Sophia's Chronicles
Chapter 11: The Fall
"So the Leviathans are… gone?" I sat up on the bed in the infirmary with some help.
"All locked up in Purgatory. And some of the beasts too," Lucifer said while spoon-feeding me a bitter-tasting remedy that was supposed to help me heal faster. I resisted but he glared at me so I had no choice but to endure another spoonful. "You know, those fantastic creatures that Eve made. You can take credit for them, by the way."
"I was beginning to like them," I pouted.
"I can see that," he smiled. The light filtered in from the windows of the far wall, casting a fiery orange silhouette on his dark amber hair. Exhausted from the battle effort, his presence was the only remedy I could want for. Just him, sitting on the bed and talking to me. "Apparently, Purgatory is the destination for Leviathans and demented Earth-dwelling souls."
"And God made this happen?" An uneasy feeling stirred in the pit of my stomach, and it wasn't the soup.
"He finally decided to do something about it. After literally billions of years of letting our people die in wars against them… After everything we've done to get His attention, He's finally put His foot down to…" Lucifer paused for dramatic effect. "… ensure the continued survival of His favourite terrestrial species."
"Surely you're misreading the situation…"
"He saved you. I will always be glad for that," he took my hand and squeezed it. "I don't know what I would have done if you and Michael were… lost." He set down the bowl on the table next to the bed. I stopped short of releasing a breath of relief. "Do you know what He said after that?" Lucifer huffed sardonically, stroking his jaw. "'They deserve a second chance.'"
I was as perplexed as him, but clearly he was more distressed.
"He wants to give the stinking apes a second chance! After they disobeyed Him, spawned abominations and invited in the sea monsters who've been our enemies since the dawn of time," he ranted. He planted his palms on the edge of the bed. The fabric of the mattress bunched in his grip. "All I ever did was kill a few angels and He threatens to lock me up!"
I rubbed his bare shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.
"Is there anything they could do to upset Him?" he continued, his shapely amber eyebrows knotted in a frown. "I wonder if He would have done what He did if it wasn't Eden. If it was before the time of humans. Would He have just let you and Michael die?"
"Don't think like that…" It took some effort to speak. My voice was still a little raspy. "We can't answer What-if's."
He nodded, jaw tightening as he gulped. The emotion behind his pained look was like a knife that pierced my heart. I wanted to take it all away with a kiss, the melting of our lips being the first step in sharing our strength. But I feared even that wouldn't be enough. "All I know is… I'll never trust Him with your life, or the life of anyone that I care about, again," he vowed. Oh Lightbringer, you shatter my heart into a million pieces with a single sentence. "I thought that maybe you were right earlier about my plan to take over Heaven, but now I see that it is exactly what I need to do."
"Are you sure about this?" I caressed his cheek and pushed away a few strands of his short curls. If anyone could have seen the absolute compassion in his eyes I saw then, they could never call him evil. That wasn't the face of evil. That was the face of someone who had been pushed to the limit. "There's no going back from this."
"There was no going back ever since I bore the Mark," he aptly responded. "I need to do this."
If this is what you want… "Then I'm with you," I swore.
"You're hurt, Sophie. I don't want you to get involved," his thumb stroked my chin. I rolled my eyes. Stupid lover doesn't want me to help, I grumbled to myself.
In a swift move, I yanked his shoulder, bringing his face close to mine. On top of that, I reached for a dagger from his belt and held it up to his neck. "This is my fight as much as it is yours. You can't get rid of me so easily," I threatened, pressing the blade against his marble skin.
His eyes remained enlarged. His lips were frozen apart, not a sound escaping them. I may have been recovering from an injury, but that didn't make me completely useless. "Your eyes are deadlier than any dagger," he simply said, lips turning up on one side.
I laughed, dropping the blade. "Damn you," I cursed.
Ever since Eden was forcibly removed from the face of the Earth, the politics in Heaven only became more volatile. Angels looked upon the Grigori with disgust, ashamed by their incompetence in the face of what Lucifer and I had done. This, to Lucifer and me, seemed like the perfect opportunity to recruit more angels to our revolution. However, God decided to give them a second chance, a blow to our recruitment strategy. This did not mean that the angels had any more sympathy for the Watchers. God's mercies are infinite, the angels sang, all while scowling at and giving the Watchers a hostile side-eye.
Furthermore, now that Adam bit the Apple, death was something returned to the human race. Previously, God, prizing His humans, wanted them to experience an eternal life of abundance with us, the angels. Now that they were corrupted, God punished them with the capacity to die, although He promised redemption for those who sought forgiveness and obeyed His laws. This was obviously a way to stop the humans from utilising the gift of the Apple – the wisdom that came from my essence. God's mercies are infinite, the humans began to sing as they prostrated in blind submission.
