Chapter 6: Divine Judgement
"Gabriel, is something wrong? You haven't even touched your food," Vladislaus asked, his voice concerned as he regarded his friend across the table they were sharing at the back of the local inn. Gabriel had reluctantly taken Vladislaus up on his offer for breakfast after he had stormed away from Michael, although he found it hard to look at his friend with the archangel's orders still fresh in his mind. Instead, he occupied himself with picking halfheartedly at his plate, his appetite gone. All he could think about was how he was going to explain to Vladislaus that he was marked for death. The thought of explaining it to the Order paled in comparison. He glanced up, searching Vladislaus' worried face for any sign of what Michael had spoke of. Gabriel knew that his friend seemed more ragged around the edges than he remembered, but he had brushed it off, knowing personally that work for the Order often did that to a person. It was a rough life, but certainly not one that would take such a toll on a man as to destroy his spirit. It was God's work and if nothing else, no one could question Vladislaus' love for God. Was Michael worried that he would take it too far? Did he see Vladislaus' zeal as overstepping his bounds? Who were they to question a man's devotion to his faith?
Gabriel shook his head, both to clear his mind of the thoughts and to put his friend at ease. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm still too tired to eat," he said with a sigh.
Vladislaus pushed his plate back and smiled. "It's alright. Come, I arranged some horses while you were still asleep. Transylvania is not far from here and we can spend some time at the manor."
Gabriel nodded, but he knew spending time with the man's family was the last thing his spirit needed. How could he look at old Valerious the Elder and not feel like a knife was being driven into his heart? He forced a smile and stood up, stopping when he noticed Vladislaus looking at something across the room. Gabriel turned to follow his gaze, but all he saw were a few common peasants and the workers of the inn: no one of particular importance.
"Vlad?"
Hearing his name seemed to snap the older man out of his trance and he jumped as he looked back to Gabriel. "What? I... I'm sorry, I thought I saw something." He turned away and hurried from the building. Gabriel frowned and followed after a moment, wondering if maybe his friendship was blinding him to the truth about Vladislaus.
Vladislaus seemed in a hurry to return to his ancestral land and Gabriel noticed the man cross himself before they left town, as if he seemed uncomfortable away from civilization. It only increased Gabriel's worry. Is this was paranoia was like, he wondered? That small seed of doubt that grew until it consumed a man? The notion terrified him. Not for the first time, he cursed Michael for planting that seed: for giving him new eyes with which to look upon his friend. It wasn't right, he raged at himself when he found himself critisizing every move his friend made; watching his every action for some kind of evidence for or against Michael's words. The archangel had done his job well: he'd placed doubt within Gabriel and now he had no choice but to weigh his words against Vladislaus' actions. Every turn of his head, every shift of his eyes, every limp, gesture and inflection in his voice was analyzed by Gabriel against his better judgment as he searched for that one thing that would give him cause for murder in God's name. It was enough to drive a man insane and Gabriel wondered if that would, in fact, be the ultimate outcome. Michael had told him that this was a test of faith—and what greater test than the murder of your closest friend—but he wondered at what price it would come at. Were all of God's servants doomed to insanity?
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice that Vladislaus was no longer with him until he heard his horse's whinny from behind him. He pulled up on his reigns, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end: the air was heavy with ill will. Turning his horse around, Gabriel found Vladislaus laying prone in the middle of the road, a white figure hunched over him. It glanced up as Gabriel's gaze found it and then... was gone. Had it even been there in the first place?
Gabriel dismounted and ran to his friend's side. Evil still permeated the area, like a lingering stench. The woods weren't known as cursed, and it made little sense for some spirit to attack Vladislaus so blatantly. Gabriel moved to help his friend sit up, but Vladislaus only cried out and lurched away from his grip. Shocked, Gabriel looked down at his hand, finding it covered in blood. A glance to Vladislaus' clothes found them in a similar state along one side. Gabriel knew that wound. Growling, he grabbed one of Vladislaus' hands, ripping the glove off and turned his palm up. As he had expected, there was a wound in the center of his hand that had apparently been there for several days, as it had dried around the edges. Gabriel could guess as to the presence of other such wounds, but instead of the concern he should have felt, all he was filled with was anger and a sense of betrayal.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, throwing Vladislaus' arm down. His friend had been suffering stigmata and he hadn't even uttered a word.
Vladislaus cradled his exposed hand to his chest and struggled to sit up. "This is not your burden to carry," he started only to be interrupted by a dangerous snarl from Gabriel.
"Did you think I wouldn't find out eventually? What else are you hiding from me, Vladislaus?" He received no answer, only a look filled with pain. "Why won't you let me help you?"
