2 Kings 19:35 "That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere."
The mist settled over the camp in a cold blanket, like an all-encompassing chill. The stillness of the pre-dawn hour may have been eerie if anyone was awake to witness. The moon had set, the sun would rise, and the colors growing in the eastern sky would streak the dark blue with pinks and greens and yellows. Unfathomable and exquisite colors to chase away the darkness of night. The area was void of sound, as if any noise had been sucked out of the night air. It was too quiet. Dead quiet.
There was good reason for that.
Naomi, angel of the LORD, walked through the camp in the moments just before dawn. Her vessel's footsteps were quiet over the blood stained dirt. The cloth shoes on her feet and the skirt of her gown were splashed with red. The blood of thousands.
This was a mission, an assignment, and Naomi had led a small squadron of angels to carry it out. One hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian soldiers to extinguish. No more, no less.
The Assyrians were the opposition to the Israelites, an evil nation. The antagonists in the Bible story. A people bent on expanding an empire, spreading their pagan gods, and creating war. So they were killed as an example of the might of Heaven's chosen ones. Thousands were dead, from wounds to smiting to disease to dismemberment. Naomi had ensured the variety of death would put the fear of God in those that were still alive to witness it.
Death and chaos wasn't new here on Earth, of course. She'd witnessed humanity for thousands of years now. War, injury, sin, and chaos were innate qualities that humans suffered from as the flawed creatures they were.
Naomi craved order and stability. When angels behaved, when humanity was obedient, when the stars turned in the order they should...that is when she was most at peace. Protecting Heaven was her first calling. Her only mission.
It wasn't her usual to be down here on Earth, on the front lines. But she wanted to see to this one personally. Not only to ensure the orders were carried out, but to watch as her angels performed. A few on this assignment had the potential to go a bit rouge and she was monitoring them regularly.
Besides, there was a certain allure of the Creation. The temptation of humanity and the aesthetic quality of it drew her down yet again to walk the Earth. It hadn't been the first time, of course; she'd occupied vessels and spent time among humans in the past. This vessel wasn't an ordinary Israelite girl as she'd taken before, this one was royalty in a distant land. A queen, a leader. And it was fitting Naomi occupied such a human.
"Have mercy, my queen…Ishtar…" The voice of a young man was barely a whisper, but it carried through the pre-dawn stillness as she walked through the carnage.
Naomi stopped when she found him. She was surprised he was still alive, considering his entrails were half on the ground. The human body was ever so fragile. He didn't have long. "I am not your goddess." She replied impassively in his language. It didn't seem to make a difference to his failing mind because he kept rambling.
"Most gracious Ishtar…see my brother, hold him safe in-" The dying man continued with a mumbled prayer lamenting he would be unable to protect his younger brother and that his goddess would have mercy on him. To spare the brother as she hadn't spared him on the battlefield.
Naomi crouched down, her hand reaching for the young man's face as she spoke. "Rest, human." His eyes closed and she smited him quickly. His burnt out eyes would not see the sun rise.
She straightened up, smoothing out her gown. The mission was complete, her expectations were met and her angels had been obedient. One hundred and eighty-five thousand men slain.
"Naomi." The hesitant voice was from a male vessel and she turned to look at the other angel.
"Hello Castiel." Her tone was warm and understanding. Castiel was not a stranger to her office. He was broken, cracked, unique. She was so certain she could fix him. She wanted to bring him in to the fold, embrace him as he was supposed to be. An angel solider.
"Anael has questioned this slaughter, and I think-"
"I know she has." Naomi interrupted. "This was a decree from Michael, we must follow through. Heaven must be protected. It must be dominating and set an example for those who'd defy us. These men disobeyed and they were punished justly."
"But there are thousands…"
"Do not be concerned with it, my brother." Naomi said, her voice almost melodiously hypnotizing. "I promise you, this is what we are designed to do. You did well, I am proud."
Castiel stilled and then bowed his young vessel's head in respect. "Yes, I understand."
Moments later, he spread his wings and flew off to Heaven as she ordered. She was going to watch him closer now. He had so much potential, if she could simply guide him.
The sun was rising, and Naomi turned her face towards the light. It was beautiful. The colors being birthed in the dark expanse grew with each passing minute. She could almost forget the slaughter around her, and the pressure put on her by the archangels. When the sun finally broke over the horizon completely, she turned away, putting her back to the yellow light of the star and trailing her eyes over the thousands of dead men yet again. She spoke in Enochian, raising her hand just briefly in an almost blessing as the last of the reapers finished. "Rest, men of earth."
She spread grey wings and vanished, back to Heaven. Back to work.
Many millennia later, Naomi faced a decision, a turning point in the mission that she forgot. The mission to protect Creation. That moment she heard them: thousands of voices crying out, human and angel alike. The voices of the dead were never silenced.
It wasn't long before she joined them.