Now that Death had so many more living creatures to reap, God allowed Death to train a new generation of angels as Reapers. These reapers would lead human souls to their afterlife, which would be in Heaven. They even had their own facility where each soul was kept in its own room, free to experience its own form of happiness. These souls were highly powerful, an absurdity considering the fragility of human beings. And now Death would be able to control their entry into Heaven. I don't know the specifics, but the rumours said that there were disagreements between God and Death. God clearly got upset with Death, and in a shocking turn of events, had bound him to another realm. This just seemed to be God's default mode of dealing with people who disagreed with Him – banishing them to other realms.
These developments did nothing but worry me. Death was God's friend. Someone who regularly corresponded with Him. If this was what God was willing to do to him, friend or not, what would become of us? And another concern was that God had never been so proactive in years. Sure, we wanted Him to do something, but all His efforts were focused on earth, not Heaven. Talk about being counterproductive.
I paced about in a clearing in a forest, lost in thought. By now my wounds had all healed and I was back at full strength. "You have that look again…" Lucifer pointed out.
"Something's not right," I worried.
"It would be a strange day if something felt right to you," he mocked. I shot him a bored look. "I mean, sometimes you really do worry too much."
"And you worry too little," I rebutted. "One of us needs to think of the consequences."
"It's why Wisdom is named after you," he posited. "So tell me, Lady Wisdom, what bothers you this fine day?"
"Think about what God is doing. He trapped Death. Death!" I exclaimed. "What could Death possibly have done to deserve this?"
"I don't know, killed His mood or something," Lucifer shrugged nonchalantly.
"Be serious," I bid him.
"Maybe Death was going to do something He didn't like. If you think about it…" Lucifer kept his gaze on the ground as he took a few steps in thought. "Death doesn't usually talk to anyone but God. But he's visited you twice. Maybe he favours you somehow."
"So God imprisoned him because he would have helped me in some capacity?" I speculated. "Great, now I know where I stand with God."
"I don't know if that's accurate. What's it matter anyway?"
"He seems a little… irritable? Harsh? I don't know if this is the right time."
"That's exactly why this is the right time," Lucifer answered sharply. "It means we'll get more of a reaction out of Him."
"I'm not so sure that's a good thing…"
"What's the worst He could do? All of Heaven will be watching. And how He reacts is how they'll know what He's truly capable of," Lucifer seemed convinced. That fury in his eyes did not lie. He wanted answers and he wanted them immediately. His confidence was bold and daring, which was what I feared. I needed to look out for him and be a voice of caution when the Mark made him immune to it. Maybe this was my true role in helping him deal with the Mark. "You're still brooding," he noticed.
I sighed, hugging my arms to my body. "I think God knows it's us," I guessed. "He knew about the little scuffle in the forest before, so now He must know that we tempted Eve. Maybe rescuing me from Eden was a warning. Or a second chance. What would He think if-"
"See, that's the problem. You worry too much about what He thinks," he cut me off rather impatiently.
"How can I not?" I scoffed, glaring. "Who knows what He'll do to us?"
"What will He do, huh? What will He do to us that He hasn't already done?" he challenged. His ideas tested God but his scowl seemed to put me on trial. "I'd like to see."
"This isn't a healthy attitude, Lucifer," I admonished. His lips formed a tight line as the words left mine.
"I don't understand," each word came out with force, treating me like a traitor. "Why does it matter so much to you what He thinks? What about what I think? Does that matter to you?"
"If it didn't, I would be married to your brother!" I snapped angrily at him. Every word of his hurt, especially when it was spoken with the force of anger seeking only to blame. And the fact that I even had to clarify this…
"Oh, is that what happened? Because I remember you signing yourself up for that, even when I told you not to!" he yelled. A tense silence fell between us with both of us staring daggers at each other.
"Fine," I relented rather curtly. "It only matters what you think and not anyone else. Is that what you want to hear? That you are always right? If that's what you want me to say, then so be it. Stop yelling at me."
I swiftly turned around, finding a tree bark to lean against with my back to him. My body felt jittery and my eyes stung. I wanted to be angry but I was just… sad. I swallowed to hide the anguish, afraid that if I took so much as a breath, I would lose it. After everything that happened, I was stuck in an awkward rift between being the dutiful archangel and becoming persecuted for this revolution I needed to aid Lucifer with. As if the impending feeling of isolation wasn't enough, my only respite seemed to despise my words of caution as if I meant any harm. I felt… trapped.