"What could you offer me?" Vladislaus gasped, obviously fighting against the pain in his side. "This is between God and I, Gabriel."
A tense silence stretched between the two, broken only as Gabriel stood and pulled Vladislaus to his feet. He helped the other man to his horse, climbing onto the saddle behind him. They rode the rest of the way into Transylvania in silence and Gabriel could feel his heart bleeding away with each hour that passed. The trust that he placed in his friend that he had already started to question was ripped away and it left his soul raw. The passion that Vladislaus pursued do doggedly had consumed him and Gabriel found himself suddenly without a place in his friend's life. Michael had been right then: the situation was becoming dangerous. Vladislaus was an important member of the Valerious family and they were too precious to the workings of the Order to let a weak link bring them down. Gabriel steeled his resolve; Vladislaus had to be removed.
That evening found him sitting beside Vladislaus' bed as the older man slept. Gabriel still wasn't sure himself what possessed him to suddenly want to be by his friend's side. Perhaps he thought that if he left, the will to do his duty that he had so recently found would leave him and he would once again find himself simply questioning, but not believing. He had to keep himself focused or it would all slip through his fingers. It would be better this way, he reasoned.
Gabriel was startled by the sound of the door opening and he jerked his head up to find the imposing figure of Valerious the Elder standing in the doorway. Gabriel inclined his head slightly and Valerious pulled another chair up along the opposite side of his son's bed at the silent invitation.
"His spirit grows weak," Gabriel said at length, his voice quiet and dull. "We are concerned." When the old knight across from him offered nothing in response, he continued. "We suspect the work of demons."
Gabriel could feel Valerious' piercing gaze on him and he ducked his head, averting his eyes. He didn't know of the conversation Gabriel had had with Michael earlier...
He stood on one of the sweeping balconies of the manor, the rain that was pouring down seeming to never quite reach him. The archangel remained blissfully dry while his comrade quickly became soaked to the bone. It seemed fitting, somehow.
"I saw when Vladislaus fell, Gabriel," Michael started, clasping his hands behind his back. "After you left, I discovered several of our former ranks hiding along the road. This is not the first time Vladislaus has had contact with unholy creatures, as they told me that they visit him often. Perhaps it's a lie to force us to assume the worse, but..." He paused and turned his unblinking gaze on Gabriel. "Can we afford to take the chance?"
Gabriel let his soaked hair hide his expression and didn't answer. He was angry with Michael for just not coming strait out and saying that Vladislaus was consorting with demons. No, that would have been too easy for the archangel... he was going to make Gabriel draw that conclusion on his own. What a beast, he thought bitterly, leaving it in my hands. God's messenger couldn't even deliver the blasted message himself.
Michael turned and spread a wing out over Gabriel's head. The gesture only managed to irritate him more. "This isn't a decision you have to make, Gabriel," Michael said evenly, "it's a direct order. All I'm doing is giving you a little motivation."
Motivation to turn on his friend, Gabriel elaborated silently and clenched his jaw. "Leave me be, Michael. I will do what you want." The archangel lingered a moment in silence before stepping away and then simply was no longer there. Gabriel stood in the rain alone for some time, contemplating Vladislaus' last hours on earth.
"My son is not an evil man," Valerious said at length. Gabriel could feel the weight of the old knight's gaze on him, even though he didn't dare to meet his eyes. If he did, he was afraid that all the will he had mustered to this point would be gone in a second.
"You cannot change this," Gabriel answered. "Beseech God if you will, but He has turned His eyes from this one." The chill in his voice secretly terrified him, but it was the only way he was going to be able to go through with the act. He stood in one smooth motion, the scrape of his chair against the floor sounding too loud in the otherwise quiet room and he moved his hand to the hilt of the sword strapped to his side. He swung the blade free from it's sheath with deadly, practiced ease, but pointed the tip not at the prone Vladislaus, but at Valerious, who was on his feet in the same second, his own hand halfway to his weapon. Gabriel stared at the old knight down the length of his sword, two great white wings fanning out halfway behind his shoulders. Perhaps the wings were over the top, he mused morbidly, but he could use every ounce of intimidation he could get. For he knew that Valerious would fight him with everything he had if he thought that he could somehow get the upper hand. A father's love for his son was something that even Gabriel would not question, which was why he would give the old man no chance to act on it.
The archangel squared his shoulders and spoke: "Step... back, sir. With God as my witness, I declare this man unclean in the eyes of our Lord and thus sentenced to death in the name of the Almighty, the Divine who is my strength. If you are a God fearing man, Valerious, you will not stand against His will."
