Angel of Wisdom

by Julia McKnight

Uriel had visited the Trinity Library before. Architecturally, it was a beautiful sight to behold. It was built in 1592 by Thomas Burgh and was one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It was most famous for its long room which held about two hundred thousand of the library’s oldest books and texts. Uriel headed in that direction.

  He closed his eyes and thought about the demon with the serpents. Then he focused on different sections of the library until a book with a picture of the demon came up in his mind. Uriel teleported to where the book was located. He found it and opened it up to read.

  Most of the texts Uriel read were based on legends and myths, so he didn’t know what was true and what wasn’t. However, he found out that the demon was named Gorgoneia. Uriel needed something that could help him defeat her. According to the texts, the demon would destroy herself if she saw her own reflection. Uriel pondered that for a bit.

  Next, Uriel decided to find a book on something else that had been on his mind, since he dropped in Ireland without any logical explanation. Thinking about Aileen’s astral travel, Uriel decided to find a section on that. He closed his eyes again and concentrated, but the only thing that popped into his mind was her. Uriel tried to clear his mind, but Aileen’s beautiful, red hair, mossy green eyes, and white, flowy robes kept invading his thoughts.

  Her robes looked familiar. He had seen those robes before. A memory surfaced, and he recalled seeing a group of men and women in those white robes in the middle of a battlefield, standing between Roman soldiers and the soldiers of a tribal group of people.

  Uriel had been sent to the battlefield to protect those men and women in the robes. He had been impressed with their love of peace and humanity. They didn’t take sides. Instead, they abhorred warfare and stood in between the two sides to prevent bloodshed.

  He recalled they were priests and priestesses of the religion known as Druidism. Their people were called Celtics or Celts. They worshipped nature and the passing of the seasons. Those priests and priestesses also studied the Heavens and built stone structures to show the movements of the planets, sun, and moon. They also created a rudimentary writing system using symbols.

  Aileen was descended from these people, and Uriel developed a new respect for her. Her ancestors didn’t die that day on the battlefield. They stayed in the middle until the Romans retreated back to their camp. Later, the Romans sent diplomats to meet with the leaders of the tribal group. They agreed on boundaries of the territories the Roman soldiers would inhabit. Both sides lived due to the peaceful intervention of the priests and priestesses.

  Today, Aileen was carrying on that love of mankind. She was also a keeper of knowledge who worked here in the library. He decided to go talk to her. After all, she did save his life, and she might have information about how to defeat Gorgoneia.

  He closed his eyes and saw her pushing a cart with library books. She stopped in an aisle and put a few books back on the shelf. Then she moved on to another aisle. When he saw the title of the aisle, he opened his eyes and walked over to intercept her.

  “Hello, Aileen,” he greeted her as she walked up the aisle with the cart.

  “Oh, Uriel! Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked.

  “Not really. Do you have more information on that water demon known as Gorgoneia?”

  “Truth be told, I was going to research her and read up on her later.”

  “When you finish your research, would it be okay if we meet again, so we can talk about it?”

  “Sure. When and where would you like to meet?” she asked.

  “Wherever you would like.”

  “How about two nights from now at seven PM ? Dinner at the Palace Bar Pub down the street?” she suggested.

  “Very well. Would you like for me to pick you up or meet you at the pub?”

  “Let’s meet at the pub. I’ll bring along any information I have.”

  “Until we meet again, I bid you a good day, Aileen.” Then Uriel walked away, his mind already on flying home to rest and think.

  Chapter 3

  “Auntie Aileen! Auntie Aileen!” Deirdre shouted and ran to hug her the moment Aileen opened the door to her flat.

  “Hello, Deirdre. How was summer camp today?” she asked as she bent down to hug her niece.

  “It was good! We learned to make houses with popsicle sticks!” Deirdre told her excitedly.

  “I bet that was fun.” Aileen smiled down at the little girl as she stroked her hair. She turned to the babysitter, Brittany, and asked, “How was she?”