"Sophia…" I felt a thick blanket of cold air approach. His hand brushed my shoulder but I pushed it away. There was a brief pause. He tried again, attempting to turn me around by the waist. I tried to push against his chest but he only held me tighter. "I'm sorry," he said when I stopped struggling. His eyes were as teary as mine. "I shouldn't have…"
"Why won't you know…" my voice was choked with tears, which ran profusely down my cheeks. "…that I love you?"
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, crinkles forming between his brows. He pressed his forehead against mine.
"You're always accusing me…"
"I don't mean to," he shook his head. "I'm an idiot. I just get so uncontrollably angry sometimes. It's not your fault. I'm so sorry."
"I'm hurt," I said honestly, tired of keeping it all in all the time. "I don't blame you but it hurts."
At this point, I couldn't even speak. I rested my head on his shoulder, breaking down and bawling. And we remained like this, entwined in each other's arms. When the flood of tears slowed down, I sunk deeper into his arms, kept safe by his gentle caress. We couldn't afford to be at each other's throats, especially now.
"We can't let all this hostility between us slide," he said, speaking my mind. "We have to fix this."
He cupped my cheeks in his large palm, holding my face like it was the most fragile thing. His thumb wiped away the dampness on my cheeks, drying them with nothing but kisses. It wasn't long before he pulled me into his lips, apologising with their soft strokes. He seemed to be sucking the air out of me, mercilessly leaving me to heave for a single breath as he finally let go. But this was no release.
Hands trailing down my back, he slowly sank to his knees, lips tracing my body. "Not in the open…" I begged with decreasing conviction. Every inch of me ached as much as he did for something more. "Someone might see us…"
"I don't care," his voice was but a moan, luring me deeper into his trance. I lost myself to him with every second. He paused, looking up at me. Those scarlet eyes reminded me of our deep and long history, from the moment I had surrendered in that first meeting. Every time felt like the first time with him – with as much awe and adoration as we had begun. Now he was poised in front of the flower that was his, ready to claim what belonged to him and him alone. "I worship at your feet, my love. Grant me your strength and raise me higher."
My heart burst with a warmth that was reminiscent of death – a death by pleasure that I was ready to receive. I wanted to give him all of myself and more. My hands ran through his dark amber hair in a silent assent. We both yearned to reaffirm our vows – ones we took in secret – in this mutual surrender.
"So that's how you've been controlling my brother," a third voice resounded. Lucifer and I broke away from each other, only to find Raphael emerging from the foliage. He narrowed his eyes accusatively, a sly smile turning his lips up on one side. He seemed more satisfied than shocked to find us in this suspicious position like he'd found a gold mine or something. "You've been getting him do your bidding, temptress?"
"Watch your tone, Raph," Lucifer threatened, pulling back his shoulders.
"Or what, is she going to explode me too?" he taunted, pointing at me.
My words were stuck in my throat as realisation dawned on me. "You? It was you," I stuttered. "You're the one who told God. Were you- were you spying on us?"
"I always knew you couldn't be trusted, but you always kept your tracks hidden. Now I find myself in the right and I will do good on my promise – I will personally see to it that you get thrown out of Heaven," he snarled, bitterness laced with every word. "You're just as cunning and underhanded as your Mother. How unsurprising."
I wanted to carve some sense into him with my archangel blade. Lucifer beat me to it, pummelling his brother before I could think twice. I watched as Lucifer held Raphael with the collar on one hand and did his face in with the other. I suppose it would have been appropriate for me to stop him, but I enjoyed the scene far too much. And, as it turned out, I didn't have to – that honour belonged to Michael.
"Enough!" the eldest commanded, separating his brawling brothers. "What is the meaning of this?!" The intense glaring competition between Lucifer and Raphael could have sparked a forest fire. "These are times of emergency and my two brothers – two archangels – are fighting each other? Have you two lost your senses?" Michael simply looked between the both of them, simultaneously confused and frustrated. Sunlight reflected off his silver exterior, and his colourless eyes bore a sense of sombreness. "Lucifer, apologise to Raphael for what you've done."
"What, me? No!" Lucifer huffed, crossing his arms. "He brought this on himself! Do you know what he said about Sophia? He said-"
Michael looked at Lucifer expectantly. "It doesn't matter what he said. You're his older brother. You should not have laid a finger on him," he said.
"No, as his older brother, I should beat some sense into him when he's pushing his limits," Lucifer argued. "The idiot should apologise for speaking to her that way," he grumbled.
"If that was what older brothers are meant to do, I'd be used to breaking your face!" Michael yelled. Lucifer seethed, chest heaving with anger.
"Is this your justice? He threatens to kick our Sophia out of Heaven, saying that she's like Amara, and you just let it slide?" Lucifer challenged.
"Lucifer…" I stopped him. By now, I'd decided that neither brother would have the sense to stand down. Things would only get worse if someone didn't concede. "You don't need to defend my honour at such a heavy price."