In the silence that stretched between the two holy warriors, the sudden intake of breath from the direction of the bed was all the warning Gabriel needed. He twisted to the side just as the long blade of a dagger sliced through the air where he had been standing not moments before. It was held by none other than Vladislaus, his dark eyes narrowed and fixed solidly on Gabriel.
"How DARE you!" he all but screamed, lunging out of bed and crashing headlong into a now surprised Gabriel. The two tumbled to the ground, blades skittering away across the floor in opposite directions and Gabriel could feel the pain in his back as a wing was twisted at an unnatural angle. As the two struggled on the other side of the room, the elder Valerious went again for his sword and was once again stopped. A man in white was suddenly at his side, twisting his arm behind his back and holding the other firmly against his side with inhuman strength.
"The last thing they need is a third party," the man said good-naturedly, pulling Valerious farther away.
"Unhand me, demon," he demanded, confident that the man restraining him was neither human nor one of God's servants, but the man merely chuckled, peering over Valerious' shoulder to watch the two combatants on the other side of the room.
"Didn't Gabriel tell you to keep your nose out of his business?" the man asked, glancing at Valerious with bright blue eyes. "I'm doing us all a favor so you don't get yourself chopped up as well. He can ... forget himself in the heat of battle sometimes." Valerious didn't grace the man's words with a reply, pressing his lips together sternly and fixing his gaze on the small-scale war being waged across the room.
Gabriel and Vladislaus had regained their weapons, but the fight was painfully one-sided. Even in his rage, Vladislaus was no match against an angel, but he pressed on, seemingly heedless of the wounds inflicted upon him. Already his left arm hung limp at his side, his shoulder ruined. The blood from the debilitating wound splattered across the wooden floor, making it slippery and dangerous, although more than once Vladislaus had managed to avoid a killing blow as his feet slid out from under him and sent him crashing down. It was a bloody, desperate struggle and for both men, the world had narrowed down to the single primal urge to vanquish their opponent.
Finally, only a handful of minutes after it had started, the battle came to a sudden halt. Gabriel was sure that he would remember the moment for the rest of his immortal life; Vladislaus' legs gave out under him suddenly—whether it was from physical exhaustion or his will had just finally given up Gabriel would never know—and he had crashed to the ground. Without thinking, Gabriel followed him, falling onto his old friend and plunging his blade into the man's chest. Vladislaus screamed, his once proud voice spitting curses at Gabriel, God, and the world... anything he could think of. Gabriel could hear the gurgle in his lungs and knew that it wouldn't be long. He collapsed forward, clutching his sword in a desperate attempt to keep himself upright, but it was a struggle he ultimately lost, pressing his forehead against Vladislaus' chest. He could hear his heartbeat, erratic and fading and all he could do was pray desperately that God would accept his friend and he could find peace at last.
Vladislaus stilled a second later, but Gabriel could still hear the faint, occasional thump of his heart. Suddenly, a flash of movement over the bed caught his eye and he lifted his head just in time to find himself being pushed out of the way by the man in white. Such was the force behind the offhand act that Gabriel crashed against the far wall, landing dazed in a corner.
"Three... two..." he could hear the man in white saying, hunched over the dying form of Vladislaus. "...And one!" The man flicked his arm up, gesturing sharply with his hand and Gabriel saw Vladislaus' body jerk and heard his friend take a deep gasp of air. No... the word registered in his mind, but never found voice.
"Samael!"
The man in white snapped upright, spinning on his toes to face Gabriel. He jabbed a finger towards the bloody and exhausted angel laying on the floor, his face stretched into a wide grin. "Finally got one up on you, Gabriel! It feels really good, I'll tell you that. It was getting to the point where I was about to take care of things myself because I was getting REALLY tired of listening to you whine. If I were Michael, I would have hit you long ago."
Gabriel struggled to his feet, growling at the white-clothed demon before his attention was abruptly drawn elsewhere. The only door in the room swung open and a man walked in, preceded by the faintest of breezes that nevertheless seemed to reach strait down into Gabriel's bones and freeze them solid. The man was dressed in long robes of white, gold and pale blue; bone-white hair hung about his tanned face in tiny curls that just barely reached his black eyes. He spread his hands, the faintest of smiles tugging at his mouth and the door slid shut behind him. He turned his head to regard Valerious the Elder and all color seemed to drain from the old knight's face. He knew immediately who he was looking at and he hastily crossed himself.
The dark-skinned man let out a long sigh. "Please, don't fool yourself into thinking that will honestly do any good, old man. Still, you need not worry... it is not you that I'm here for this night," he said, turning his gaze to where Samael still stood, grinning from ear to ear. Behind him, Vladislaus rose shakily to his feet—Gabriel's sword still protruding from his chest—and the dark-skinned man extended a hand, his expression seeming to radiate infinite kindness. It made Gabriel want to throw up.