  “She was fine. I fed her already, so she just needs a bath. After that, she’s all set for bed.”

  Aileen took some money out of her purse and paid Brittany. “Thanks again for watching her.”

  “Oh, it’s no problem.” Brittany hugged Deirdre. “Goodbye, pumpkin.” Then she opened the door to the flat and walked out.

  Aileen got her niece ready for bed. She turned on the faucets and ran warm water. Grabbing the bubble bath container, she generously poured some into the tub to make bubbles for her niece. Then she left Deirdre alone to bathe.

  After Deirdre finished bathing, she brushed her teeth then went to her bedroom to change into her pajamas. Aileen came in and they both knelt down by her bed and Deirdre said a prayer.

  “Please tell my mommy and daddy that I’m being a good girl, and that I love and miss them very much. Amen.”

  She got into bed, and Aileen tucked the blankets in around her until she was as snug as a bug in a rug.

  “Auntie Aileen?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  “Do you think Mommy and Daddy are watching over us right now?”

  “They are, darling. They love you very much,” she told her niece.

  Deirdre smiled and closed her eyes.

  Aileen’s heart melted at the sight of her. “Good night, pumpkin.”

  “Good night, Auntie Aileen.”

  Aileen shut the door and went into the kitchen. She made herself a sandwich, poured a glass of wine, and sat down on the couch with her books and food. As she munched on her sandwich she paged through some books on demonology.

  She looked up and saw a picture of her sister and brother-in-law hanging on the wall. The picture had been taken on their wedding day. They looked so happy and in love. They had met in college. She could still remember the day her older sister Catriona brought home a young man named Bill O’Connor.

  Her mother had been beaming. She was so glad her daughter had finally brought home a man. Her father, who was very overprotective of both Catriona and Aileen, kept scowling at Bill. No man would ever be good enough for his daughter.

  However, her sister was in love and would not be deterred. As soon as they graduated from college, Catriona and Bill got engaged. Aileen was chosen as her maid of honor. The wedding was romantic, small, and intimate. A year later, her beautiful niece Deirdre was born. Their marriage had been a happy one.

  Then tragedy struck, and they were both taken from this earth by a car accident last year. Deirdre was seven years old, and she had been visiting her grandparents for the summer. Aileen had driven up to join them, and they were waiting for Catriona and Bill to arrive. Once the whole family was together they were going to go camping.

  On the night Bill and Catriona were due to arrive, it had been storming. The rain poured down in sheets and was pelting the ground mercilessly. It caused some of the country roads to flood.

  Her sister and brother-in-law drove on a road that was flooded and their car got stuck. A truck coming down the street on the opposite side ran right into them, because the driver couldn’t see them due to the heavy rain. They were instantly killed on impact.

  Aileen’s mother and father had driven to the hospital the next day to identify their bodies. They had never fully recovered from the death of their eldest daughter and son-in-law. Aileen was given custody of Deirdre according to her sister’s wishes, and her niece came to live with her.

  This first year had been incredibly tough. They both we
re grieving and clung to each other. Aileen took Deirdre everywhere with her when she went out. The females in their family all looked alike with red hair, fair skin, and green eyes, and because Deirdre looked so much like Aileen, people always assumed she was her daughter.

  Aileen doted on her niece by giving her lots of hugs and keeping her busy. She was always with a sitter, at school, camp, or in extracurricular activities. On weekends, they visited her parents or her brother-in-law’s parents, so Deirdre could know both sets of grandparents.

  The loss was deeply felt, but Aileen and her family were healing and learning how to move on. They bonded together tighter through family activities and outings. They learned not to take each other for granted. Life was short, and Aileen intended to make the most of it for herself, her niece, and her family.

  Aileen returned her attention to her book, and when she looked down at the page she saw a picture of Gorgoneia. Her head was full of twisting serpents. As Aileen stared at the photograph, her living room disappeared. She found herself under water. She had the feeling of suffocating and drowning.

