Author's notes: First things first! A humongous apology for all those of you that have been awaiting this update. I have not given up on either of my stories and even have a fair number in the works atm. The reason I have been absent for so long is that I have left Uni and finally found work plus on top of that I have found out that I am expecting a little boy in March! So things have now been stupidly busy for the last six months. However I have been finding time at work when I am bored and have finished everything for the day so have decided that for now this would be the perfect time to start updating my stories and writing up drafts for the new ones. So yes people I am back, bad and ready to kick butt! Lol
I have to give out a huge thanks to everyone that has added this story to their favourites and Alert's list but I especially owe a massive thanks to Kermitty, xPercyx, The Stygian Angel, Sharkolla, JadeObsession and xxxXXXSMILEXXXxxx for taking the time to leave such wonderful reviews.
Disclaimer:I do not own any of the characters from legion nor do I claim any, I do however own the characters I create also I am not implying that anything in this story is true so please do not take offence at anything that comes up.
Michael felt a familiar spinning sensation filling his body only this time, when he opened his eyes he was met by a bright light rather than the darkness he had awaken to in the Abyss. A light groan escaped his lips as the pain behind his eyes shifted and consumed his mind. What had they done to him? He pushed himself up onto his elbows squinting to protect his eyes against what seemed like the brightest light he had yet encountered. He could just make out a large blur at the end of the bed he was lay upon. It took all his efforts to focus enough to see that it was his brother Raphael sitting with his head in his hands. The familiar off-key discord was still present grating his ears more than it had previously. He brought his hands up to cover his ears allowing himself to lay back on the bed as he felt his head throb and ache.
He felt a soft pair of hands pressing gently against his temples as a deep burning began in the centre of his mind. Slowly it spread outwards surrounding and calming him completely. He fought the urge to cry out against the new pain understanding that it was only his brother trying to heal his pain. After what felt like an eternity Michael felt the burning subside and gently blinked his eyes open to meet his brother's brilliant green eyes. Raphael pulled Michael so that he could sit beside him on the bed.
"Better?" He asked looking up at the glistening crystal bars blocking them in.
"Thanks." Michael whispered bringing his hand up to touch his head. Whatever had caused the pain he felt Michael hoped to never experience it again. He rubbed the back of his head as a memory of being dragged along the floor of the throne room flashed through his mind.
"Father!" He exclaimed jumping up from his seat, "they have the father!" He cried out grabbing the bars and shaking them ferociously. Although the deceiving bars looked as though they were made from crystal no matter how hard Michael tugged or kicked they wouldn't move or break in the slightest.
"He is fine Michael." Raphael spoke softly, "giving yourself another migraine won't help."
"A migraine?" Michael asked stopping in confusion, "Angels don't get migraines." He finished letting go of the bars and focusing his attention on his brother, awaiting his answer.
"Your mortal now, you can get anything the they can." Raphael shrugged.
"But…." Michael began to protest as his brother lifted his hand to shush him.
"You're not just temporarily mortal Michael, you are permanently mortal. You've spent too long in their realm." Raphael finished lowering his hand and giving Michael a look of sympathy.
"So how am I still able to caste portals?"
"You can't" Raphael shrugged, "or at least you shouldn't be able to. Not without the collar." Michael stood looking at his brother in dumb confusion. How in all of the heavens was he still using the powers he was only meant to have access to through the collar. The angels had heard of tales about mortals that had found a small access to the powers they possessed but they had never believed it to be possible. Michael looked over as his brother released a deep sigh running his fingers through his long golden locks. Even though the angels never aged his brother looked a lot older now than he had the last time Michael had seen him.
"Are you alright?" Michael asked moving to sit beside his brother placing an arm across his shoulders as a comfort. Raphael never answered Michael verbally but a sudden gulp of sobs flooded from his chest as he threw his arms around Michael's neck. Michael had never seen his brother in such a state. He found it a little more than unnerving that the usually bright, optimistic angel of healing was now sobbing like a child on his shoulder. Michael hadn't given a thought to how hard this must have been weighing on his brother after the fall of the others. He watched as Raphael lifted his hand to rub the scar on his forehead as he always did when he was thinking of them.
"I can't side with them Michael." Raphael eventually sighed looking up at the bars once more, "Besides it's not like we will be getting out of here any time soon." He finished running a hand through his hair.
"We can't just sit and do nothing!" Michael snapped as the image of Gabriel pacing the corridors waiting for his return shot through his mind. Michael walked over to the bars bombarding them once again with as much force as he could muster. It already felt as though they had been locked in the cell for what felt like an eternity and it was sending Michael more than a little stir crazy. He turned leaning back against the bars, the room was simple and plain. There was simply a stone slab for a bed with a window above it covered with the same bars as the entrance of the cell. It actually reminded Michael of the jail cells the mortals had built to some degree.
"I will not side against the father!" Raphael boomed making Michaels heart shatter as tears began to pool along the base of his brothers eyes once more. Michael always forgot that it had been centuries since Raphael left the heavens. He had always refused to return to the mortal realm, insisting that life was nothing more than varying degrees of pain. Un-healable he had called it, of course Raphael had returned to the planet once the flood had begun it was Raphael that had disobeyed the father, that had tried everything in his power to save the humans.
"Everything was so much easier before the fall, before the flood." Raphael began to sob as the true weight of the situation hit him full force.
"That's why we need to stop those things!" Michael cried in desperation "It was not the father that sent the flood or banished the fallen. It was them…" Michael trailed off deciding now was not the time to be dealing hard truths as he saw pain marring his brother's features.
