Gabriel

" Now what do I do?" Io asked Leto and Pandios as they sat in the large dining hall at the Delos pantheon. She and Epaphos had been returned there by a reluctant Tereanos. Io could tell that Tereanos disliked the situation with his whole being. He was still disinclined to use the hydrogen bomb against the Kanaan gods, but he had been overridden by his pantheon head.
" We need to talk with Zeus," Pandios stated. Leto's husband was a tall and lithe man with black, curly hair and eyes dark as coal. Only he can solve this situation. Perhaps he knows a relative to those fighting gods. Perhaps he knows a way to reason with them before Amon makes it too late and drops his dreadful bomb.

" I can understand Amon too", Leto said. "I know what it's like to be under threat. Amon is fearing for his pantheon and the mortals they are supposed to protect. He has tried to find peaceful solutions to what's been going on in Kanaan without success. Perhaps he feels that hitting back with brutal force is the only answer."
" Brutality is never the only answer," replied Pandios. "There's always another solution. A better solution."
" Even while being cornered by Titans?" Leto replied.
" Leto, this isn't about Titans," Io said. "This is about human gods. Modern gods. You're right, Pandios, we need to talk with Zeus. He is after all the elected king of the gods. Those Kanaanites must listen to him!"

" They won't," Leto guessed. "None of them voted for him. And they have never embraced the Pax Olympica. They have never signed the peace treaty Zeus sent out to all the pantheons and sole gods across the world. They will probably not feel that they are in any way bound by these agreements. "
" Why didn't they sign the treaty?" Io enquired.
" Hard to say," Pandios pondered. "After all there were about a dozen gods who more or less openly refused to accept Zeus' rule. They had various reasons, most of them claiming that they did not want any foreigners to meddle in their affairs or that they didn't trust the Olympians. A lot were - and still are - afraid of the extremely powerful god who is Zeus too, although that numbers have dwindled over the years. I can respect those concerns, but I do not respect gods who go to war and in effect kill off innocent bystanders like mortals and nature beings."

" Can't we try to figure out what this war is really about?" asked Asteria. "Why these two blokes are throwing energy bolts at each other. Are they both after Kanaan and its people? Or are the other reasons involved? And how about Amon? Is he really an innocent bystander in this fight, or has he actually been encouraging those gods?"
" Come on, Asteria! He lost a daughter!" Io exclaimed.
" But that could have been a misjudgment from his side. I wonder why he really build this pyramid thing."
" Because he was fearing the arrival of war," Io turned to Leto's sister.
" Feared or expected it?"
" Perhaps both," Pandios said.

" I think Amon's real plan is to have one of those gods defeating the other and then lure the winner to attack Aegyptos and while he tucks away his mortals and fortunes in the pyramid he goes out to attack and defeat that god, probably with the help of other members of his pantheon. And that wile Promethean the land of Kanaan would lay open to him."
" Asteria, I met Amon," Io told. "He was not a man of hospitality or gentleness, but I don't consider him capable of such a thing. It's not in his best interest to claim yet another large piece of more or less worthless dessert land."
" What's with this Kanaan area by the way?" Pandios asked. "Why would everyone want that seemingly worthless chunk of land?"

" Because of the prophecy," Leto said.
" What prophecy?" Pandios again.
" An oracle has forsayed that the god who controls Kanaan will eventually control the world," Leto told.
" Well then, why haven't Zeus grabbed at that land?" Asteria asked. "He seems ambitious enough to want to control the world."
" I guess," Leto said, "that he's biding his time. Waiting for the right moment. Either that or he doesn't pay that much attention to what the oracle has said. After all there are oracles blabbing away prophecies all the time about everything and then some. Remember the flying iron chariots!"

" What's that?" Io asked.
" Another oracle forsayed that the mortals would build birdlike chariots of iron that could fly in the skies, faster than any god, and that they would use those to transport themselves all over the world within mere hours. "
" Preposterous, Leto!" her husband snorted.
" Yes I know. But some oracles are held in high esteem, and if they start talking nonsense like this people might believe them. On top of that we always have the 'prophecies brought true' –syndrome. "
" What?" Io repeated herself.
" If you know about a prophecy you might strive to make it happen. Say that you were told that your battle would be victorious, then you would fight like a lion and therefore win. If you were told it was a lost case you might perhaps give up and in consequence lose. Let's say this prophecy make all the powerful gods meet and clash over Kanaan, leaving only the mightiest deity left alive. And as a result leaving the world to him or her."

" That's not what Zeus wants," Asteria said. "He wants peace and co-existence. "
" Which is under threat now when Amon has that bomb thing and might use it to slay those two other gods," Leto sighed. "No, we will definitely have to talk with Zeus. Is he still in the land of the Celts?"