  She couldn’t get enough air. Panic sunk in as she thought she might die. Out of the watery depths, two red eyes glowed at her. She found herself frozen and unable to move as they came closer and closer. A blue-grayish face emerged and Gorgoneia opened her mouth. The serpent swam straight for Aileen, and she screamed.

  Aileen jerked awake and looked around. Her living room was the same. There were no red eyes or feelings of suffocation. The dream had been so real that Aileen had to take several deep breaths to calm down, reminding herself that she was safe. Her racing heartbeat slowed, and the panic subsided.

  She turned on the television to focus on something else instead of her foreboding dream. The book on her lap was still open to the picture of Gorgoneia. Aileen shut it and put it away. After an hour of watching re-runs of I Love Lucy she turned off the television and went to get ready for bed. She was tired and needed her rest.

  Chapter 4

  Uriel sat at the bar in the pub and waited for Aileen. She was late. He swirled his drink around his tumbler, watching the dark whiskey change colors as the glass reflected different lights.

  The door to the pub opened, and he looked up to see Aileen walking in with a little girl in tow. The child looked like a miniature version of Aileen. He stared at them with interest.

  “Sorry I’m late. The sitter couldn’t stay, so I had to bring my niece along. This is Deirdre. Deirdre, this is Uriel,” Aileen introduced them.

  “How do you do?” Uriel inquired politely.

  Deirdre stared back at him with curiosity. “I’m doing well, Mr. Uriel, thank you. How do you know my aunt?”

  “I met her at County Meath. She gave me a ride into Dublin.”

  “I like County Meath. My aunt takes me there to pray sometimes,” Deirdre informed him.

  “Should we get a table?” Aileen broke in.

  “Of course,” Uriel replied and signaled for the waitress.

  She led them to a table that was close to a cozy fireplace.

  Deirdre ordered a cup of chicken noodle soup. Aileen decided on a fish sandwich and fries. Uriel got beef and cabbage and a baked potato. The waitress walked away with their order and Uriel turned to Aileen.

  She smiled at him and exchanged pleasantries about the weather. Then Deirdre told Uriel about her summer camp activities. He found her sunny and open nature delightful. The trio chatted until the food arrived.

  After they finished eating, Aileen gave Deirdre some books to go read by the fireplace, which was close enough that she could keep an eye on her, but far away enough that the little girl wouldn’t hear them talking. Aileen waited until Deirdre was engrossed in her stories and then turned to Uriel. She took out some of the texts she’d brought as well as some notes she’d made. She gave Uriel a copy, and he scanned it. He glanced up at her when he was finished.

  She spoke, “The information I located from the different texts is all here, but I don’t know if it’s true or not. Her name is Gorgoneia. She’s a water demon, and her race of demons are known as Gorgons. Her red eyes entrance humans, and if they stare too long, they will turn to stone.”

  “I’m still shocked that I haven’t heard of her or her race. This is the first time I’ve come across her,” Uriel broke in.

  Aileen shrugged and continued, “If you look at the notes, it states that her tongue is a serpent. There have been a few testimonials that state that people have been bitten by a snake near water. However, there is no clear connection if those people have been bitten by an actual water snake or by Gorgoneia.”

  Uriel nodded his understanding. He and his brothers often saved people and wiped their memories clean of the occurrence. He could understand a demon controlling a human and leaving them void of all memories once the entrancement was over.

  “According to the texts, the only way to kill Gorgoneia is to have her see her own reflection and cut off her head,” Aileen said. “Again, I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but that’s what the texts say.”

  Uriel had read that also. “That’s good information to know. I’ll keep your notes for reference and see if I can find anything else on her. Thanks.”

  Uriel finished the rest of his whiskey and thought about this demon. His job was to vanquish evil and protect the human race. Just when he thought there would be a bit of peace after taking down a demon known as Aaron, the Marquis of Hell, this water demon showed up.