"His soul is not yours to take, Lucifer," Gabriel protested, his fingers tightening into fists.
Lucifer just laughed and looked at Gabriel as one might look down upon a small child. "I beg to differ: his soul has been ours for quite some time," he said slowly, stepping carefully around the bed to join Samael and Vladislaus. "Does it make you angry, Gabriel, to know that he hid it so well? Does it fill you with righteous fury to know that he praised your God with one hand at the same time that he held my hand with his other?" His voice was disturbingly calm, as if he were simply talking about yesterday's lunch as he slid the sword from Vladislaus' chest with a sickeningly wet sound. Turning, he tossed it at Gabriel's feet.
The archangel clenched his jaw, knowing full well that he couldn't do a single thing to either Samael or Lucifer without risking God's wrath. He had not been ordered to attack them and could therefore do nothing. He wasn't sure which was more infuriating: seeing his former friend in the company of demons and not being able to do a thing about it or the knowledge that he had practically handed them the man's soul on a silver platter. When Vladislaus turned his gaze on him, Gabriel would have wished for nothing more than for the earth to swallow him up.
"Where is God's mercy, Gabriel?" he demanded, his dark eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and anger. "You were like a brother to me... yet you so easily betray me in His name. If that is truly His mercy at work, then I will show the world what the Grace of God is."
Lucifer laid a gentle hand on Vladislaus' arm, calming the man. "Come, Vlad. We have no more business here."
"You have business with me, Lucifer."
All eyes turned towards the door at the new voice. Michael stood just outside in the hall, his six great wings blocking any from leaving the room. His expression was stern as he stared strait across at his ancient rival. Lucifer smiled that pleasant smile of his, nodded politely to Vladislaus and moved back around the bed to stand on the other side of the threshold from Michael, folding his hands neatly in front of him.
"You can't stop me from taking him," the demon pointed out. "But perhaps you would care to ... continue this conversation outside?" He tilted his head expectantly. Michael stepped to the side accordingly and allowed Lucifer to enter the hall. The two exchanged glances briefly before vanishing down the hall. For several moments, silence hung heavy in the room before Samael broke it with an announcement that he was leaving. Grabbing Vladislaus by the arm, he yanked the man from the room, slipping into the hall and a moment later, both Gabriel and Valerious followed in chase.
The world spun around Gabriel as he threw himself against Samael, tackling the demon to the ground and sending them rolling. He registered that they were in a foyer somewhere near the armory, which not the most optimal place to be, but Gabriel didn't have much of a choice. He could hear the demon spitting curses at him as they grappled, rolling across the floor before Samael flipped Gabriel over and kicked him off into a nearby table. Giving his head a quick shake to clear it, Gabriel sprang back to his feet and yanked Samael back as he tried to make a grab for Vladislaus, who was scrambling back to his feet after being dragged down in the original scuffle.
As Gabriel threw Samael across the foyer, Valerious caught his son's arms, twisting the man around and sending him staggering towards the wall. The old man bellowed string after string of Latin enchantments and Gabriel had time to scream a protest before Vladislaus' back hit the wall and it swallowed him whole.
Across the room, Samael picked himself up from the ruins of a suit of armor and jerked his head in the direction of Valerious, rage plain on his face. "You beast!" he hissed, rushing for the old knight only to be stopped as Gabriel grabbed his arms. "Where did you learn that?!"
Valerious collapsed into a chair, suddenly feeling his age. "You forget who you address, demon," he said quietly, his breath rattling in his lungs. The effort had taken more out of him than he had expected and he was silently grateful for Gabriel's restraint of the practically frothing demon across the way.
"You filthy Holy Knight! You're just delaying the inevitable!" Samael shrieked, shaking himself out of Gabriel's grip and lurching back several steps. He pointed sharply at the archangel. "And you! YOU! Mark my words, Gabriel: if God doesn't get you, I will!" He spat at Gabriel's feet before turning and bolting from the room. Gabriel turned tired eyes to Valerious, who returned his look with a heavy sigh.
"I must go to Rome," he said slowly. "I must speak with God."
a/n: Good heavens! Another late chapter, but even after I thwarted the mighty beast that is writer's block, I promised myself that I wouldn't end this chapter until I had finished things with Vlad. So this chapter ended up being the longest yet. I hope it was worth the wait.
