Azrael was concerned. She and her siblings were all sitting in the room where they had their family meetings. Her father called meetings from time to time, so that wasn't the concerning part. The fact that she'd been summoned to attend was. She was usually exempt from these meetings, not because her father didn't want her there, but because he realized the importance of her work, and that she couldn't always get away. She was usually informed about the meeting afterwards. She was only expected to attend the really important meetings, which apparently included this one. She was also concerned because her last encounter with her father earlier in the day, when he'd killed a priest and ordered her to send him straight to Hell. She had a feeling this meeting had something to do with that.
"Anyone know what's going on?" her brother, Gabriel, who to humans would appear to be in his late thirties with blonde hair and green eyes.
"No, but Dad did leave the City for a while," Michael, who had dark brown hair with brown eyes.
Soon, they all heard a door open and close. God had joined them. "Everyone sit down, please."
They all took their seats at the large rectangular table that took up three quarters of the room.
God sat at the head of the table. "There are some things I need to explain to you all. They will all come as a shock to you all, and I know you will all have questions, but I ask that you allow me to finish what I have to say before you ask them.
They all nodded that they understood.
"Earlier, Amenadiel came to inform of a problem that needed my direct attention. It involved Samael," God said.
That caused a reaction from everyone. Most responded in suspicion or anger, but a few, like Azrael, were concerned.
"What has he done? We should've known he'd become a problem if he remained on Earth," Gabriel said.
"Gabriel, I believe I asked you not to speak until I was done," God reprimanded. He wasn't surprised that Gabriel had spoken up. Gabriel and Samael were close as children. Gabriel was only two centuries older than Samael, so they sought each other out often, as well as their brothers, Raziel, who was just a century younger than Samael, and Manuel, who was a few decades apart from Gabriel. But as time went on, they drifted. By the time Samael rebelled, he and Gabriel fought even more than Samael and Michael did.
"Sorry, Dad," Gabriel said. It was clear he was still angry though.
Azrael was tempted to speak up to, but out of concern for her brother instead of to blast him. But she kept quiet as her father requested.
"Your brother was done nothing. Actually, what happened was the work of humans. A priest, with the help of a human 'friend' of your brother's sought to banish him from Earth," God said. He used finger quotes when he spoke the word 'friend'. Chloe Decker had proved she was no friend of his son's.
Realization hit Azrael. That was why her father had killed that priest and insisted on her sending him right to Hell. He'd harmed Lucifer. That was certainly enough to piss her father off. Despite their differences, he would take a large offense to someone hurting Lucifer. "Is he okay? I'm sorry, I know you wanted us quiet, but I need to know if Lucifer's okay."
God sighed. That was a question that was harder to answer than most would think. "The exorcism used was unsuccessful. It was nothing more than the standard procedure humans use when they think they are exorcising demons. All it did was cause him excruciating pain," he said anger evident in his voice as he finished.
Everyone managed to remain quiet this time, but they were waiting anxiously. They knew this was not all there was.
"However, it caused emotional trauma. Your brother was pushed over the edge. He lost all trust he had and felt unsafe, so he unconsciously reverted, physically and mentally. When he awoke, he was no longer, Lucifer, who'd rebelling and was unfairly punished for it. He was Samael."
"It wasn't unfair," one of them immediately blurted out.
"Wait, what that mean? He lost his memory?" Azrael also spoke. It seemed more complicated than that though. Her father said he reverted physically too. What did that mean?
God sighed. He should've known his children wouldn't be able to remain quiet long enough for him to explain it all. This was some very shocking and concerning information. He couldn't blame them. "Yes, but that's hardly all of it. Your brother returned to his former self quite literally. He is a child."
"A child? How is that possible?" Remiel, seated next to Azrael said.
"I didn't even think something like that was possible. Unless you deemed it so," Michael said.
"Which I did not. This is something both Amenadiel and Samael… well, Lucifer, recently learned. You are all capable of choosing your fate based on what you need or feel you deserve. It is why Amenadiel lost his powers for a time and why Lucifer regained his wings after destroying them," God explained.
There were many scowls towards God's last comment.
God noticed those looks and met them with a stern look. "Your brother's choices are not for you to judge. As I was saying, I believe that is the case here."