  He sighed. If there was no one else to take on this demon, then he would have to rise to the occasion. The more he knew about her, the better prepared he would be the next time they crossed paths.

  Deirdre came back to the table. “Auntie Aileen?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  “When are we going home?”

  “Soon, pumpkin. Did you finish all your books?”

  “Yep. Can I come sit with you?”

  “Of course. Grab your books and bring them over,” Aileen told her niece.

  Deirdre gathered her books and brought them to the table. Aileen put them in her satchel and her niece sat back down next to her.

  Deirdre stared at Uriel and asked, “Did you find what you were looking for?”

  “For the most part, yes,” Uriel answered her.

  “My aunt is amazing at finding information,” Deirdre stated proudly. “She knows so much and is always teaching me things.”

  “Really? What does she teach you?”

  “Well, right now, she’s teaching me some of the Druid rituals of our people. She and I will go visit sites where they used to pray and honor nature,” Deirdre informed him.

  “Deirdre, I’m sure Uriel doesn’t want to know about all that,” Aileen admonished her niece.

  “Actually, I do. Druidism is a huge part of Ireland, and I’ve always been fascinated with this mystical land,” Uriel encouraged her.

  The little girl beamed at him. “What do you know about Druidism?”

  “I know they wear white robes to indicate their purity and chasteness. They worship nature and the Heavens.” He left out the part about how her ancestors saved hundreds of soldiers by coming between them on the battlefield long ago.

  “Would you like to come with us to County Meath when we go back to visit?” Deirdre asked.

  “I’m sure Uriel has better things to do than to come tramping across the country with us,” Aileen interjected.

  Uriel smiled at the young girl. She was intelligent and kind, like her aunt. To make her feel better, he compromised, “I would love to, but your aunt is right. She gave me her notes and books to help me with my research. I must continue with it until I know as much as I can. Maybe, when I’m finished, I’ll come with you and your aunt to County Meath to look at the Druid ruins.”

  Deirdre nodded and stifled a yawn.

  “It’s way past your bed time, isn’t it?” Aileen asked.

  “Yeah, but it’s okay, because I don’t ever get to stay up.”

  “It’s t
ime to head home,” Aileen told her as she stood up.

  “Thank you so much for your hard work in finding all this information to help me,” Uriel said to Aileen as he gathered the books and notes. He turned to Deirdre. “Thank you for inviting me. One of these days, I’ll come out with you and your aunt.”

  Deirdre smiled at him sleepily, and Aileen replied, “No problem. Just so you know, the books are due back in two weeks.”

  The waitress came by and dropped off the check. Aileen reached for her purse, but Uriel stopped her.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.”

  “Really? Well, thank you for dinner. Deirdre and I had a wonderful time.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  Uriel settled the bill and got a cab for Aileen and Deirdre. He saw to it that they were safely inside and on their way home, then he walked down the street, went into an empty alley, and teleported home.

  Chapter 5

  Uriel entered his chambers and moved aside his current books on his desk. He plopped down Aileen’s books and notes. Then he laid down on his bed with his hands behind his head and thought.

  Uriel reviewed all the demons that he had found in the past. There were quite a few that had been very powerful. He and his brothers-in-arms were always there to help each other out and defeat them. However, it had been his experience that the powerful demons tended to use humans and young, weak demons to do their will and bidding. They very rarely engaged in battle outright, especially with an archangel or any of Heaven’s deities.

  The fact that this water demon challenged him and was unafraid of him meant that she was very old and very powerful. He didn’t know what to make of her yet, so he would study her from afar and gather as much information on her as he could. Uriel knew he would also need help in defeating her.

  He looked over at the map of the world that covered his wall, and his gaze landed on Ireland. It was steeped in mysticism and legend. The stone monuments and structures left by the Celts only added to the air of mystery.