Author's notes :
Here is the new translated chapter; a flashback about Samael, of course. In wrote the 20th chapter of this story in French yesterday and I wanted to celebrate this (it's the middle of the story, after all!) by giving you another translated chapter with this one.
Wanna know which one?
The sequel of " Une nécessité ". Happy? ^^ The prolog of "In a new Light" is then available, too. Don't forget to take a look!
Happy reading for both!
HAVE A QUICK CHAT WITH GOD
The air was whistling all around him, following the strong movements of his wings, obeying to them.
Samael could feel the wind brush his face and ruffle his hair as he was rising in the heavens, his wings gracefully fluttering the air around. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the fresh, bracing touch of the wind against his skin and his feathery appendages.
He loved flying, probably more than anyone.
His brothers and sisters only saw in this activity a means of getting around somehow. It was just practical and useful. They couldn't or didn't want to see the real pleasure behind the basic gesture. This pleasure radiating inside Samael with each strong movement of his wings, with each caress of the wind that instinctively answered to them.
A silent talk between these two entities. A perfect harmony between him and the sky. Between him and his wings.
When he wasn't on Earth, he was in the skies; dancing and winding on the celestial borders of heavens. Slowly sometimes, with an electrifying speed sometimes; the clouds vanishing in a blast of air in his trail.
Samael didn't love flying. He needed this. More than anything else.
The simple thought of no longer flying, no longer touching each celestial cloud with his fingers made him feel sick. Fly; mixing with this astral landscape, was essential to him.
He had a faint smile by feeling the gentle touch of the wind along his feathers, slightly tickling them at their ends; a delightful sensation spreading inside his shoulders and body. He opened his eyes and looked the sun slowly declining on the horizon, flooding the skies and the Garden with its yellow shades. The clouds gradually became more colorful than their previous insipid hue. They looked like pale-lilac, yellow clouds all around him.
The young archangel briefly stopped his dazzling flight in the heavens which were darkening pretty fast now, his wings fluttering vigorously to stay stable at this vertiginous height. He stared intently at the unclear shapes at the Garden, looking at the huge Tree of Knowledge that proudly stood in its center. This tree with hundreds of golden foliage and red fruits.
With one missing fruit.
The most important fruit that started a real change. A good one. Maybe disastrous in a way, but an essential change.
It was fair.
He'd done the right thing. He knew it deep inside him.
And yet…
Samael gulped, still looking with his dark eyes at this determining tree. Looking at her. At their future, the consequences of this act.
An act of rebellion.
They surely would see it like this. What wasn't strict and oh so amazing Father's orders would be rejected by his family. It looked like treason. His brothers and sisters were far too narrow-minded and far too craven to see beyond that.
Not all of them, but most of them anyway. Michael, above all.
Samael hadn't thought before and think was probably useless. He had acted instinctively.
By choice.
So had she.
He had let his heart, his soul, his conviction speak. Wasn't it the opposite of an act of rebellion?
Wasn't it an act of faith?
The importance and interpretation – justified or not – that they would give to his decision would only depend on Him. They would listen to Him, as always. They would obey Him unquestioningly, as always.
He wasn't afraid of them. Even less of Him. He only feared what they would do to her if the worst might happen.
Eve.
She was meant to live only to obey Him, just like everyone else. Being used to fulfill His goals, whatever they could be. She was just a weak creature that could be so easily annihilated by his peers. But she was so much more to him.
He had to make Him understand this. Make Him see the truth that He was trying so much to avoid. But… Would He even listen to him? Or would He just destroy everything to all starting over again?
Samael had no certainties and that was the problem.
He sighed, feeling already exhausted by all the problems that he was going to face to keep her safe. For opening his family's eyes to the truth. He had to find the perfect timing, the perfect manner to talk about this.
The air cooled off rather quickly as the last rays vanished from the sky to give way to the softer radiance of the stars. The gradual transformation of the sky reminded him how long he had been gone; he just realized that now.
Samael moved his wings, rising again in the starry flock. He stopped then abruptly, worried. He had been so busy with these last events that he had neglected – willingly or not – his other divine obligations. One of them, it was rather an appointment than a real mission, suddenly came back to his mind. Samael tensed with apprehension.
Why did he have to forget this ?
The young archangel rolled his eyes, sighing heavily for his own stupidity and the troubles that would surely come with it.
She was going to kill him.
Literally speaking.
-xXx-
Samael increased his speed with his wings, flying towards the gigantic heights of skies, which couldn't be reach by any other living creature. Not even these odd feathery things created by The Old Man.
How did He call them? Birds or something?
