A/N: Thanks to my awesome reviewers! Aini NuFire, Lady Wallace, and VattaKeto, you make my day :)

So there's just a bit of head canon here regarding angels and vessels, might not quite follow the show's canon but that's ok ^_^


Chapter 8 – A Gauntlet Thrown

Nothing further had been heard from Lucifer or the angels who had left Heaven, which offered a bit of a respite. Gabriel was still convinced that something big was coming – even bigger than the rift that was forming between the angels – but he tried not to let that worry him at the moment. He was trying to stay out of it, anyway, spending his time with Ellie or lazily watching the shaping Earth.

"Can I go see the humans?" Terriel asked one day in Eleanor's office. "Raphael says no one is to leave Heaven alone, but maybe if you and Gabriel were there…?"

From his corner where he'd been watching Eleanor teach in loving fascination, Gabriel shook himself back to reality at the sound of his name. "Huh?" he asked, heavily distracted by the way Ellie's aura lit her skin with a subtle golden glow. Eleanor caught his eye and smiled. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat when she smiled like that.

"Shall we go look in on the humans?" she asked on her pupil's behalf. "Terriel hasn't been to Earth yet."

"Oh. Right. Yeah, sure, field trip!" Gabriel exclaimed, always happy to go anywhere with her. "Follow me, kiddo."

The three angels spread their hidden wings, flying through the ethereal plane as Gabriel led the way to Earth, now quite a bit more populated – which wasn't saying much. The humans were still living mainly in family units, the largest villages and tribes holding only a very few different bloodlines. Not many angels had vessels yet, but most wouldn't come for a while.

"Wow," Terriel whispered in fascination as they stopped outside a larger tribe to watch the humans scurrying about their business. They were still on the brink of the ether, out of sight or hearing of the people they watched from another plane.

"Yeah. Odd little critters, aren't they?" Gabriel snickered, shaking his head. Eleanor swatted his arm.

"Gabriel, you should have more respect for them," she admonished. "Terriel, just remember… we can't have physical form here without a vessel. For a human to bear an angel is a tremendous sacrifice. Your first duty is to your vessel, you understand? Respect him or her, and protect them no matter what."

Terriel bobbed his head in understanding, but Gabriel muttered, "Easy for you to say… mine are all short." He already intuitively knew the names of his own vessels. He also happened to know that both Lucifer andMichael got taller ones, and that simply wasn't fair.

"It doesn't matter what they look like," Eleanor reminded him severely. "If they say yes, they're to be respected."

"I don't understand why we need vessels, though," Terriel piped up, tugging Eleanor's robe. "They look like us from here."

Eleanor nodded, settling into "teacher" mode. "That's because we were all made in the same image," she explained, gesturing to some humans walking past without seeing them. "But their bodies require all sorts of internal mechanisms to keep running that we angels don't need. And, they have sex organs, since they need to reproduce with each other, unlike us. But they have no wings, and no grace."

"So they can't fly?" gasped Terriel, looking genuinely saddened for the poor humans. Gabriel snickered.

"Well, they can't really do much of anything… ow!" He rubbed his side where Eleanor had elbowed him with a glare.

"Be nice, Gabriel. I like them, they have so much spirit for creatures with so few powers. They're actually quite remarkable. Besides… it's our duty to protectthem, not mock them."

"But why can't we just walk among them, instead of burdening them to be our vessels?" Terriel wondered.

Eleanor fell into an explanation that Gabriel was too busy watching her to follow the thread of the lecture. Something about how if they were to fully enter Earth's plane of existence, their particular energies would be translated into little more than forms of light-waves, rather than the corporeal forms they had now. All things were just forms of energy, as she had explained before when demonstrating her sigils, but the physics of this plane were different, or something to that effect. It was hard for Gabriel to focus, the more animated and filled with life she became.

Terriel seemed to get what she was talking about, but the bottom line that Gabriel understood was that they needed Earthly bodies in order to fully be there and interact… which meant vessels.

"So when their bodies die, their souls are released to Heaven or Hell," Terriel murmured, still watching with fascination. "What happens when angels die?"

"No one actually knows-" Gabriel began to answer for Eleanor, but he was interrupted by a powerful voice echoing through all three of their minds; Michael, calling all of the angels.

