heartily. “Are you kidding? You’ve given me the story of a lifetime, defended mankind from slavery or extinction at the hands of the forces of Hell, and renewed my faith. You definitely did all the hard work. You’re very brave for going public.”

  Alex nodded solemnly. “For better or worse, this is a new age. We’ve done something we will never be able to undo. Our actions and inaction will be judged by the public, but our cause is just, and I’m sure that they’ll judge us fairly.”

  Epilogue

  Jeremiah’s soul floated for what seemed like eons before a guiding force took control. He didn’t know if it was taking him to Heaven, Hell, or somewhere else. Amid the mist of confusion around his mind, he understood his conductor to be friendly. It pulled him to a place where he began to sense once more. Peering down at himself, he looked basically like he had on Earth, and he didn’t feel any different. All around him, shapes were beginning to form. First, a floor materialized beneath him. Next, four walls and a ceiling enclosed the space, creating a vast, empty room. Finally, his conductor appeared.

  Jeremiah arched an eyebrow. “John?”

  He smiled. “I have been.”

  The demon chuckled. “They made you an angel but left me a monster.”

  “You will be an angel again, I promise,” John said patiently. Something in his voice reminded Jeremiah of something he couldn’t recollect, but it was comforting.

  Four nearly blinding lights came into existence around him. He knew them instantly because, once upon a time, he had worked for them. They were the four Cardinal Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. He also knew instantly what roles they were fulfilling; they were to be his judges. However, there was a notable presence missing, a Voice that was always heard. Then, it dawned on him.

  “I had no idea how closely your fate was tied to Metatron’s,” Jeremiah observed of John. “Have a new Voice of God, do they?”

  “The old and new have become one for the sake of the whole.”

  Jeremiah nodded. “You certainly sound like the Voice of God. I think you’re trying to tell me that the soul of John and that of Enoch combined to make a better Metatron.”

  “You may continue to refer to me as John if that would make you more comfortable.”

  “Let me get this straight…Metatron, who was once the prophet Enoch, before he became an angel and subsequently fell from grace, merged with the soul of the prophet John to create another human-angel hybrid. But this time, you’re almost more human than angel. Maybe God thinks you’ll represent Him better that way.”

  “We are not here to banter with you, Jeremiah,” Michael rumbled. “You are guilty of many crimes against humanity and the Father. Though your actions of late go a long way toward absolution, your soul is still blemished from your contemptible life on Earth. I surely have no need to list the atrocities you have committed. What could you possibly have to say for yourself?”

  Jeremiah bowed his head in reverence. “I was confused and had taken a very wrong path. This doesn’t excuse my actions in any way. I can only beg for your mercy.”

  “What good is your begging?” Uriel snapped. “You are responsible for millions of mortal deaths and thousands of prophets. Prior to returning to the winning side, you had even killed more than two hundred of your own rebel brothers and sisters. You cannot beg for eternity and bring back even one of the beings you murdered.”

  “Do you even feel remorse?” Michael asked. “I don’t even think it’s possible to regret all of the havoc you have wrought. There’s so much of it, so much damage you have caused without even knowing.”

  “You could have stopped me at any time,” Jeremiah spat back angrily. “This pretense bores me.” He laughed. “I have already been told by the Voice of God that I’ll be an angel again. Bullying me into doing the right thing won’t benefit you, as it is already what I want to do, and I’m pretty sure everyone here knows what is in my mind as well as I do.”

  “Silence, demon!” Michael roared.

  Jeremiah obeyed.

  “Though you may have been promised grace, perhaps prematurely,” the archangel continued with a side glance to John who gave no indication of noticing, “no one said I couldn’t make you serve a stint in Hell for atonement prior to your redemption. It would be wise to curb your insolence. As far as what is in your mind and what you want to do, that is the very reason we are gathered here—in my opinion, wasting our time.”

  “There are witnesses for the defense,” John declared.

  Immediately, Gabriel stood and addressed his audience. “For the entirety of Jesus’s life, Jeremiah was his guardian angel.”

  “With respect, Brother,” Uriel interrupted, “we are not here to judge the actions of the accused while with the host. Rather, we are here to determine if his actions on Earth should keep him from returning to it.”

  “I assure you this is relevant, Brother,” Gabriel replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “He became very close to the boy, and Jesus’s subsequent martyrdom drove Jeremiah mad. The accused fell from grace when he could not simultaneously perform the duties of obeying Heaven’s order to protect Jesus and Heaven’s order to not protect Jesus. As the one who had to give him both of those directives, I can understand the difficulty in understanding. I had only been tasked with overseeing the boy’s protection. Had I also been directly ordered to protect the boy, I would have fallen that day too. The contradiction was impossible to circumnavigate.”

  Michael’s eyes narrowed. “You’re walking a very dangerous line, Gabriel. That almost sounds blasphemous.”

  Gabriel’s bellowing laughter echoed in the spacious room. “Admit that Jeremiah’s reaction was completely reasonable, or damn me—if you can, but the contradiction is undeniable. Even you must see that.”

  Gabriel sat down, and Raphael stood.

  “I, on the other hand, will speak to Jeremiah’s defense for his actions as a demon. While under my supervision, Jeremiah was belligerent, foolhardy, and insolent, but he did everything I required of him almost as efficiently as any angel could. In many cases, he did things even angels could not have done. If Jeremiah had not assisted the prophets in their conflict with the demons, it is probable that the number of casualties would have been considerably higher. It is my opinion that the number of lives Jeremiah saved in his last fifty years on Earth should be counted against those he took in the previous two millennia.”

  That said, Raphael also sat down.

  “We will deliberate on this, Jeremiah,” Michael announced.

  “No, we won’t,” John retorted placidly. “Jeremiah’s fate was decided before he was created. He will be restored and placed on his next mission.”

  Though Michael registered no emotion, Jeremiah knew fury was building. “What?” the archangel demanded.

  “God has already judged Jeremiah. His guilt is irrelevant. The Father, in His wisdom, has judged Jeremiah fit to stand alongside us once more.”

  “The Father isn’t speaking to anyone,” Uriel contended, “unless I am greatly mistaken. In fact, it would seem to me that the opinions of the Voice of God would only be required when the Father actually has something to say. Until such time, you will need to leave Jeremiah’s judgment to us. Our experience in the matter of angels and demons is vast.”

  John’s docile tone did not change. “There are many things the Father told me before going silent. His will regarding Jeremi
ah is one.”

  “When are you planning on revealing to the rest of us the other things imparted to you?” Uriel hissed.

  “At a predetermined time, and not before,” John retorted. “You four are hereby commanded to return Jeremiah’s angelic status and leave. I will handle the rest.”

  The four archangels stood and stared solemnly at Jeremiah. The pain he felt could only be compared to that which he felt when he fell. His essence was torn apart and reformed. That which was evil in him was expunged and replaced with the purity of true faith. A clarity of love overcame him, and he could, again, remember the face of his Creator.

  When his senses returned to him, only John stood before him. The new Voice of God offered an outstretched hand and a smile. Jeremiah took it without reservation.

  “Welcome home, Brother,” John intoned. “I am, however, afraid that you must return again to Earth. I regret that your time in Heaven would be so short before another assignment, but only an angel with your experience can be entrusted with such an important task.”

  “I exist to serve,” Jeremiah recited, bowing his head reverently.

  John nodded knowingly. “We will speak again soon.”