"I cannot excuse this unruly behaviour from my little brother," he remained obstinate.
"It isn't worth it. Let it go," I advised. The last thing I wanted was hostility between the brothers. It was a long shot, but it seemed to have an effect on Lucifer.
"At least someone has the soundness of mind," Michael sighed. The tenseness in his shoulders dissipated, albeit only slightly.
"Sophia has a soft heart," Lucifer fiercely eyed Raphael. "Next time, you'll get what you deserve." Michael was next to receive the eyes of fire. "Do you find it so easy to choose between your siblings? Is that fair, as the oldest?"
That certainly hurt Michael. He reached out his arm to Lucifer's shoulder in what seemed like an effort at reconciliation, but Lucifer stepped back, defiantly avoiding Michael's gaze. And that was that.
All of us were gathered in the open, looking down on the earth beneath our feet. We floated as clouds in the thin partition between Heaven and earth, made possible by God alone. We beheld His creation at His command, observing the slow rotation of the planet about its axis. Everyone was present. No one would miss this spectacle.
"And now, Creation is complete," God announced from His position at the pinnacle of Heaven, bathing all of us in His majestic, warm light. No greater sensation existed than His presence. It was no wonder we always missed Him.
The angels began a slow song, their voices being the only instrument needed. Their gentle choir flowed like the wind and sang like the stars. It was like a calm before the storm.
"Behold the human race, our wards. Fallen into sin, though they are, they must be guarded," He commanded. His voice resonated within all of us, ingraining the order into our very being even if He wasn't physically present with us. "You will be their protectors, their watchers, their light in the dark."
Lucifer gripped my hand more tightly. He sensed that it was our time. Anticipation welled up within me, dreading the moment when it would all change. Here I stood, on the precipice of something great yet not knowing still how to feel. There was conviction and duty on one hand, and loyalty on the other – which belonged to whom was an interesting question by itself. The only thing that was clear to me was what needed to be said and done.
The five of us archangels were facing the extensive army of angels. I looked around us. Gabriel was expressionless. This was the first time we'd seen him in a while and he looked tired. I hoped he would look to me, give me so much as a reassuring smile, but he simply stared straight ahead. And then there was Michael, who was hiding his own troubles behind a grin to please his father. Raphael was undecipherable as usual, but at least he stopped scowling at me. He was more preoccupied with the scene before him. But it was Gabe who occupied my mind. Where had he gone? Was he alright? The only concern I had was that I had placed everything I had here on the line, and I still had one unsettled affair. Him.
"Bow down to them, my children. Bow to the human race," God bid us.
Row by row, the angels sunk to one knee, heads bowed in obedience. Once they were all down in submission, it was our turn. First, it was Michael. Then, Raphael and Gabriel. I took a deep breath. Gabriel noticed both my feet planted on the ground from beside me. His head tilted slightly, frozen with the realisation that I wasn't going down. And neither was his brother.
"Is there something that the both of you have to say?" God questioned us, attracting the attention of everyone else. Prostrated though they remained, their heads jerked up to regard us. A great silence greeted us. All those eyes, waiting to see. Lucifer stepped forward.
"We refuse your command," he boldly stated. Gasps were sounded.
"Brother, what are you doing?" Michael whispered sharply.
"Why should a son of fire bow down before a son of clay?" Lucifer proclaimed.
"Because I command it. Will you not set aside your pride to fulfil my desire, my son?" God replied, ever so patient.
"Your desire is misdirected," Lucifer asserted, to everyone's shock. "Why should we, the mighty warriors of Heaven, serve a terrestrial species, let alone one that can do nothing but err in its imitation of us?"
"My son, you have always been my accuser," God announced. "You have always questioned my decisions and I have always entertained them. But now I ask faith of you, for the sake of your own redemption. Do you not accept?"
"I question you because you make questionable decisions!" Lucifer seemed unfazed by God's order. "I worship you, Father. Why should I submit before these lower creatures? They bit the Apple and you forgave them. They invited the Leviathans into the Garden and you forgave them." He huffed. "You even intervened directly! Banishing those monsters to Purgatory! Yet you couldn't spare a thought for me? Your own son?"
"And are you so free of blame yourself, Lucifer?" God inquired. "You tempted Eve, did you not? You went into the Garden when you weren't supposed to and you coaxed the humans to bite the Fruit."
Now everyone was truly horrified, eyes widened upon hearing this revelation. Lucifer remained unbroken, staring unblinkingly at the sky. "I did," he confessed, loud and clear. "I merely tested their faith. Isn't that what you wanted to do? See if they could resist the temptation of knowledge? I never forced the humans to eat the Apple. You all watched them willingly do that. What have I done but brought out their true nature?"