"All angels, to me, immediately! An intruder has entered Heaven! Soldiers to the Hall, NOW!"

What?! Gabriel was stupefied, momentarily frozen as he gaped at Ellie. Intruder?! Was this a joke? But no… Michael didn't even know howto joke. How was it even possible?! His heart gave an almighty lurch, as the feeling of a storm cloud on their horizon returned stronger than ever.

"Stay behind me!" he snapped to Eleanor and Terriel, grabbing both of them and taking off faster than light.

The flight to Heaven took no time at all, so great was his speed. Nothing could get into Heaven, he thought over and over. Nothing but an angel.

...Lucifer?

There was an immense gust of air as Gabriel's hidden wings billowed out to bring them to a swift halt as all three of them reached the Great Hall of Heaven. As the archangel took in the scene, his arms shot out to shove Eleanor and Terriel back behind him.

"What in Dad's name…" he choked out, crouching slightly as Eleanor released a small cry of horror.

It was Lucifer… along with the first six angels who had challenged Gabriel in Hell. They were standing in the very center of the Hall, quite at ease.

They weren't alone.

"What… what is that?" Terriel whispered in fear. Gabriel narrowed his eyes, wondering the same thing. In his entire existence, he'd never seen the likes of this thing. Whatever it was, it was hideous, uglier than even the Leviathan. The thing's body was mutilated, a ghastly, misshapen creature that filled Gabriel with loathing. But its face… its face defied any description.

Evil. Every angel knew, by purest instinct, that this thing was absolutely and utterly evil in the deepest sense of the word. Gabriel refused to believe that Lucifer would have brought this monster into Heaven, but what other conclusion could he possibly come to?

A blade appeared in Gabriel's hands, as he backed up enough to assure himself that Ellie was still safely behind him. His eyes darted around until he located Michael and Raphael, stepping up to Lucifer with a Host of soldiers behind them.

"Hello, brothers," Lucifer greeted them with a smile. His voice had dropped a full ten degrees since last Gabriel had heard him speak. Gabriel shuddered; Michael's face was equally cold.

"You are not welcome here," hissed the eldest archangel. "You will take that thing, and leave."

"This 'thing'?" Lucifer's voice was all innocence, a hand settling on the shoulder of the abhorrent creature he'd brought. "Now, that's not very nice."

Eleanor gasped softly from behind Gabriel, a hand falling on his arm urgently. Gabriel twisted his head slightly in question, but his eyes never left the monster. "Gabriel…"Eleanor whispered directly to his mind. He could feel her terror and revulsion through their linked souls. "Gabriel, I think- I think that soul was HUMAN."

Was?

"After all," chuckled Lucifer. "Aren't you supposed to be bowingto these things? I want to see youbow, brother. I want to see you humbleyourself before this 'thing'."

Oh God… Gabriel's wings strained for Eleanor's unseen, feeling her reaching for him as well. She was right. This had once been a human. What it was nowwas anyone's guess.

"Lucifer," Raphael snarled, taking a step forward. "What have you done?"

"Me?" Lucifer asked, innocent again. Then, he laughed, and Eleanor's grip on Gabriel tightened. "Oh, I've... made some improvements." The fallen archangel turned around, looking upwards as he suddenly shouted, "Come on out, Father! Come see what I've made for you!"

"What have you done?!" Raphael bellowed again, raising his archangel blade. The creature suddenly moved for the first time, its twisted and warped body turning a slow circle; when it was facing Gabriel's direction, the archangel swallowed hard and pressed his invisible wings tightly around Eleanor. It was smiling, and its milky white eyes looked rotted and dead. When it laughed - a high, cold, evil sound – Gabriel felt his hair stand on end. Now he knew what that feeling of foreboding had been warning against.

"My brothers… sisters…" Lucifer announced sibilantly, gesturing to the creature. "May I introduce Lilith. She's the first."

"LEAVE THIS PLACE!" Michael was on the move at last, charging straight towards Lucifer with rage in his eyes. Lucifer's smile widened, a predatory grin. His hands flew up, and a force like a tornado flung Michael back from him. More soldiers rushed in, but Gabriel's eyes were on the creature: he didn't want to hurt his brothers, even with what they'd brought into Heaven, but if this thingshowed any signs of attacking, he was going to waste it.