"I can't disobey the father again," Raphael cried in frustration "He would banish me for sure this time."
"I know you are afraid brother but the only way we can stop these things is to hit them as hard as we can, with as many men as we can. If we don't beat these beings then I fear the father's and all of our very existence's may be at risk." Michael spoke solemnly in the hope of persuading his brother to help them. Raphael stopped, looking up and allowing Michael to see the internal battle that was currently being waged internally.
"Well how exactly do you suppose we get out of here then?" Raphael asked smiling at his brother. Michael moved back to caste a portal in the room but something was blocking his powers.
"I don't know." Michael sighed looking down at his feet. Raphael tried the same sighing as he found the same result as Michael. Both angels started when they heard a great door being opened as footsteps began to echo down the long corridor. Michael tried to shove his head through the bars to see who it was that approached but his ears got in the way. He pulled his head back from the bars quickly as the footsteps grew closer.
"Isithiel!?" both exclaimed in unison.
"What are you doing here?" Michael asked the small red head standing before him. The girl looked up at Raphael, her bright blue orbs twinkling with admiration. Michael rolled his eyes. He knew the young angel was one of Raphael's star pupils but this was a little farfetched.
"I want to join you." She spoke boldly looking Michael square in the eye.
"Look Isithiel, I, We….." Raphael stumbled causing Isithiel to release a heavenly giggle from behind her curls.
"Something isn't right with the Father everyone can see it. I heard you talking with Uriel and I want to help. I'm not like all the others, I'm not afraid" She spoke softly pulling out a small strangely coloured rock. Michael watched in awe as she moved the object towards the bars causing them to shatter into microscopic shards before disappearing in a majestic liquid mist. He stood awestruck by the device and held out his hand as a request to inspect it further. It resembled the shape of the rocks found on earth, jagged and uneven, but yet it held a beauty that was beyond anything Michael had seen before. It was the colour of the darkest point of the abyss but yet shone with all the colours of the spectrum.
"It belongs to them." Isithiel informed watching in amusement as Michael admired the small object.
"How did you get it?" Raphael asked confusion showing clearly on his face.
"You aren't the only one I've been learning from." She winked taking the rock back from Michael, "I need to return it before they realise it's missing, wait here."
Michael watched as she sauntered back towards the door she had entered through with an almost human female walk. She was the one he had caught sneaking into the gardens to converse with the ascended humans that were allowed to dwell there. He never thought that she would have learnt anything like that there, however it was where the father kept the fallen's families to stop them from being united. Michael felt a stab of guilt in his gut at the thought of the pain Lucifer and the others must feel at being unable to hold their love each night in their arms.
Michael was suddenly snapped from his thoughts by Raphael tapping roughly on his arm and pointing to the doorway where Isithiel was now standing, signalling for them to follow. Both archangels moved quietly and quickly along the corridor and through the door which lead onto a balcony with another door at the other end.
"Is it just me or it is getting darker around here?" Raphael asked looking around at the deep shadows that seemed to invade every space along the now deep golden coloured walls.
"Perhaps it's a sign that the father is weakened." Michael spoke solemnly lowering his head before turning to follow Isithiel once again. He would have offered his brother a small amount of comfort but he couldn't bear to see the look of fear that had settled in his usually bright emerald eyes.
Michael felt his breath catch as his eyes fell upon the large gathering of angels standing together in the centre of the training ring. Every student he had ever taught had attended all stood together waiting anxiously for their long time teacher and mentor to arrive. The sight caused Michaels heart to soar, finally a feeling of hope made it feel as though it would burst from his chest. Never had he thought he could touch so many souls in such a way. He struggled to suppress the goofy grin that sprang to his face at the thought of how pleased Gabriel and the others would be at finally having a chance to bring an end to everything that had been plaguing their existence.
Michael stood beside his brother as Isithiel climbed the small platform before them and began waving her arsm around to catch the attention of the crowd gathered. She got the attention of all the angels gathered then signalled for Michael to climb also, moving aside to allow Michael to speak.
Michael stood for a moment feeling suddenly and astoundingly mortal. His heart thumped in his chest as he looked out across the crowd trying his best to work out exactly what he could say to get the angels to stand against these new beings. He smiled as a million scenes began to dance through his mind from the human history of great men giving
"Hello and thank you for coming," Michael began pausing to take a deep breath as his wings twitched nervously behind him.
"I know the father would be proud to see you all standing for what he believe and we all know is right!" He continued. "We all know the risk you are all taking to be here today"
Michael explained everything starting from the true horror that had befallen the father. They all simply stood in awe as he explained the true appearance of Inferno and confusion at the knowledge that Saolan was in fact the Father's brother. He told them of how Lucifer was only a foot soldier and was not actually the leader of Inferno as they had all been told.
He explained the invitation that was being extended to them to enter Inferno in order to assist in the fight to free the father, who, he explained was being held captive by the beings that has now invaded the heavenly Palace.
Michael felt his heart sink as a crowd of the gathered angels moved away leaving the meeting to go about their usual business, refusing to stand and fight against the threat looming over the heavens.
"I do not wish to force any of you into this and you will not be thought any less of if you refuse, leaving the heavens could mean that we are never to be accepted back." Michael informed ensuring that all the angels present fully understood the risk they were taking upon defaulting to the ranks of Saolan's men. He watched as a few more of the angels dwindled away before climbing back down from the podium and casting a portal Inferno for all those willing to take the highest risk possible to save the father and the human race to enter.
Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please please if you have a spare 5 minutes leave a little review. Thanks so much for reading! With a little luck and good judgement I will have the next chapter up before the New Year.