"Lucifer, that's enough!" Michael tried to shut him up. He seemed so defeated, more than anything. It wasn't anger but rather the realisation of what was to come. "Question Him all you want, but obey now."
"And you?" God's light seemed to target me. "Tell me, Sophia, what do you make of this?"
"Tell him to stop, Sophia," Michael pleaded. "Speak some sense into him."
All eyes fell on me. I stepped forward, hands clasped humbly. "I stand with him," I declared. Their glares wanted to burn me where I stood. I almost felt it like a thousand needles pricking my skin. "We love you, Uncle. And it is our love that bids us to speak nothing but the truth from our hearts to you right now. It is wrong, obscene even, for us to bow down to the humans like servants. We are servants. Your servants. Have you no regard for our dignity?"
"Do you really believe that I don't?" His voice emerged from the skies.
"I have little experience in the last few hundred years that would say otherwise," I honestly stated, baring my heart to Him. "It is time you heard us. All you've ever done is coddle your little apes, even at the expense of your own children. We only ask that you not humiliate us this way."
"Do you forget how you disgrace Sophia, Father?" Lucifer continued. "You forbid humanity to near the Tree that she made. A Tree, which was formed from nothing short of her love for you. Hear of this atrocity, everyone! How knowledge became a forbidden thing! This is humiliation too."
There it was. All our feelings laid out in the open for the whole world to hear. All the truth no one would dare speak. There was a strange sense of relief in this moment. A glorious unburdening.
"So the both of you have spoken your minds. You wanted me to listen, and I have. I will give you both one chance to stand down. Take it and do as you are told," He simply said. "Bow down to the humans." The air was still. I could feel the trembling in the crowd. Speaking up to God like this – in front of all of Heaven, no less – wasn't for the faint of heart. If this was a mere millennium ago, I would have fallen to my knees in no time and begged for forgiveness. But after all I'd weathered, I would shed fire through my eyes sooner than tears.
Lucifer and I held each others hands. "No," we said simultaneously. A few breaths passed. Thunder rumbled. The light from the clouds faded. A curtain of storm clouds drew to a close in the sky.
"No, no, Father, come back!" Michael begged. "Please!" He shot up to his feet, followed by everyone else. He was clearly seething and there was no mistaking the look of betrayal in his eyes that searched ours for some kind of deeper meaning. "Are you happy now?" he accused, focusing mainly on his brother. "You made Him leave! You think this is some kind of game?"
"Quite the opposite, brother," Lucifer answered, calm as ever. It was the calm of someone walking into death, knowing that there was nothing to be done but to move forward. "I am deadly serious. And we are not alone." He turned to the large audience of angels. "You have been witness to all of this. Do you not see, that Father willingly blinds Himself to His own wrongs? Isn't it our duty, as His beloved children, to tell Him when He is at fault? There are those of you who would agree. I know it. Come and join us, brothers and sisters. Show us how large our numbers are!"
I put my fist in the air as a gesture to our supporters. As we watched, there was a shuffling among the angels. There was a breaking of ranks and soon, we found ourselves standing in front of a large group of followers, some of whom we had recruited before and some who had newly found themselves at our side. It was encouraging to know that they were capable to seeing through the fabric of news fed to them, valuing truth over propaganda. This was the crux of our rebellion and I felt pride washing over any feelings of guilt I might have had earlier. There was no space for shame any longer – just determination. Who was I meant to be but an advocate of truth? This was my place.
"It isn't our place to doubt Father's plan," Michael insisted amidst all the movement.
"If not ours, whose?" I rebutted.
There yet remained a significant number of them who remained where they stood, not excluding the archangels. Raphael and Gabriel remained silent, retreating to their eldest brother's command. And so that was whom Lucifer brought his case to.
"Michael," Lucifer called out. "You saw how He abandoned me in my time of need. I'm asking you now, as a brother, join me. We don't need Him to rule Heaven. We're capable of doing it all on our own!"
"Take our side if you wish to have a say in the new order," I added. "They'll listen to you, Michael. And if all of us show God the greatness we are capable of, He will change His ways."
"Listen to yourselves!" Michael urged, running out of patience. "This isn't right. Don't take this further than it needs to be."
"I disagree. It hasn't gone far enough," Lucifer challenged. "At arms!"
At once, the army of rebels brandished our swords in a unanimous sweep, the clank of steel being as music to our ears. The others flinched, clearly taken aback by our sudden movement. I felt sorry for them.
"Pledge your allegiance," Lucifer ordered, pointing his lance at Michael. "You can join us in peace, or leave us to take Heaven by force."