"Trying to kick me out, Michael?!" snorted Lucifer as he strode towards his brother, who was struggling to get to his feet. "Why does it feel like we've been here before?"

"You know you can't win this fight." Michael sneered at Lucifer, dodging the attack that came his way. All angels but the soldiers were starting to anxiously press backwards, the memory of previous battles all too fresh in their memories. The soldiers themselves were trying to apprehend Lucifer's six chosen warriors, hoping to overwhelm them with force of numbers. They weren't getting far; these six had been hand-picked for a reason. In the center of it all, the creature - Lilith - just laughed, and laughed, an insane, macabre sound.

Gabriel had already pushed Eleanor and Terriel back towards an enormous marble pillar, hissing at them to stay down. A shout from the center of the Hall had him whipping back around though, watching in horror as Michael stumbled back with glowing white grace dripping from a deep wound in his shoulder.

"I didn't come to fight," Lucifer taunted, blade flashing out. Michael's scream of pain brought all of Heaven to a terrified halt, and when the dust settled, they could see that the archangel was pinned to a column by Lucifer's blade piercing all the way through his shoulder and into the stone behind him. Lucifer just chuckled, grabbing Michael's other wrist and squeezing in a bone-shattering grip until Michael's sword fell from his hand with an echoing clatter on the floor. "But since we arefighting... tell me again how I can't win?"

Gabriel was a statue, eyes flicking between Michael and Lucifer's faces in disbelief. This was a nightmare, and he had no idea what to do. If Lucifer tried to kill Michael, could Gabriel stop him in time? If Raphael tried to kill Lucifer while he was distracted, could Gabriel get there before the Halls were forever tainted with the blood and ash of an archangel?

"You will all stand down!" Lucifer bellowed, raising his voice as he leaned in, pressing a forearm against Michael's throat. Behind him, the frozen soldiers traded anxious looks, not sure what to do.

"No, they won't!" Michael choked out, but the soldiers didn't dare disobey Lucifer when their commander - and brother - was at stake. One by one, they were all warily lowering their swords but not sheathing them. Michael's face was red with utter fury, his lips curled in a snarl as he weakly grabbed Lucifer's arm with his free hand - put pinned as the shoulder was, his grip wasn't nearly strong enough to shove his brother away.

"You'll pay for this, Lucifer," Michael seethed in outrage. Lucifer chuckled again, somehow all the more terrifying in his calmness.

"Oh, I've paid enough, thank you. Did you imagine I was going to let this stand, brother? Did you imagine I would be weakened when you expelled me from my home?" He leaned in closer, and they could hear Michael choke slightly as the pressure against his throat increased. "You were wrong," Lucifer hissed. "I'm stronger,and I think it's yourturn to pay."

The dark smile stretching his cheeks far too wide terrifiedGabriel, as did the words. He took one step forward, feeling Eleanor's ripple of fear for him. He sent her back a soothing reassurance, and swallowed hard. "Lucifer, wait..." he spoke up urgently. "Just wait, okay, bro?"

"Stay out of this, Gabriel, you're not my enemy." His voice was cold, back still to the rest of the angels as he kept Michael pinned. "What do you think, Michael? You threw me outbecause I wouldn't bow to your precious humans. So why don't youbow to mine, and see how you like it?!"

Lucifer moved like lightning. Michael shouted again as the blade pinning him was wrenched free, and then Lucifer was dragging him towards the center of the Hall with the silver edge dangerously pressed into Michael's throat. "Come now, brother!" he snarled, grunting with exertion as he pulled a struggling Michael bit by bit towards the monster. "Let me see that great prideof yours kneeling on the floor like common swine, let me see the humilityyou demanded from me! Bow to her, Michael!"

"You-" Michael gasped, struggling harder as grace bled down his wounded arm. "I will killyou for this!"

"Oh, you don't likethe thought of bowing to a lesser creature? Neither did I! You showed me no mercy, so KNEEL!"

Gabriel took another step forward, holding his hands up in placation. "Lucifer, please!"

"I said stay out of this!"

The six angels had roughly shoved some of the soldiers aside, clearing a path to reach the mutilated creature in the center. There were dark, victorious smirks directed at Michael as Lucifer managed to drag him closer. The angels of Heaven watched in unmasked terror, many still gripping their angel blades in preparation to strike at the first order. Gabriel knew the order was coming, because he knew his brother: Michael would rather be killed than be forcibly made to show the slightest humility to this thing. Blood would coatthe floors, and Gabriel could notallow that.

