"Death has a body like a model, the clothes of a poet and the smile of your best friend. She wears a top hat for fun, her ankh necklace for power, and carries a big black umbrella for traveling to the 'sunless lands.' I wonder what she smells like? I'm sure it's fresh and clean and her laugh must be wrinkly or maybe it's warm and cuddlely, but whatever it is, Death laughs a lot."
We talk about the 'miracle of birth' but what about the 'miracle of death'? We have the science of death pretty much figured out, but death's magic and inevitability have been feared and ignored for a long time now.
What if Death is a person?"
-Neil Gaiman
Chapter Text
"And now promise me to stay away from the demons," Micheal said out of breathe from anxiety.
Time was frozen. They were in their safe place. Their special place together where no one could hurt them. So much time apart. So little time together.
"Relax my dearest. I do this every minute of every day. Once I stop time in the region of Egypt no being will be able to surpass it. Time has no meaning to the dead." Azreal said as she lowered her forehead onto Micheal to breathe in her essence. They stayed like that for a long time and Azreal was the first to break contact.
Death was standing there. He would tell no one of their secrets. He was the greatest secret keeper of all other than Azreal of course who witnessed it all.
"I have to go."
"On more thing."
"Yes?"
"Look at for a Principality angel to the archangel Gabriel named Aziraphale. He tends to interfere when the Ineffable plan calls for things like this."
"Aziraphale? Hilarious name to be serving Gabriel."
"Promise me, my dear."
"I promise with all the stars in the sky. I promise."
They hugged one final time as Azreal restarted time. She joined Death by his side and the two went down to Earth.
Once there she raised her hands and stopped time. They then moved through the land taking the breath of the firstborns away and awaking them to the soft sympathictical smile of Azreal.
Many Renaissance drawings would have you believe the angel of Death is a terrifying monster with fangs resembling a vampire who is indulgent upon human suffering and the taking of human lives. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Her eyes are a soft blue of the sky when there isn't a cloud in sight. She has well kept black hair the shade of a raven's wing. She speaks softly and truely does feel sorry for the souls she takes. She even carries them individually and one by one to their final resting place. She can see what everyone has ever been. It just is hard to see what could have been with such young souls as the Egyptian firstborns.
God was correct in being that it would be the straw that broke the camel's back as the Exodus began the next morning. The slaves were free and they moved towards the Red Sea.
However, Azreal and Death would return to carry the souls of the Egyptian soldiers who foolishly attempted to recapture the Israelites and drowned or were burned to Death. They weren't evil just as there are no good people.
Then they were on Mount Sinai watching Moses's speech from a distance. Death knew what would become of them and how the words and warnings of their leader would go unheeded. He did not judge. He never did. He almost never spoke either. Just the shadow of creation watching on as the day turned to night and the souls of the dead were strung along.