"What will it be?" I asked, scanning the three archangels. The people I grew up with – practically my brothers. I wanted the warmth of their company. Their support. I had all the hope in the world that all of this could resolved so easily if they just joined us. I beckoned Gabe with a look but he only glowered in return. I felt a weight tugging at my chest at the sight of his discomfort. Please join us, I begged with my gaze. His seemed to accuse me of disappointment.
"I can't let you do that," Michael replied. He too put his fist in the air. "At arms!"
Now we were standing on opposite sides, Heaven split by dissidence. Brother against brother. Friends against friends. A few years ago, if I'd known I would be the cause of this ruthless slaughter of my own kind, I could have died of guilt. But now, I see that this was the only way left for things to become right again.
We charged. It was chaos. Surely, God watched from above, waiting for a victor. What was He thinking? That we should slaughter our own? Lucifer and I were separated in the fight, engaged in our own combats. I leapt over a corpse, driving my blade into an angel's neck. Instant death. I sensed another approaching me from behind. I spun around, only to see a blade driven into her back. Angel grace dripped from the tip protruding from her chest before the blade vanished, retreated. The angel fell, revealing none other than Gabriel. I opened my mouth to say something but he just took off into the distance, never to be seen on the battlefield again. A trail of bodies left in his wake, I could only stop and stare as the fighting of angels intercepted the distance between us.
The daze couldn't last long. I was hurled back into the fighting almost immediately. At one point, a group of ten angels charged at me and held me down. I heard Michael say, "Just give up now! We can still fix this!"
I took in a huge breath. "No!" I exclaimed, as I pushed my wings out as hard as I could, all three pairs of them, stretching them to their full width, flinging the angels away in all directions. I threw my archangel blade at an incoming angel while driving my fist through another to my left. I reached out my arm to summon my blade while I rushed Michael. I slashed at his chest while he deflected with his long staff, which had its own blade at the end. A short sword could not last very long against a lance like Michael's, especially when he was one of the best fighters to ever exist. But I was fighting for dear life, so these odds had to mean nothing. Big mistake. His lance caught my blade as it came down on him. With a flick of his arms, he knocked the blade right out of my hand. His movements were so quick they caught me off-guard. All I felt was a sting on my shoulder before I even realised he'd cut me.
There, he had the opportunity to end it all. With a single strike, he could have killed me, driving the lance straight through my heart. But he didn't. He only cut my shoulder. Even after everything, he wanted us to surrender. He wanted us to live. Michael, you should have been the one to understand. He struck a second time. Again, with every chance to end me, he'd only chosen to knock me off balance. I fell backwards slightly before regaining my footing in the air.
He stood over me. His eyebrows twitched, undecided between a frown and sympathy. "You leave me no choice," he uttered.
"Do it," I said bravely, though inside I was shivering like a leaf. He raised the lance. To think that so much could have been prevented in this moment. It felt strange remembering this time-point on the battlefield. The lance was driven downwards.
A grunt escaped my lips as I felt myself being shoved to the side. I looked back. An angel had pushed me out of the way. Her body arched backwards, twitching awkwardly in pain as the lance pierced her chest. The explosive light of death shone beneath her eyes. I silently thanked the angel for her sacrifice, finding myself with a renewed appreciation for life. Before Michael could end her suffering, I took off. There was no way I could defeat him all on my own, especially with angels attacking me from all sides.
I was reunited with Lucifer, who'd been leading a charge against Raphael. Things did not look good. Our forces were being pushed to defence with every moment. The loyalist army was cornering us increasingly. If we didn't get out, that would be the end of all of us. As I found myself at their side again, sheer panic coated the air like a thick blanket. Lucifer and I stuck by each other's side, poised to attack. But the army, knowing we were encircled, neared us slowly like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. Something had to be done immediately.
This was truly the strangest of moments. There we were, with nothing to be done but surrender or die, and an idea popped into my head. An idea not of my own making, if that made any sense. It felt like it was given to me. But by whom? In that instant, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that it was there at all. It was our saving grace. I used my blade and cut my palm.
"What are you doing?" Lucifer asked, flustered. His face was smothered by dirt and grime and angel grace.
"Getting us out of here!" I chanted an Enochian incantation with the words flowing as though I'd known them before. I felt a strange energy overcoming me – some kind of divine intervention. It wasn't like God's Light, or Amara's Darkness. It was… different. My essence seemed to be charged with this foreign energy and I spilt it on the blade. With a fell swoop, I slashed the air and what do you know, I ripped open the fabric of space and time. Following my lead, the rebels flooded into the portal, soon followed by Lucifer and myself. The last thing I saw was Michael and Raphael charging towards us before I fell into the portal and closed it. I collapsed onto the ground in the silence undisturbed by battle.