"Lucifer!" he tried one more time, urgently pushing his way through the soldiers now. "This isn't the answer, for eitherof you. Please,Luci. Let's just everyone step back-"

"Let's not!" Raphael was a whirlwind, blade flashing before Lucifer had time to shift his attention from Gabriel. The dark archangel shouted in pain, dropping Michael and backing away with his hand clutching his side, dripping in blood and grace. Michael was on his feet again like lightning, teeth bared in his wrath as he leaped at Lucifer with his bare hands.

Gabriel couldn't even see what was happening, but Lucifer must have dodged because the next thing he knew, the entire host of angels was knocked off their feet by an unseen force. Lucifer's bloody hand was extended as he knelt, using his power to hold everyone down. It was hard to say whose face held more hatred - Michael or Lucifer.

"This is just the beginning," Lucifer hissed, voice lethal and vengeful. "You'll see me again... I promise you that." With that final warning, the dark archangel pressed his bleeding hand into the ground. From his prone position, Gabriel could see the blood creeping insidiously into some deliberate shape, a word perhaps, but he couldn't read it from there. Then, there was a blinding flash; Lucifer, the six angels, and the monster were gone.

In the silence that followed, Gabriel could almost heareverything falling apart.

There was no coming back from this. How could this everbe repaired? Creating that thing, Lilith, whatever she was, that had been a smack in the face to God. But beating Michael, trying to make him bow to the thing, that was a smack in the face to the archangel, and Michael did not forgive.

The silence only lasted for a few eternal seconds, and then everything turned to chaos. Angels leaped back to their feet, and a thousand voices rose in panic and confusion all across the Halls. No one was going near the center of the Hall, where Lucifer and the monster had been; Gabriel wanted to know what Lucifer had spelled out in blood, but first there was something far more important that he needed to check on.

"Ellie!" Gabriel's blade disappeared as he flew back to where he'd left her, grabbing Eleanor and pulling her in close. She was white as a sheet, aura sparking with alarm and horror. "Ellie?!"

"It was a human, Gabriel! What did he do to her?!"

"I... I don't know," Gabriel muttered, shaken by the unexpected confrontation they'd just witnessed. He wished he could believe that wounding Michael's pride was all Lucifer would have done, but it was too easy to imagine that the silver blade would have slit Michael's throat as soon as he'd bowed. And, given the chance, he knew that Michael would have turned that blade on Lucifer without a second of hesitation.

Shuddering, Gabriel held Eleanor tight, stroking her hair as the two of them comforted each other with their solid presence. There was something else that was bothering Gabriel as well, and the archangel suddenly murmured, "And what did he mean, she's the first..."

"What does 'demon' mean?"

Gabriel had almost forgotten about Terriel. He pulled away from Ellie long enough to shoot him a questioning look. "Eh?"

"Demon." The young angel, pale and unsteady, pointed to the center of the Hall where Lucifer's blood was glistening. Gabriel and Eleanor traded a look, then twisted around to see what he meant. There, on the floor, the blood had fashioned itself into a single Enochian word, one that Gabriel had never heard before. Demon... what didthat mean?

"I don't know," Gabriel replied again, shrugging shakily. Whatever it was, it had been important enough to Lucifer to leave the word inscribed in blood,so it was clearly significant in some way. Gabriel felt so helpless, and that was a terrible feeling.

The sudden Voice in his mind took Gabriel by surprise, and he straightened with a sharp gasp. Dimly, he heard Eleanor and Terriel asking what it was, but the Voice drowned out all else as it called to him, summoned him. "Dad," Gabriel whispered, shocked. He'd never been summoned before. "Uh huh... right away."

The Voice faded, and Gabriel looked around to see that Michael and Raphael had also grimly straightened amid the panicking, shouting angels, and he knew they'd just gotten the same message. Slowly, he turned back to Eleanor, whose face had cleared with understanding. "The archangels?" she verified softly. Gabriel nodded.

"Dad wants to see us," he murmured as his heart sank. Something told him that this did not bode well for Lucifer; the fallen archangel had thrown down the gauntlet, and it was far, far too late to pick it back up.