The cool wind was loudly whistling to his ears, ruffling his hair a lot and his sides as strongly. The freezing cold of the heavens was stinging his skin, the angel shivering slightly at its touch as he rose further towards firmament. He saw far away a big cloudy lump dimly lit by the stars and seeming much thicker than its neighbors. Its size was unique, without any equal rival around, almost overlooking the heavens.
Samael flew faster, the other small clouds quickly disappearing into thin air near him. He approached the big cloud, slowing the hitherto strong movements of his white wings. The cloud uttered a muffled rumble at his arrival.
It didn't worry him, though.
He watched from his position the cloud turning shape. A slow and gradual transformation that became faster afterwards as he came closer to it. Its steamy shapes turned into a strong structure with the same hue, which changed with the night and the glowing stars. Each vaporous and dense end quickly faded and became huge columns with curlicues. The glittering white frontages beautified by golden or silver engravings appeared in turn from this big cloudy lump.
Samael came closer to the Silver City, which was gradually rising in the middle of the skies.
The city was the cloud.
A cloud only showing its true nature to its inhabitants. The city was now resting on a rough material. It looked like precious but quite resistant, too. He thought it was called rough diamond, its steep rims looking like a sharp mountain pointing to the Garden further down. It was as huge and stunning than the structure above it. Thin coils of smoke were brushing the walls and pillars.
The archangel landed gracefully on the marbled and cold threshold which was surrounded on both sides by a thin crystalline railing of up to his hips, the coils of smoke gently twirling around him. He instinctively fluttered his wings in his back. Two sentries - who were proudly guarding the huge silver door beautified by various thin symbols and runes – glared at him contemptuously as he walked towards them, his glowing wings ruffling the ground with each of his steps.
He sneered while noticing their hateful looks towards him.
Besides his family; every soldier, every celestial messenger or insignificant cherub constantly gave him this kind of look; this clear disapproval for his actions and behavior.
He was the outcast. The young rebel. The agitator.
All of them knew him and his definite refusal to follow divine orders. Refusing the Power of the Most-High on him. They thought he didn't care, that's all. But they were all wrong, as always. Samael didn't act like this just out of bravado, although dispute his Father was quite enjoyable. It was simply stupid to blindly follow His orders without once questioning His plans.
Why was everyone else taking this for a horrible infamy? Was he the only one to be of sound mind here?
The young archangel walked quietly to the main entrance of the city, the two guards still glaring at him as he was approaching them and the Gate, their hands clenching on the handle of their golden spears. He passed them and stood in front of the entrance, patiently waiting for it to open and let him pass. The glyphs and other symbols dug in the material of the door pulsated and gradually lighted up. It was a soft glow. His own glow being absorbed by the main door, which filled every symbols and glyphs on it; turning the colorless door into a blazing wall in the dark. Samael watched the glow intensify before reduce gradually and then disappear. Another rumble disturbed the surrounding silence as the Gate slowly opened before him, the plumes of smoke twirling quickly with the strong blast of air coming from the inside and also ruffling his wings.
He entered without looking again behind him.
-xXx-
Samael stopped in one of the many corridors of the city, unwilling to advance further.
He watched the crystal door – which was embellished with sketches of white lilies - with apprehension. He couldn't retrace his steps. He was late, so late. That would make things way worst. Not coming at all would be disastrous. She would make him pay for a very long time. And she was the only one in his whole family to make him fear such consequences. He swallowed, a strong knot suddenly obstructing his throat as he touched the crystalline door. It quivered gently and the material vanished into a flowered white smoke all around him. He lowered his hand, carefully entering inside the room, keeping posted. Now that he was inside, the door reappeared behind him, as strong and crystalline than before and preventing him to flee.
Samael took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and walked further into the huge room. He looked around him, suspicious of not seeing anyone here.
That was strange.
She should have been here. It couldn't be otherwise.
He stared at the end of the room which was more than huge. As huge as the rest of this place. Everything here was big, pedantic, excessive and terribly bright. Each of his careful steps resounded noisily against the sparkling floor which was showing him a perfect reflection of his tensed features. The pearly white pillars were standing at the four ends of the room and meeting right in the middle of the ceiling as white and bright, holding together the walls with a beautiful marbled keystone. Which was overhanging by a big crystal. A crystal-clear star spreading its sharp and yet so thin ends in the center of the ceiling, easily taking the light outside the city inside it. It took the Sun's light and the light of the stars. Using thereby all kind of lights time after time to light up the entire sparkling Silver City. It was a soft light now. As soft as the wind that ruffled his left side. The young archangel looked absent-mindedly the open window, its borders covered with discreet, golden flowery arabesques.
