Memories – Just a moment
Now that he stood before the forever forbidden portal the overwhelmingly strong feeling of deja-vu washed over him. For a moment his plans of forcing the doors open faded, overshadowed by dark memories. He recalled standing here, at the same spot, facing the giant portal dividing Heaven and the wastelands of Hell. He remembered throwing the doors open in despair and anger.
Solomon was too damn stubborn! But he'd know his master soon! Uriel was perhaps the most stubborn angel in Heaven, and he had a mission. "Deliver Solomon's soul to me", were Michael's words. "God chose him and bestowed upon him immense wisdom and powers. He's destined to become one of us." Several years had passed since he got assigned that task. He'd expected it to be easy, as usual. He'd thought the king would be honoured beyond belief to meet one of the highest, plus to be asked to accompany him. But everything went different. When he appeared before Solomon the man had politely declined to go with him. All argumentation failed with him, all threats were ignored. Of course Uriel could simply destroy the fleshy vessel and take his soul by force, but what if the Lord who for some reason developed a strong liking for that particular human did not approve? It wasn't worth the risk. Admittedly his pride interfered with it as well. He'd win the battle of wills! So he started torturing the man, who himself began mocking him in return. He took one for one Solomon's friends and relatives, without success. And with the years gone by the two developed a weird schedule of meeting every few days, Uriel torturing Solomon, Solomon laughing at his attempts, Uriel snatching a dear one of the king and so on.
But one day the angel descended to earth to find merely the corpse of his target, strangled. The demons usually scattered all over the place were gone, too. For no mortal was able to harm Solomon Uriel instantly knew a demon must have stolen the soul Heaven claimed rightfully theirs. Cursed feathers, he should have destroyed that rubbish long ago! But no, he wanted to make Solomon do it himself. Now he had a problem. The king was gone. He couldn't take his soul. This meant failure. Failure was inacceptable! But what if…
Returned to Heaven he found himself standing in front of the portal to Hell. All angelic reason rebelled within him. Turn around! Walk away! Do not touch the doors! It was forbidden for all eternity to set foot on the territory of the traitors. But he was embittered enough to make him push open the doors.
He shut his eyes for a moment. Yes, he had been unbelievably angry at himself and at Solomon. He wished he hadn't been.
"Oh, a newcomer?", Samael mocked as Uriel landed in front of him. He had fought his way through the circles of Hell easily – but, well, he was powerful after all, only second to Michael and maybe Metatron. Samael was the last obstacle separating him from Lucifer who was likely to hold the blessed man's soul he came to obtain.
"Nice of you to come visit. Safe for Lucifer and me there aren't any old friends of the highest ranks down here. It gets kind of lonely.", the demon king proceeded with a snaky smile. Uriel glared at him, ready to strike. Needless to say Samael noticed his humourlessness. With a deepening grin he continued: "I guess you want to talk to Lucifer? I'm afraid in your current mood I cannot let you pass, Seraph." He pronounced the last word as a clear threat. Once he had been the twelve-winged angel of purity, mightier and higher even than the six-winged Seraphim. Uriel should remember his strength. But what Uriel remembered as well was his tendency of avoiding fights, his preference for discussing things.
He shook his head.
He hadn't been able to overcome Samael. He never made it to Lucifer.
Not once did Samael fight back. All the demon did was parry his attacks, infuriating Uriel further. But the ruckus their battle caused picked Lucifer's interest. The first fallen one appeared at the scene, gesticulating for Samael to stop moving, causing Uriel to take a defensive stand. He might have been angry, but he wasn't stupid. He was well aware of being inferior to Michael's older twin-brother.
"Uriel! How wonderful of you to visit!", Lucifer echoed Samael's words. He flashed him a radiant smile. This attitude of gentle smiling when talking to someone they wanted to prompt to do something in their interest – for a moment it seemed nothing had changed. The twins were still so much alike Uriel noticed and his anger vanished as he thought of earlier times. The cheery attitude of the twins, their flashing smiles... Somehow it surprised him to see Lucifer was still like that. A new wave of anger flared within him. Michael had lost some of that positivism and it was Lucifer's fault.
"I'm just here to collect Solomon's soul." The statement was icy.
Lucifer laughed.
Silence conquered the room after Uriel finished his confession, head bowed. Michael stared at him.
"You went to Hell.", Michael repeated unbelievingly.
Uriel nodded. Silence again.
When speaking again Michael's voice was a hint hoarse. "I have to punish you for this."
Uriel nodded once more. Michael had to kill him for this. Either that or toss him down to where he just came from. With a shudder Uriel recalled the words Lucifer called after him when he flew from Hell, back to the doors, now certain that the soul he wanted wasn't there. 'I will be waiting for your return, old friend.' He'd let him go just like that, strange as it was. Uriel considered Lucifer an enemy he'd kill or at least try to kill when he came across. Seemingly Lucifer did not think the same of him.
"You met him.", Michael's voice woke him from confusing cogitations. The air buzzed with unasked questions. Before Uriel had a chance to reply the other startled him by averting his gaze, demanding to know in a harsh tone: "How many demons did you kill on your journey through Hell?"
"Hu?" Puzzled by the sudden change of topic Uriel stammered: "Some... I'm not sure... four or five hundred, maybe more ..."
"Well, considering this a partly make-up to your crime I won't take both of your wings."
But since that day Uriel's life felt as if he actually never left Hell.
He opened his eyes, the images of the past slowly fading. This time would cost him his identity as angel for sure. But there was something more horrifying than that to his current self: Losing William. For him he'd go into purgatory.
And he pushed open the doors once more.