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who's reviewed! I'm glad you are enjoying the story! I know IceQueen has figured out Sam, but for the rest of you who still weren't sure, I hope this chapter has removed those question marks. I thought about recycling lines to make it obvious, but where's the fun in that? ;)
Stay tuned, same wangsty time, same wangsty channel! (plays the Batman theme)
"Gabriel, is something wrong? You haven't even touched your food," Vladislaus asked, his voice concerned as he regarded his friend across the table they were sharing at the back of the local inn. Gabriel had reluctantly taken Vladislaus up on his offer for breakfast after he had stormed away from Michael, although he found it hard to look at his friend with the archangel's orders still fresh in his mind. Instead, he occupied himself with picking halfheartedly at his plate, his appetite gone. All he could think about was how he was going to explain to Vladislaus that he was marked for death. The thought of explaining it to the Order paled in comparison. He glanced up, searching Vladislaus' worried face for any sign of what Michael had spoke of. Gabriel knew that his friend seemed more ragged around the edges than he remembered, but he had brushed it off, knowing personally that work for the Order often did that to a person. It was a rough life, but certainly not one that would take such a toll on a man as to destroy his spirit. It was God's work and if nothing else, no one could question Vladislaus' love for God. Was Michael worried that he would take it too far? Did he see Vladislaus' zeal as overstepping his bounds? Who were they to question a man's devotion to his faith?
Gabriel shook his head, both to clear his mind of the thoughts and to put his friend at ease. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm still too tired to eat," he said with a sigh.
Vladislaus pushed his plate back and smiled. "It's alright. Come, I arranged some horses while you were still asleep. Transylvania is not far from here and we can spend some time at the manor."
Gabriel nodded, but he knew spending time with the man's family was the last thing his spirit needed. How could he look at old Valerious the Elder and not feel like a knife was being driven into his heart? He forced a smile and stood up, stopping when he noticed Vladislaus looking at something across the room. Gabriel turned to follow his gaze, but all he saw were a few common peasants and the workers of the inn: no one of particular importance.
"Vlad?"
Hearing his name seemed to snap the older man out of his trance and he jumped as he looked back to Gabriel. "What? I... I'm sorry, I thought I saw something." He turned away and hurried from the building. Gabriel frowned and followed after a moment, wondering if maybe his friendship was blinding him to the truth about Vladislaus.
Vladislaus seemed in a hurry to return to his ancestral land and Gabriel noticed the man cross himself before they left town, as if he seemed uncomfortable away from civilization. It only increased Gabriel's worry. Is this was paranoia was like, he wondered? That small seed of doubt that grew until it consumed a man? The notion terrified him. Not for the first time, he cursed Michael for planting that seed: for giving him new eyes with which to look upon his friend. It wasn't right, he raged at himself when he found himself critisizing every move his friend made; watching his every action for some kind of evidence for or against Michael's words. The archangel had done his job well: he'd placed doubt within Gabriel and now he had no choice but to weigh his words against Vladislaus' actions. Every turn of his head, every shift of his eyes, every limp, gesture and inflection in his voice was analyzed by Gabriel against his better judgment as he searched for that one thing that would give him cause for murder in God's name. It was enough to drive a man insane and Gabriel wondered if that would, in fact, be the ultimate outcome. Michael had told him that this was a test of faith—and what greater test than the murder of your closest friend—but he wondered at what price it would come at. Were all of God's servants doomed to insanity?
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice that Vladislaus was no longer with him until he heard his horse's whinny from behind him. He pulled up on his reigns, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end: the air was heavy with ill will. Turning his horse around, Gabriel found Vladislaus laying prone in the middle of the road, a white figure hunched over him. It glanced up as Gabriel's gaze found it and then... was gone. Had it even been there in the first place?
Gabriel dismounted and ran to his friend's side. Evil still permeated the area, like a lingering stench. The woods weren't known as cursed, and it made little sense for some spirit to attack Vladislaus so blatantly. Gabriel moved to help his friend sit up, but Vladislaus only cried out and lurched away from his grip. Shocked, Gabriel looked down at his hand, finding it covered in blood. A glance to Vladislaus' clothes found them in a similar state along one side. Gabriel knew that wound. Growling, he grabbed one of Vladislaus' hands, ripping the glove off and turned his palm up. As he had expected, there was a wound in the center of his hand that had apparently been there for several days, as it had dried around the edges. Gabriel could guess as to the presence of other such wounds, but instead of the concern he should have felt, all he was filled with was anger and a sense of betrayal.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, throwing Vladislaus' arm down. His friend had been suffering stigmata and he hadn't even uttered a word.
Vladislaus cradled his exposed hand to his chest and struggled to sit up. "This is not your burden to carry," he started only to be interrupted by a dangerous snarl from Gabriel.
"Did you think I wouldn't find out eventually? What else are you hiding from me, Vladislaus?" He received no answer, only a look filled with pain. "Why won't you let me help you?"