He stopped walking, looking again all around him without seeing anyone else. Samael sighed, puzzled.
It couldn't be that late, could it?
He felt a slight move above him, which was quickly followed by a threatening shadow darkening the ground around. He didn't even waste time by study the situation. He followed his gut, spreading his wings and shifting rapidly, moving thus a few meters away from this unknown threat in a second. A spear cut the air and shattered the marbled floor at the exact spot where he was standing a moment ago, which became fissured to his feet. A spear whose the shiny black wooden handle was held by two fine hands hiding an unsuspected strength. Which had so easily smashed the floor of the room over several meters.
Samael gulped, briefly staring at the curved blade – which had silver-colored sparkles with really sharp edges – firmly stuck in the marble before looking worryingly to his older sister.
He straightened up, pretending not to be impressed, as she was doing the same.
" Well, I missed you, too… Gabrielle ! "
-xXx-
Gabrielle didn't answer him right away, staring with her golden eyes at her little rebel brother.
Who was late.
Terribly late.
He stayed where he was, cautious. He knew enough her strength and temper not to come nearer than that. Not until she openly starts the fight.
Or… not.
He wished she didn't try, but he wasn't that stupid to hope this. Samael scrutinized her in detail while waiting for her next move.
According to him, Gabrielle was indisputably his most beautiful sister. It had nothing to do with her features, although these were perfect; it was all about her simplicity. She had no pride about it, unlike the others. His other sisters saw their beauty as something logical considering their celestial powers and responsibilities.
For Gabrielle, it was a gift to respect.
He watched her thin face, her delicate porcelain skin, her high cheekbones and her slightly marked hairline which intensified this particular glow in her golden eyes. Her long red hair ruffled her hips, summarily tied in a disheveled braid, fire-colored locks surrounding her pure face. She was slim, hiding deep inside her this power. She was wearing a dark top with a high collar that let him see her chest, though. The fabric of the top was beautified by flowery lighter sketches. It looked like a second skin, glorifying Gabrielle's beauty. Her arms were stripped, metallic black bracers protecting her forearms and partially covering her hands in their middle. Her long black shirt slit at the left hip was showing her bare legs, her feet put on dark gladiator sandals as high as her thighs.
Simplicity and strength together in one single person.
His sister. Gabrielle. Father's soldier.
No.
She was so much more than that.
She was outshining them all with her style of combat. She was their mentor. That was her mission.
Gabrielle.
" God is my strength. "
The reverse would have been more fair to her, according to him. She was His strength.
His older sister smiled at him slightly before putting off the blade of her favorite weapon from the floor. Once the silver blade had been removed, the crack instantly decreased, a translucent mist emerging from it. It ruffled the damaged area and efficiently remove any traces on the ground. This apparently common phenomenon had always intrigued him. He had tried to smash some parts of the celestial palace when he was younger. But, whatever he had done, and whatever the strength or the weapon used, each damage had been also instantly replaced by another perfect structure.
An endless circle of perfection. Endlessly irritating.
Gabrielle twirled the handle of her spear around, the blade ripped through the air with a repetitive whistling. Samael, who had landed near the window, leaned against the pillar, pretending not to be surprised by this attack. He was on edge, anyway. She seemed calm, of course, but it didn't mean he was out of the woods. Not with her.
He was going to be in for a rough time, for sure.
His sister stopped playing with her weapon, twirling it around one last time skillfully before ruffling the floor of the handle, spreading her wings in her back. Gabrielle's wings were very different from his. Less big, but finer. Fine and strong. The feathers were several inches longer than his; some golden, others as white as the clouds in the skies. A more shy, softer white hue.
" You're late. "
" I'm always busy doing the opposite of what others expect, Gabe, it's like a compulsive need! ", he replied.
Gabrielle's smile widened. She mechanically stroke the black wood of her spear with her thumb. She remained silent for a few seconds, staring at him with her piercing eyes. Whose seemed easily able to see beyond his indifferent features.
She was the only one who can do this. She was the only one to take the time to see beyond it, to try to understand him.
She pinched her lips, pensive and then asked him blankly in her gentle voice:
" What have you done this time? "
He pretended not to understand, frowning as he straightened up.
" I've done so many things! I'm not sure you really want to know what exactly, sis'! ", he taunted her carefully.