All energy seemed to have been sucked out of me in waves and I still felt it in my core. Lucifer took me in his arms and lifted me up to a standing position. I leaned onto him, panting heavily. Never doing that again. "You did it," he said. "How did you know to do that?"
"I… I don't know…" I honestly said, shaking my head. I looked around. We were in the front yard of my homestead. Funny how the wormhole should take us to the place I felt safest in. The angels stood about, as dazed and confused as we were. But they grew to accept the absurd situation, thankful that we had bought time for ourselves.
"We don't have long till they find us," Lucifer stated, addressing our supporters. Despite our losses, we still stood a sizeable number. The angels were worn out from the battle, some injured and some losing hope.
"We mustn't give up," I told them as I broke away from Lucifer's hold to stand on my own. I staggered to near them. "I believe we still have a chance at winning, even though it may be slim. We need to do something drastic, something that will force the archangels to stand down."
"I could make a stun bomb," said Hassiel, stepping forward. It was good to have a master weapon-maker on our side.
"Good, get on it. I should have all the things you need inside. Get some angels to help you," I ordered. Hassiel nodded. "Meanwhile, I'll try to conjure up a binding spell. The rest of you can get some rest and recuperate. But be ready."
We were all on-edge. Things could escalate again any time soon. Lucifer tried his hand at healing those who needed healing. I rummaged my library, looking for anything that could help. With no regard for order, I pulled out several books at once. My tables were decorated with open books and I tried scanning several of them at the same time, as if doing so should help me draw connections. What alarmed me more than the little time we had was the fact that I felt drained. It was that spell. That strange spell that came out of thin air. We were nowhere close to winning and I just couldn't afford to give up now, fatigued or not.
I thought I'd found something. It would be a difficult spell to perform, but if I tried hard enough, I could possibly weaken the enemy forces. Enemy forces. That was what they had become to us. Even if we did surrender, there would be no repairing this rift. It had all fallen apart right in front of us. I had almost died on the battlefield at Michael's hand. But there was no time to reconcile this absurdity. There was only us and them. Any confusion could mean death. I shook my head to dispel the thought.
"Get down!" someone yelled. I felt someone's arms grabbing me and pulling down to the ground. A large boom sounded and a sudden wave of hot air crashed against me. I opened my eyes. A giant gaping hole stared back at me from where there used to be a wall. Tendrils of fire lay strewn about where I'd once been standing, trailing all the way from the hole in the wall to a bookshelf on the other end of the room. I heaved heavy breaths. There was no escaping brushes with death that day.
I pulled myself back onto my feet, recognising my saviour with a mixture of relief and bewilderment. "Gabe!" I recognised. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving you, what's it look like? You're welcome, by the way," he answered like it was no big deal. Before I could ask any more questions, he grabbed my hand and lugged me towards the back door of the house. More explosions sounded and I flinched. The tiles on the floor came crumbling down around us, set ablaze by the attack. My heart felt hollow, watching my beloved house fall down around me. It seemed like pieces of me were being chipped away with every pillar, every banner, every book that burned right before my eyes. All my precious memories, reduced to ash and dust. What else hadn't numbed me by this point?
"What are you doing, Gabe?" My voice was meek, choked by sadness. I let myself be dragged by him. It was one final reminder of what we used to have. Him, excitedly bringing me around in all the time we spent together. But now there was no excitement. Only terror and loss. "Why did you leave earlier?"
He paused by the door. His burdened shoulders eased. His glass-like irises were shiny with tears as he turned to face me. "I don't want to be a part of this war," he sighed. "I'm tired of watching all of you fight."
His innocent sentiment put me on trial. "Then that is your right," I told him. We stood in silence for a moment as the world fell apart around us. It was like we knew we had to cherish this moment forever. "What will you do now?"
"I'm… leaving," he informed me with words as heavy as the lips that spoke them. "I came to say goodbye."
"But… but where?" I protested. Every part of me wanted to fight for him to be at my side. I reached out a hand, hesitantly at first, towards his face. Seeing as he didn't resist, I rested it against his cheek. Whatever strength he used to barricade his emotions seemed to crumble at my touch. "You shouldn't go if you don't want to."
"I have to," he insisted, holding my hand to his face. "I can't stand this anymore. Nothing's going to get better. I'll find my place somewhere else. It'll be hard, but I'll try to make it work." I was speechless. If this was his decision, then I could not stop him. Even if it drove a stake through my heart. "Come with me."
"What?"
"I said, come with me," he pleaded. "You don't need to be a part of this. Let's run away, Sophie. And never look back."
"I can't do that, Gabe…" A tear defied me and ran down my cheek.
"Why not?"