"What could you offer me?" Vladislaus gasped, obviously fighting against the pain in his side. "This is between God and I, Gabriel."
A tense silence stretched between the two, broken only as Gabriel stood and pulled Vladislaus to his feet. He helped the other man to his horse, climbing onto the saddle behind him. They rode the rest of the way into Transylvania in silence and Gabriel could feel his heart bleeding away with each hour that passed. The trust that he placed in his friend that he had already started to question was ripped away and it left his soul raw. The passion that Vladislaus pursued do doggedly had consumed him and Gabriel found himself suddenly without a place in his friend's life. Michael had been right then: the situation was becoming dangerous. Vladislaus was an important member of the Valerious family and they were too precious to the workings of the Order to let a weak link bring them down. Gabriel steeled his resolve; Vladislaus had to be removed.
That evening found him sitting beside Vladislaus' bed as the older man slept. Gabriel still wasn't sure himself what possessed him to suddenly want to be by his friend's side. Perhaps he thought that if he left, the will to do his duty that he had so recently found would leave him and he would once again find himself simply questioning, but not believing. He had to keep himself focused or it would all slip through his fingers. It would be better this way, he reasoned.
Gabriel was startled by the sound of the door opening and he jerked his head up to find the imposing figure of Valerious the Elder standing in the doorway. Gabriel inclined his head slightly and Valerious pulled another chair up along the opposite side of his son's bed at the silent invitation.
"His spirit grows weak," Gabriel said at length, his voice quiet and dull. "We are concerned." When the old knight across from him offered nothing in response, he continued. "We suspect the work of demons."
Gabriel could feel Valerious' piercing gaze on him and he ducked his head, averting his eyes. He didn't know of the conversation Gabriel had had with Michael earlier...
He stood on one of the sweeping balconies of the manor, the rain that was pouring down seeming to never quite reach him. The archangel remained blissfully dry while his comrade quickly became soaked to the bone. It seemed fitting, somehow.
"I saw when Vladislaus fell, Gabriel," Michael started, clasping his hands behind his back. "After you left, I discovered several of our former ranks hiding along the road. This is not the first time Vladislaus has had contact with unholy creatures, as they told me that they visit him often. Perhaps it's a lie to force us to assume the worse, but..." He paused and turned his unblinking gaze on Gabriel. "Can we afford to take the chance?"
Gabriel let his soaked hair hide his expression and didn't answer. He was angry with Michael for just not coming strait out and saying that Vladislaus was consorting with demons. No, that would have been too easy for the archangel... he was going to make Gabriel draw that conclusion on his own. What a beast, he thought bitterly, leaving it in my hands. God's messenger couldn't even deliver the blasted message himself.
Michael turned and spread a wing out over Gabriel's head. The gesture only managed to irritate him more. "This isn't a decision you have to make, Gabriel," Michael said evenly, "it's a direct order. All I'm doing is giving you a little motivation."
Motivation to turn on his friend, Gabriel elaborated silently and clenched his jaw. "Leave me be, Michael. I will do what you want." The archangel lingered a moment in silence before stepping away and then simply was no longer there. Gabriel stood in the rain alone for some time, contemplating Vladislaus' last hours on earth.
"My son is not an evil man," Valerious said at length. Gabriel could feel the weight of the old knight's gaze on him, even though he didn't dare to meet his eyes. If he did, he was afraid that all the will he had mustered to this point would be gone in a second.
"You cannot change this," Gabriel answered. "Beseech God if you will, but He has turned His eyes from this one." The chill in his voice secretly terrified him, but it was the only way he was going to be able to go through with the act. He stood in one smooth motion, the scrape of his chair against the floor sounding too loud in the otherwise quiet room and he moved his hand to the hilt of the sword strapped to his side. He swung the blade free from it's sheath with deadly, practiced ease, but pointed the tip not at the prone Vladislaus, but at Valerious, who was on his feet in the same second, his own hand halfway to his weapon. Gabriel stared at the old knight down the length of his sword, two great white wings fanning out halfway behind his shoulders. Perhaps the wings were over the top, he mused morbidly, but he could use every ounce of intimidation he could get. For he knew that Valerious would fight him with everything he had if he thought that he could somehow get the upper hand. A father's love for his son was something that even Gabriel would not question, which was why he would give the old man no chance to act on it.
The archangel squared his shoulders and spoke: "Step... back, sir. With God as my witness, I declare this man unclean in the eyes of our Lord and thus sentenced to death in the name of the Almighty, the Divine who is my strength. If you are a God fearing man, Valerious, you will not stand against His will."