"He wanted this? Why would anyone want to be a child again?" Michael spoke for the first time. He'd been trying to take in all the information, plus he wanted to respect his father's request to stay quiet until he was done.
"Unless it's a plot. That would make sense," Gabriel said.
"Yes, he's capable of anything," another, Orphiel, said.
"That's stupid. Why would he wanna do that? What does it get him?" Manuel asked from next to Michael.
"Access to the Silver City," Orphiel replied.
"He doesn't want access to the Silver City, moron," Azrael shot at him.
"Enough!" God said in a raised tone, getting everyone to quiet down and turn back to him. "Your brother is not conducting some sort of plot. I don't believe he would do that. He's had plenty of chances for that. As for why he did it, it wasn't a conscious decision. It happened because he felt the need to fine a safe and happy place. The last time he was either of those things was centuries ago, when he was young. That is my theory on how this happened."
"But one priest wouldn't cause him to shut down like that. There are billions of people who think the worst of him because of the lies in the Bible. How could one priest cause this?" Azrael asked.
"It wasn't the priest. He was betrayed by a friend, the first to earn his trust in a long time. When he realized he couldn't trust her…
"He broke," Azrael finished in a tight voice. She was certain she knew who it was that had done this and she really wanted to go and deal with a certain detective for hurting her big brother.
"What does this mean, Dad. Are you bringing Samael back to the Silver City?" Michael asked. He figured out that this was not something his father would just fix and leave alone. If that were the case, he would've done it and there would be no need for this meeting.
"Yes. Very soon, I will be returning with your brother," God answered.
Many voices broke out in anger.
"After everything he's done!"
"He doesn't belong here!"
"Gabriel and Orphiel are right. The bastard's plotting!"
"You will all stop this now!" God ordered loudly, quieting everyone once more. "None of you decide who belongs here! That is for me to decide! And this trashing of your brother is to stop immediately. This is not the first time that I have told you all that I will not stand for it!" This was actually something he'd had to say quite often, especially right after his son was sent away. They all knew he would not stand for this sort of disrespect towards their brother.
"How old is Samael now?" Michael wondered.
"Nine centuries," God told him.
"So little. He couldn't even fly then," Raphael, who sat next to Michael with dirty blond hair said.
"He can now. Amenadiel taught him," God said.
"What happens if he at some point, he returns to normal after you bring him back?" Michael asked.
"That is up to him. If he wants to stay, we continue to embrace him, as I expect you all to do now. If not, we let him go while letting him know he's welcome to come back whenever he wishes," God said.
"It's about time," Azrael said before she could stop herself. "Uh, sorry?"
God chuckled. "Don't be, dear. You are right. This situation has opened my eyes quite a bit."
"So, either way, he gets to come back as if nothing happens," Gabriel said angrily. He should've known it would happen eventually. Samael was always the favorite. He would be forgiven eventually. "He disobeyed."
"Hmm. As has everyone in this room. Let us not pretend that each and every one of you has not had more than a few turns over my knee," God said.
Many faces grew red with embarrassment.
"This is different," Gabriel argued.
"Yes, it is, because it is the one time that I let my anger get the best of me and hurt your brother. It is a large part of why this is happening. But it stops now. I will not allow your brother to be hurt any longer. The rebellion is in the past and I want it left there. I don't expect you to forget it, but I won't have you using it against Samael, especially now. He is just a child. He can't understand your anger and he doesn't deserve it," God said firmly.
"We may as well forget it. He has," Michael said. He knew many would likely be surprised to hear that from him, given that his relationship with Samael had been more than a bit rocky in the past. He still couldn't say he was thrilled with what was happening, but he was not going to bully a child, who knew nothing of what had happened.
Gabriel looked at his brother in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? You of all people are gonna defend him?"
"I will not ridicule a child, Gabriel. I'm not going to take something out on him that he can't remember."
"None of you will. Am I clear? You will not like the consequences if I find you've done anything to purposely upset Samael. He's to be treated the same as everyone here. Do you all understand?" God asked in a stern tone.
Everyone nodded, most reluctantly so.
"Excellent. You're all dismissed. I will be leaving soon. When I return, your brother will be with me," God said.
They nodded again and filed out of the room.