¤*¤*¤*¤

" What a coinsidence," Zeus was saying, "looking at the four Delos gods in the contact mirror. Yes, there happens to be a relative to one of those gods in the Celtic pantheon, which I just left."
" And who is that?" Leto asked.
" His name is Gabriel, he's a nephew of Yahweh. A bit young but rather bright. Now, this atomic bomb worries me a great deal, I don't want to see such a thing detonated so near highly populated areas. And it's not just about Kanaan, if Amon drops that bomb there, he might scare the Babylonians and the Sumerians into attack him, to prevent him from bomb them too. And then we'll have a full scaled divine war."

" But Amon only has one bomb," Pandios told. "And he doesn't know how to make more. "
" Yes, but the Babylonians and the Sumerians will probably think otherwise. No, we can't have that bomb deployed."
" Can you talk to Amon out of it?" Io asked.
" I sure will try, I'll go to Aegyptos already tonight to reason with the god. But I will need your help Io and Leto."

" I cannot talk to Amon, I'm sorry but he didn't really respect me. "
" I don't mean that you need to come with me to the Garden of Delight, Io. I'm asking you and Leto to go to the Celts and see Gabriel. Tell him what is going on in Kanaan and what might happen if it doesn't stop! Tell him that his uncle might get killed if the war does not stop and that Gabriel might be the only hope of a peaceful solution! Will you do that, miladies?"

Leto accepted and after a second of hesitation Io did so too.
" We better leave first thing in the morning," Leto said. "Io need a good night's sleep before we set off for the land of the Celts. "

¤*¤*¤*¤

Once again Io found herself outside the large doors of a foreign pantheon. And this one was nothing like the Aegyptian Garden of Delight.

First of all it was the average weather. It was cold and raining, something it had never done in Aegyptos. Then while the Garden of Delight rested in a hidden bubble of reality and consisted of several palaces and lush gardens, this pantheon resided inside of a single large structure, more like a fortress than a palace. A fortress situated on a large rock, with water surrounding it on three sides and only a small isthmus leading up to the entrance. An entrance which was cut off with a wind"up bridge and a large double door, made of sturdy oak inlaid with iron bars.

It reminded Io slightly of Mycenae, where she had stopped by to rest for a night and a day on her way to Delos. Well defended and harsh, not letting anyone in who was not cleared all the way.

" So what made this Gabriel end up here?" Leto asked.
" Love perhaps, Io said. Love can pull and push people – god as well as mortals – across half the world. Ask me!"

Leto smiled.
" Makes sense, come on let's seek entrance. "

Io found a large knocker and used it. Its banging sound echoed almost spookily, carried by the resonance of the hollow on the other side of the doors.

First nothing happened. Then a face was shown upon one of those ornate metal circlets covering the door. The face of a pale man with curly red hair.
" Yes? What may I do for the two of you?" The man asked briskly.
" I'm Io, this is Leto. We are the Greeks who called ahead. We're here to see Gabriel."
" The messenger? So people comes all the way from Greece to see him now. Very well, I shall see if he's receiving you. Wait a moment. "

Then the screen went blank and the Greeks were left out in the rain.
" Not a good start this," Leto said and pulled her leather coat closer around her, gazing at Io from under her hood, where water was dripping and sometimes falling down in her face.
" Be patient, sister," Io said. But she too felt weary and annoyed. She hadn't asked to parttake in saving the world, she just wanted to find her place in it. And her place was definitely not here, she was sure of it. She had always resented rain and cold weather. But Zeus had, as always, been so persuasive.

A few moment later the doors creaked open, presenting a petite lady in a light blue wollen dress, she too with the hair of a carrot. She beckoned them to come in.
" Sorry about the delay", she was saying, sea-green eyes eying them accurately. "But we're a bit cautious with who we let inside those gates these days. Here in this part of the world there are still threats even to the pantheons of gods. I'm Brigid. And you are?"

" Io and Leto, from the Delos pantheon," Io repeated. "Here to see Gabriel."
" Not from the Olympos?" Brigid asked. She suddenly looked suspicious.
" No, we live outside," Leto explained. "But we co-work a lot with the Olympos. I know Zeus was here just a day ago. "
" That's true." Brigid said. "The great lord helped us a lot. A man worthy of admiration. So what is your business with Gabriel? "

" It's about a relative of his who's in trouble. An uncle."
" Gabriel has disowned his relatives," Brigid said. "I don't think he'll be interested in helping you."
" Please," Leto asked. "We have travelled a long way. Can we at least get to see him?"

Brigid seemed to hesitate a moment. Then she nodded her head in an upwards direction:
"All right. Just because all the help we got from Great Zeus. But be aware that Gabriel might be moody and he's probably not willing to help you. Come with me!"

¤*¤*¤*¤

Brigid let them in trough a vaulted entry, across a courtyard and then up several staircases, the first ones monumental and impressive and the next few winding and dark. Finally they entered a large room where a fire roared in a large fireplace and where exotic carpets and furniture dominated the interior decoration. On a large table laid what looked like an abandoned board game with several odd"shaped dices and markers. There was a familiar looking marble bust too, the lettering beneath being foreign, but Io thought she recognized the face of Oceanos. Or at least some relative to the Titan who had supported Zeus back in the war.