In the silence that stretched between the two holy warriors, the sudden intake of breath from the direction of the bed was all the warning Gabriel needed. He twisted to the side just as the long blade of a dagger sliced through the air where he had been standing not moments before. It was held by none other than Vladislaus, his dark eyes narrowed and fixed solidly on Gabriel.
"How DARE you!" he all but screamed, lunging out of bed and crashing headlong into a now surprised Gabriel. The two tumbled to the ground, blades skittering away across the floor in opposite directions and Gabriel could feel the pain in his back as a wing was twisted at an unnatural angle. As the two struggled on the other side of the room, the elder Valerious went again for his sword and was once again stopped. A man in white was suddenly at his side, twisting his arm behind his back and holding the other firmly against his side with inhuman strength.
"The last thing they need is a third party," the man said good-naturedly, pulling Valerious farther away.
"Unhand me, demon," he demanded, confident that the man restraining him was neither human nor one of God's servants, but the man merely chuckled, peering over Valerious' shoulder to watch the two combatants on the other side of the room.
"Didn't Gabriel tell you to keep your nose out of his business?" the man asked, glancing at Valerious with bright blue eyes. "I'm doing us all a favor so you don't get yourself chopped up as well. He can ... forget himself in the heat of battle sometimes." Valerious didn't grace the man's words with a reply, pressing his lips together sternly and fixing his gaze on the small-scale war being waged across the room.
Gabriel and Vladislaus had regained their weapons, but the fight was painfully one-sided. Even in his rage, Vladislaus was no match against an angel, but he pressed on, seemingly heedless of the wounds inflicted upon him. Already his left arm hung limp at his side, his shoulder ruined. The blood from the debilitating wound splattered across the wooden floor, making it slippery and dangerous, although more than once Vladislaus had managed to avoid a killing blow as his feet slid out from under him and sent him crashing down. It was a bloody, desperate struggle and for both men, the world had narrowed down to the single primal urge to vanquish their opponent.
Finally, only a handful of minutes after it had started, the battle came to a sudden halt. Gabriel was sure that he would remember the moment for the rest of his immortal life; Vladislaus' legs gave out under him suddenly—whether it was from physical exhaustion or his will had just finally given up Gabriel would never know—and he had crashed to the ground. Without thinking, Gabriel followed him, falling onto his old friend and plunging his blade into the man's chest. Vladislaus screamed, his once proud voice spitting curses at Gabriel, God, and the world... anything he could think of. Gabriel could hear the gurgle in his lungs and knew that it wouldn't be long. He collapsed forward, clutching his sword in a desperate attempt to keep himself upright, but it was a struggle he ultimately lost, pressing his forehead against Vladislaus' chest. He could hear his heartbeat, erratic and fading and all he could do was pray desperately that God would accept his friend and he could find peace at last.
Vladislaus stilled a second later, but Gabriel could still hear the faint, occasional thump of his heart. Suddenly, a flash of movement over the bed caught his eye and he lifted his head just in time to find himself being pushed out of the way by the man in white. Such was the force behind the offhand act that Gabriel crashed against the far wall, landing dazed in a corner.
"Three... two..." he could hear the man in white saying, hunched over the dying form of Vladislaus. "...And one!" The man flicked his arm up, gesturing sharply with his hand and Gabriel saw Vladislaus' body jerk and heard his friend take a deep gasp of air. No... the word registered in his mind, but never found voice.
"Samael!"
The man in white snapped upright, spinning on his toes to face Gabriel. He jabbed a finger towards the bloody and exhausted angel laying on the floor, his face stretched into a wide grin. "Finally got one up on you, Gabriel! It feels really good, I'll tell you that. It was getting to the point where I was about to take care of things myself because I was getting REALLY tired of listening to you whine. If I were Michael, I would have hit you long ago."
Gabriel struggled to his feet, growling at the white-clothed demon before his attention was abruptly drawn elsewhere. The only door in the room swung open and a man walked in, preceded by the faintest of breezes that nevertheless seemed to reach strait down into Gabriel's bones and freeze them solid. The man was dressed in long robes of white, gold and pale blue; bone-white hair hung about his tanned face in tiny curls that just barely reached his black eyes. He spread his hands, the faintest of smiles tugging at his mouth and the door slid shut behind him. He turned his head to regard Valerious the Elder and all color seemed to drain from the old knight's face. He knew immediately who he was looking at and he hastily crossed himself.
The dark-skinned man let out a long sigh. "Please, don't fool yourself into thinking that will honestly do any good, old man. Still, you need not worry... it is not you that I'm here for this night," he said, turning his gaze to where Samael still stood, grinning from ear to ear. Behind him, Vladislaus rose shakily to his feet—Gabriel's sword still protruding from his chest—and the dark-skinned man extended a hand, his expression seeming to radiate infinite kindness. It made Gabriel want to throw up.