She didn't look surprised or angry with his evasive reply. She simply nodded, a mischievous smile appearing on her thin lips that quickly vanished. Seeing this, the young archangel felt more anxious than before. Gabrielle stopped looking him, walking slowly to the middle of the huge room under her brother's gaze, keeping twirling her spear around as slowly. She pointed with her chin a spot at the end of the room and Samael looked towards it. He saw the many celestial weapons meticulously arranged on a white wooden pedestal, patiently waiting for some future battles. He sighed heavily, looking wearily at his sister. She gave him another mischievous smile and told him:
" Your lateness doesn't excuse you from your training, Sam. You know it. Here is my proposition; if you win – which I highly doubt it and I'm sure you know why -, I'll leave you in peace and you could mess up as much as you desire. If I win, you'll tell me what's bothering you that much. Choose your weapon… And hurry up, I have waited for you long enough! "
" Careful, Sis'! You could be surprised! ", he replied as he walked towards the weapons.
" How? By not you failing after two minutes? That would be a surprise, indeed! "
Samael glared at her and then looked the many weapons in front of him. He chose a long sword, making some moves with it to test its maneuverability.
Perfect, of course.
But perfection wouldn't be enough in that case. Not with Gabrielle.
He tightened his grip around the iron handle, the embedded gemstones shining shyly on his skin. The blade had an acceptable length and was well sharpened. Satisfied, he turned to Gabrielle, walking to the middle of the room and keeping a reasonable distance between each other: a few meters wouldn't be useless. He also twirled the handle of the sword around, giving her a crooked grin. She moved her left leg, as if she was stepping back, but she wasn't. She slightly bended her body forward. All these movements seemed almost natural to her.
Intuitive.
She placed her both hands on the handle, moving the blade of her spear before her to the ground. With a slight move, she removed her wings of his sight, then staring at her younger brother.
" You know the rules. ", she warned him.
Samael sighed deeply and he rolled his eyes. He did the same, the heavy and yet comforting touch of his wings missing him almost immediately.
" I still don't understand why you refuse to fight with our wings… ", he complained. " It's truly crippling! "
" What's truly crippling it's always using your wings to save your life, Sam. ", she explained one more time. " You must learn to only count on your physical and mental abilities. You could only have those two possibilities in the future to survive. "
He nodded, annoyed and inattentive. Samael tightened his hands around his weapon and tensed his muscles, staring at his older sister. She hadn't move an inch yet, holding her spear as firmly than him but with an ease he didn't have. They both stopped talking, looking each other without blinking once, the nocturnal and peaceful silence in the training room only disturbed by their breathing. Samael didn't start the fight; that would be totally wasteful and would exhaust him prematurely. A frontal assault would lead him far too quickly, if not almost immediately, to defeat.
He had to block, dodge her attacks and wait.
Waiting for a flaw.
If there was any. He still hadn't found one, anyway.
Gabrielle rushed forward him in a flash, the floor crackling softly at the exact spot where she had been standing before.
Samael opened his eyes wide with surprise. He quickly placed his own blade in front of him. The sharp spear met his own weapon with a shrill whistling, the young archangel tensing more his body to stand the stroke. Gabrielle smiled at him and then increased the pressure of her blade against his.
She did it so easily, like it was nothing more than ruffling his hand.
Samael moved aside swiftly, her spear then hitting the marbled floor which smashed in thousands of pieces as he tried to hit his older sister on her right side.
The unprotected one. Here was her flaw.
He smiled victoriously while his blade dangerously approached her ribs. He felt a movement, seeing his sister's body move from the corner of his eye. Gabrielle removed her spear stuck in the ground with a perfect gesture, tilting the handle in the opposite direction and thus blocking in a flash her brother's sword. In a second, she slid the wooden handle along his blade while keeping diverting its tip towards the floor. She was using his own strength to her own advantage and he couldn't do anything against it.
She then hit his right side - now totally exposed – from the top of her spear.
Samael winced as he felt the rough touch of her blade against his ribs. The hit threw him on the other end of the room, his back meeting the sparkling floor unceremoniously. His sword slipped a few feet away from his hands.
That was bad. Really really bad.
Stunned, Samael tried to get back on his feet, reaching for his sword too far from his own position now.
But Gabrielle was on him in the blink of an eye, the white smoke twirling fiercely around her with her speed. She neutralized her brother just as quickly by sitting on his chest, placing her heels on his wrists while he gasped. She moved her spear and pressed its handle against his neck, partially preventing him from breathing freely. Samael gulped, stopping struggle against his sister's weight when he felt the pressure against his throat increase.
Gabrielle sighed softly, clearly disappointed while a few red strands of her hair ruffled her young brother's cheeks.
" Can't say I'm not surprised, brother. ", she complained. " You fought less than thirty seconds! That's a shame, really. You know where was your mistake? "
" Coming here? ", he tried hoarsely, the handle still placed against his throat.