Across the large room was several doors and Brigid knocked on one of them. A muffled sound was heard from inside and she entered.
" Wait a sec," she turned to the Greeks before closing the doors. Leto cursed under her voice and mindspoke Io:
What do they keep here, being so suspicious? All the gold of the west, or just more nuclear bombs?

But soon Brigid opened up again.
" He's receiving you. You might enter. "

Io and Leto came into a room where books and scrolls covered three of the walls. The fourth wall was dominated by a large desk holding even more of the same. Behind the desk and beneath a window with the thick velvet curtains drawn sat a blond god who might not even be a hundred years. There was something innocent over those blue eyes and the weak, almost feminine look.

" Gabriel," Brigid said and ushered Io and Leto forward, "these are the Greeks who called ahead. They're here to see you about a relative. "
" A relative?" Gabriel looked at the Greeks, "I have no relatives. Besides those Celts who have kindly taken me in and who do not scorn my research. "
" Gabriel," Io began. "We were told by Great Zeus that you are related to Yahweh of Kanaan."

Gabriel remained silent and Io went on:
" He is at war with another god. A god named Lucifer. Their battles have scared the neighboring pantheons into wanting to annihilate both Yahweh and Lucifer to prevent them from 'exporting' the hostilities into other, neighboring areas. "

" They cannot annihilate Yahweh," Gabriel replied curtly.
" Well' it seems that Amon of Aegyptos has laid his hand upon technology that might," Leto said. "He has purchased an atomic bomb from a god named Prometheus. I don't know how much that tells you, but apparently an atomic bomb was used at the end of the Titan war and that one sent down several gods to the lost areas down under. Meaning that they are as vanished as if they had been dead mortals. If not even more, since we gods control the mortal cycle of life/death trough Hades, and can if needed locate a mortal soul. So you must understand that the very concept of such a bomb has us worried. "

" I know all that, Gabriel cut off. Yet Yahweh is destined to rule, so I'm not the slightest worried about him. When he has eliminated Lucifer he will send for me, and then my research needs to be completed, so if you will excuse me…"
"He will send for you?" Leto echoed. "But you said you had no relatives."
"He's a busines partner in this case. I'll help him, he help me. After all there's only a matter of days now."
" Days to what? Io rose an eye"brow.
" Days to when Lucifer meets his final destiny.

" What do you mean?"
" Yahweh will send him down under. Way down under. To that place where Chronos was sent."
" Tartarus!" Io felt herself pale considerably and looking at Leto she saw that her friend's reaction was the same.

" Gabriel," Brigid interrupted. "If Amon has an atomic bomb the course of events might change. If he uses it there'll be no Yahweh or Lucifer left. And very little of Kanaan too."
" That's why we are here," Io said. "We're asking you to talk to your uncle. To beg him to stop this war. To end this before it is too late. "
" Amon can do nothing," Gabriel replied.

" Enough of this arrogance", Brigid said and stepped forward, passing the Greeks and leaning over the table where Gabriel sat, resting her freckled knuckles on the dark wood. "You have been talking about this timeline research of yours and how you can predict the future using it. Well, I'm not an oracle, but I know what an atomic bomb can cause. And I know that if one of them goes off there will be war. Thus if there's anything anyone can possibly do to stop it, it's essential that this person accept the responsibility to do so. So for the sake of the hospitality we Celts have been giving you – do respond to the Greek's plea and go talk to your uncle!"

" I repeat it is not necessary. My predictions…"
" If your predictions are true your uncle will win," Leto said. "And if not someone will get a bomb in his head. Or the war will just go on and on. Or – whatever. Nevertheless it cannot harm if you go to Kanaan and try to reason with your uncle. "

Brigid turned to Leto:
" You're right. Gabriel has nothing to lose. If it's not the case that he is scared of his uncle."
" I am not!" Gabriel rose, his eyes dark with anger. "I have had enough insult from obnoxious women! My research is essential, because it will tell what will happen in the future. And it do tell that my Yahweh will win!"

Io sighed. Then she turned to Leto.
" We're not getting anywhere. I guess we have to return to Zeus and tell him that our try at peace and mercy failed and tell him to stick to the original plan and dispose all of those gods into Tartarus. "
" Can he do that?" Brigid sounded surprised.
" Of course he can. He did it with Chronos, who was as powerful as Yahweh, Lucifer and Amon together. And he won't hesitate a second if Pax Olympica is threatened. "

" But my predictions show…" Gabriel started.
" You can put those in a dark place," Io snarled. "Zeus will not care about them at least, and that's all that really matters in the end. "

Gabriel looked from Io to Brigid and then back again, and then he looked at Leto. Then he shrugged.
" Well' it's not like this is going to matter in a couple of days, but I know when I'm fighting a lost battle. I'll go to Kanaan if it makes you happy. But then…"

He went on talking but Leto didn't listen. She mindspoke Io:
" That was a brave bluff. How did you know he wouldn't call for it?
" Well sometimes you have to take your chances too, Leto. And it's kind of easy with people like Gabriel. They're predictable. Just like Prometheus.