"His soul is not yours to take, Lucifer," Gabriel protested, his fingers tightening into fists.
Lucifer just laughed and looked at Gabriel as one might look down upon a small child. "I beg to differ: his soul has been ours for quite some time," he said slowly, stepping carefully around the bed to join Samael and Vladislaus. "Does it make you angry, Gabriel, to know that he hid it so well? Does it fill you with righteous fury to know that he praised your God with one hand at the same time that he held my hand with his other?" His voice was disturbingly calm, as if he were simply talking about yesterday's lunch as he slid the sword from Vladislaus' chest with a sickeningly wet sound. Turning, he tossed it at Gabriel's feet.
The archangel clenched his jaw, knowing full well that he couldn't do a single thing to either Samael or Lucifer without risking God's wrath. He had not been ordered to attack them and could therefore do nothing. He wasn't sure which was more infuriating: seeing his former friend in the company of demons and not being able to do a thing about it or the knowledge that he had practically handed them the man's soul on a silver platter. When Vladislaus turned his gaze on him, Gabriel would have wished for nothing more than for the earth to swallow him up.
"Where is God's mercy, Gabriel?" he demanded, his dark eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and anger. "You were like a brother to me... yet you so easily betray me in His name. If that is truly His mercy at work, then I will show the world what the Grace of God is."
Lucifer laid a gentle hand on Vladislaus' arm, calming the man. "Come, Vlad. We have no more business here."
"You have business with me, Lucifer."
All eyes turned towards the door at the new voice. Michael stood just outside in the hall, his six great wings blocking any from leaving the room. His expression was stern as he stared strait across at his ancient rival. Lucifer smiled that pleasant smile of his, nodded politely to Vladislaus and moved back around the bed to stand on the other side of the threshold from Michael, folding his hands neatly in front of him.
"You can't stop me from taking him," the demon pointed out. "But perhaps you would care to ... continue this conversation outside?" He tilted his head expectantly. Michael stepped to the side accordingly and allowed Lucifer to enter the hall. The two exchanged glances briefly before vanishing down the hall. For several moments, silence hung heavy in the room before Samael broke it with an announcement that he was leaving. Grabbing Vladislaus by the arm, he yanked the man from the room, slipping into the hall and a moment later, both Gabriel and Valerious followed in chase.
The world spun around Gabriel as he threw himself against Samael, tackling the demon to the ground and sending them rolling. He registered that they were in a foyer somewhere near the armory, which not the most optimal place to be, but Gabriel didn't have much of a choice. He could hear the demon spitting curses at him as they grappled, rolling across the floor before Samael flipped Gabriel over and kicked him off into a nearby table. Giving his head a quick shake to clear it, Gabriel sprang back to his feet and yanked Samael back as he tried to make a grab for Vladislaus, who was scrambling back to his feet after being dragged down in the original scuffle.
As Gabriel threw Samael across the foyer, Valerious caught his son's arms, twisting the man around and sending him staggering towards the wall. The old man bellowed string after string of Latin enchantments and Gabriel had time to scream a protest before Vladislaus' back hit the wall and it swallowed him whole.
Across the room, Samael picked himself up from the ruins of a suit of armor and jerked his head in the direction of Valerious, rage plain on his face. "You beast!" he hissed, rushing for the old knight only to be stopped as Gabriel grabbed his arms. "Where did you learn that?!"
Valerious collapsed into a chair, suddenly feeling his age. "You forget who you address, demon," he said quietly, his breath rattling in his lungs. The effort had taken more out of him than he had expected and he was silently grateful for Gabriel's restraint of the practically frothing demon across the way.
"You filthy Holy Knight! You're just delaying the inevitable!" Samael shrieked, shaking himself out of Gabriel's grip and lurching back several steps. He pointed sharply at the archangel. "And you! YOU! Mark my words, Gabriel: if God doesn't get you, I will!" He spat at Gabriel's feet before turning and bolting from the room. Gabriel turned tired eyes to Valerious, who returned his look with a heavy sigh.
"I must go to Rome," he said slowly. "I must speak with God."
a/n: Good heavens! Another late chapter, but even after I thwarted the mighty beast that is writer's block, I promised myself that I wouldn't end this chapter until I had finished things with Vlad. So this chapter ended up being the longest yet. I hope it was worth the wait.
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who's reviewed! I'm glad you are enjoying the story! I know IceQueen has figured out Sam, but for the rest of you who still weren't sure, I hope this chapter has removed those question marks. I thought about recycling lines to make it obvious, but where's the fun in that? ;)
Stay tuned, same wangsty time, same wangsty channel! (plays the Batman theme)