She shook her head and released her hold around her weapon, still sit on her brother's chest.
" You've acted by instinct instead of thinking a bit before attacking me. Instinct is fundamental during battles but strategy is as much important; try to remember that the next time you'll do another stupid joke around! Believe me or not, but you're far too predictable lately, little brother! ", she pinched Samael's nose who frowned.
Gabrielle finally stood up, helping him to get back on his feet now that their training was over. He winced and placed his hand on his right side. That hurt a lot! The spear had gone through the top of his outfit – which was quite tough but clearly not tough enough against his sister's weak hit – and cut his flesh. There was a long bloody gash on his side. Gabrielle moved his hand from it and gently placed the end of her left wing against his wound. Samael felt it slowly disappear with this simple touch that also removed any pain from his body.
" I'll try, Sis'. "
She walked away, placing her spear near the other weapons, and removed her bracers from her forearms. She gently rubbed the inside of her wrists while Samael sat on the window sill, enjoying the cool nocturnal breeze.
" Now, tell me… What have you done this time? ", asked Gabrielle again, approaching him.
He stopped looking at the starry horizon and shrugged slightly, bending his legs against his chest while eluding her question.
" Well, if we think about it a bit… I've never accepted the deal, Gabe. "
While his other siblings would have been annoyed by this reaction unfairly perceived as arrogant and impudent, Gabrielle just sat down in front of him, also bending her legs against her chest. She didn't insist, scrutinizing the outside absent-mindedly.
This behavior meant a lot for the archangel. It showed again her respect and affection for him, just as him for her. He respected her and loved her more than anyone her, if not one of his siblings. The rest of his family was-…
Family.
Such an inappropriate denomination.
Hierarchy. Order.
That sound much more right.
Gabrielle was the only one who didn't use her authority on him. She listened to him. She and Raphael did. Two beings that he truly cared about. That he didn't want to disappoint.
He watched his sister's profile, his look surrounded by so many questions. Questions that were strongly related to their own raison d'être.
This question he had asked to Eve…
This question that would cast doubt on everything. It already had, hadn't it?
He wrapped his arms around his legs, pensive.
" Gabrielle? "
" Hmm? ", she answered, still looking outside with her golden eyes, the cool breeze ruffling her red hair.
" Why are you training Father's soldiers? ", he asked.
She smiled softly. A weary smile.
" That's the mission He gave me, Sam. You already know that, don't you? ", she told him after a time.
Yes, he already knew that. That was her mission. Everyone here had a mission. A goal chosen by the All-Mighty and Unquestionable Father of All Things.
Always an order.
Always a duty.
" But… You hate fighting, right? ", he said, scrutinizing her intently.
She didn't answer him, keeping watching the starry sky in front of them. No verbal answer, but an answer anyway. Of course, she hated this.
" Then why keeping fighting for Him? ", he asked again, puzzled.
Gabrielle shrugged, stroking her bare shoulder as her little brother still stared at her.
" Because I have a gift for that. I've been created in that purpose. "
" And that's it? Don't you want anything more than this stupid and useless divine mission? ", he exclaimed, annoyed by her docility.
She stared her brother. For a long time. Seeing through his mask and his rough comments.
" Is this all about your last trip to the Garden? ", she finally asked in turn.
A perfect deduction.
Samael looked away, his features as tensed as the rest of his body.
" Maybe. "
Gabrielle remained silent for a time, Samael still feeling her eyes burning his neck by their strength. It seemed last forever, the archangel not quite comfortable with this heavy silence between them. He looked at her, meeting her golden eyes blurred with some thoughts he couldn't guess.
" It's that bad? ", she asked suddenly.
Gabrielle was far too insightful. He merely nodded.
He would see this as a serious fault, for sure. Which wasn't Samael's opinion, convinced that he had done the best choice for everyone.
Her older sister sighed, standing up near him. She walked away – Samael still looking her – before stopping, turning her back to him.
" You better talk to Him, then. And before He finds out the facts. ", she just recommended him.
With these words, Gabrielle headed for the exit, leaving Samael alone with his thoughts.
She was right, of course.
He would have to endure the most horrible celestial torture.
It called " have a quick chat with God ".
TBC with… " Hopefully "
Author's notes:
Once again, I thank you to read my story so far. A writer is absolutely nothing without readers. I hope this chapter pleased you and that the next one will, too. We'll go back to hell!
For me, angels are really fast when they fight. If you want to look a concrete example, you can watch " Fate Stay/night – Archer VS Lancer, epic Fight " on Youtube at 2:03.
Let a little review if you want, I like them! ^^
Bye bye !