"I… I need to be by Lucifer's side," I answered. "I can't leave him to fight alone."
Gabriel swallowed back tears as he simply stared at me with what I thought was sympathy. "You always loved him more than anyone else," he remarked. "I don't blame you. He was always smitten with you too." Amidst the welling up in my eyes, I managed a slight frown. "Think I didn't notice?" he huffed a smile. "I was always the third wheel, remember?"
I didn't know what to say to that. Perhaps I always knew deep down that Gabe was aware of these things. And he didn't appear… ashamed or horrified. "You know I care about you too, right?" I asked. "Is there anything I could do to make you stay? Here, at least, with Michael and everyone else. You should be home, with your brothers."
"You have a good heart, Sophie. But I've made up my mind. Heaven isn't home… like this," he insisted. "I'm sure this war wasn't what you had intended. Because this isn't you. It isn't me either."
By this point, I couldn't help but break down. He pulled me into a hug and I huddled close to his chest. I just couldn't bear the thought of him being… gone. "I'll miss you," I managed to say among the tears.
"I'll see you again. Someday. I hope," he whispered. When he pulled away, it felt cold. The door opened in his grip. He paused on his way out, looking back at me for the last time. His lips curved up on one side. "Take care of my brother."
I rushed back to the yard in the front, only to find that Lucifer and the angels weakly holding up a magical barrier of sorts, while Hassiel and others hastily threw at the oncoming angels whatever they had. It was a pathetic defence against the rain of fire Michael and Raphael brought down. For a while I'd stopped and stared at how the rebels still tried to keep their position. They were deeply engaged in the battle with Lucifer at the helm, charging and attacking whenever possible. The odds did not look good from my vantage point. But here I went.
I pulled back my shoulders. I took a deep breath. I spread my wings and I rushed at the approaching troops beyond the battle lines, creating much-needed distance between us. With what I'd gathered earlier, I began the promised spell. The incantation seemed to draw more and more energy with every word I spoke. Foolishly, I tried to continue with the spell, in hopes of pushing myself to the fullest extent. Better to know that I had tried my best rather than lose without that reassurance. The winds raged around me, bringing with it dirt and leaves and stones. I became a part of the atmosphere. I felt its lull, its ebb and flow. My life drained into the air as I sought control. Tendrils of my energy sought them out – the opposing forces. I felt Michael first. Releasing a sharp exhale, I tried to strike him down with a bolt of lightning. A sharp thunder shook the Heavens as a bright spear of light surged through the air to immobilise him.
But he… he merely reached out and grabbed the bolt. His consciousness fought mine for control and in the grand struggle, he won. He electrified me with a single thought, sending flashes of agony throughout my body. I screamed. I screamed so loud that the trees turned grey and fire erupted in the skies. When Michael finally decided to let go, I was sent careening backwards. I landed roughly, friction burning my limbs as the force of my fall dragged me along the ground like sandpaper on wood. I groaned softly. My throat burned and was tired from screaming. My wings weighed so much that I couldn't move. Black spots invaded my vision but the things I could see made me wish I couldn't at all. I saw how badly my limbs were injured, how my wings appeared dull and fractured. And then I saw Lucifer rushing over to me, eyes wide in terror as he gathered me in his arms.
His breaths were shallow as he searched for words to say. He couldn't find any. He simply held me close, enveloping me with his body.
"Fine! We yield, we yield!" Lucifer yelled. I turned my head. Through blurry eyes, I saw Michael and Raphael approaching.
"It's too late, brother," I heard Michael say. "The damage is done."
"She needs help. Michael, I'm begging you," Lucifer pleaded. "Help us. Please. You're my brother. Take my side."
"How I wish things could have turned out differently…" Michael trailed off. "But you made your choice and Father must punish you."
"Then do it already!" Lucifer snapped. "Kill us. Show us His justice!"
"Father doesn't want to kill you," Raphael's voice came through clear. "He has a plan for the both of you. From here on, the both of you, and your army of rebels, will be under permanent exile. You will be banished to the underworld known as Hell."
"No," Lucifer shook his head. His grip around me tightened. "Don't do this, Michael. You don't have to. This is our home! Just help us, and we can go to God together."
"We're way beyond that point." Together, Michael and Raphael had bound us and cast a banishing spell, written by God himself. A gaping hole opened up beneath us, revealing the green earth below. Lucifer shot his brother a look of utter disappointment and hopelessness, shocked that God had chosen this as our fate. Without any mercy, Michael struck at us with his sword, evoking a bolt of lightning to strike us. I heard Lucifer's anguish. I felt him holding onto me as if relaxing his arms an inch would mean my death. And he could have been right. He was in utter denial up till the point that we were shoved out of our home.
And so we fell. God's mercies are...
