Hey my loveliest of readers! I am sorry this took so long, work has been CRAAAZY :P I also just noticed a few days ago that Dominion got renewed for a second season! Who is excited?! So anyway..I hope y'all enjoy this chapter, I've got a lot more planned out, so hopefully I can get it written. Please review! xoxoxo
Gabriella looked around the small clearing and saw little but trees and snow. She went to the trunk of the hummer and grabbed her 9mm, tucking it into her waistband before grabbing the sword and belting it around her waist.
Michael handed her the long blue pea coat that was hers, and she slipped it on, leaving it unbuttoned so she could reach her weapons without difficulty if need be. Tying a dark green scarf around her neck, Gabriella finally felt closer to warm, but was still chilled.
-That's what growing up in the desert gets me - she thought with a snort of laughter, pulling her coat tighter around her.
Alex and Michael both had their guns out, proceeding with caution as they all moved towards the cabin.
Gabriella could feel a thrumming in her bones, and as she looked around, could see a glowing aura around the cabin. As they got closer she felt the necklace thrumming against her skin, and when she peered down, saw that it was glowing softly.
She worked the clasp loose and removed the necklace, holding it in her hand, waiting to see if she would have a vision, but when nothing happened, she rolled her eyes, "Figures" she muttered.
Holding it in her hand as she ascended the steps of the cabin, she was followed closely by Alex and Michael.
The door to the cabin was partly opened, hanging by one hinge; the doorway littered with snow, small rocks and branches.
Gabriella pushed the rotten door further open, the rusty hinge shrieking, and stepped carefully through the doorway, avoiding the hole in floor.
The cabin was mostly empty, with a ruined table and two snow dusted chairs in the dining area, and a moldy, holey couch in front of a rundown fireplace.
The bareness and silence in the cabin only served to enhance the eeriness of the location and the situation.
Gabriella looked around, but didn't see a trunk like the one she had seen in her visions. –of course it couldn't be that easy, nothing has been-she thought with a sigh.
She turned to the men, "Start tearing up the floorboards. If you find something, don't touch it. We don't know what will happen if you do."
Michael gave her a skeptical look, "I am an angel, I doubt anything that is meant for you from God, could possibly harm me."
Gabriella raised an eyebrow at him, "Oh yea, Mr. High and Mighty? Well if it does, don't ask me to fix you up."
Michael gave her an unimpressed look and shook his head before turning away, catching sight of Alex who was stifling a laugh at them and shaking his head.
Alex walked to the south corner of the cabin, where he began prying up boards, intent on his task.
Michael focused his attention in the kitchen area while Gabriella kneeled in front of the fireplace, inspecting the boards.
She took her small knife out of her boot and wiggled it into the space between the spongy boards. She shoved the knife all the way down, using it to try and leverage the board. Shoving and wiggling, she tried to get the board loose, but was failing.
Sighing in frustration, she pulled her knife out and rocked back on her heels, staring at the boards in frustration. She didn't want to have to pull all the nails out of every single board, but it seemed like that might be the only option.
She worked her knife around the nails, prying them out slowly, until she was able to get the board loose, tearing it free. With one board free she was able to continue prying the boards free and force them up.
Soon she had enough boards free to create a large hole.
She pulled her bag off her back and pulled her flashlight out of it; flicking it on, peering into the dark of the hole she had created. Her heart raced, she could see the trunk.
Gabriella called over her shoulder, "Guys, I've got it."
Alex and Michael abandoned their search and came to kneel by her. Both men began to help her pry more boards loose, the task going faster with all of them working together.
Finally, when most of the boards had been cleared away from in front of the fireplace, they could all see the long dark wooded trunk clearly.
Gabriella leaned down and grasped each roped handle, pulling the trunk out and settled it onto the floor gently.
The dark cherry colored wood was surprisingly smooth and shiny given the state of the cabin it was housed in. Probably because it houses an item from Heaven – Gabriella thought.
She laid a hand on the lid, her eyes sliding shut, a sensation of peace overwhelming her. The thrumming in her bones was less now, but she could feel the necklace in her pocket thrumming softly, still.
She opened her eyes and flipped the latch open softly, taking a deep breath before flipping the lid open.
Inside the four foot long case laid a golden shining spear, resting on two custom wooden notches.
She reached a hand out to grab the spear when Michael's hand restrained her, "Wait, we don't know what's going to happen when you touch it."
She cast him a firm glance, "Yes, but we have no other way of knowing. So let go of me, and let's see what happens."
With that final statement, she reached a hand out, grasped the spear firmly and pulled it out of the box. Rocking back onto her heels she passed it between her hands, surprised to find that the metal was warm, and to her powerful sight, golden motes of dust-like aura came off of it.
"I was kind of expecting, well….more" Alex murmured softly.
Gabriella glanced over at him, grinning "That's what she said!" They shared a laugh and a dorky smile, while Michael stared at them both blankly.
He knew he had missed out on the joke, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
Gabriella turned her attention back to the spear, running her fingers along it, trying to find out its every secret. Around the middle she found a ridged band, and when she twisted it clockwise, both ends of the spear extended another foot with a smooth motion.
Both men jumped, avoiding the wickedly sharp ends of the spear. Gabriella laughed softly at them, and resumed inspecting the spear. The thrumming in her bones steadied and Gabriella felt a sense of power moving through her.
She felt her attention narrowing, her whole world contracting to just the spear, and she could feel the rightness of the connection between it and her.
Without realizing it, she stood, and moved out of the cabin, coming to stand in the small clear space in front.
Michael and Alex followed her, exchanging looks of concern, un-holstering their weapons as they went. Gabriella looked up to the sky and waited, feeling the sensation that Gabriel was approaching.
She watched as Gabriel and a group of five 8balls approached rapidly, her heartbeat steady. She was surprisingly ready for this, and felt little fear.
She felt Michael and Alex move to stand on either side of her, their presence a comfort to her.
Gabriel landed softly in front of her, his wings buffeting their small group with air.
Gabriella and Gabriel stared at each other, the silence and the tension building until finally, Gabriel broke it with a sharp laugh.
"It is good to see you again my dear. Though I am surprised to see you standing, you weren't looking so hot when I saw you last."
His glance darted to the spear in her hand, his cocky grin faltering, "I see you've found the Spear of Heaven. How lucky for you. You must think that you can defeat me now."
He laughed heartily, "How wrong you are."
Gabriella stayed impassive, waiting for him to be done. When he had finished speaking she smiled sadly at him, "Oh Gabriel, I am glad to see you as well. You look well; you seemed somewhat dejected when we last spoke."
She took a small step forward, making a beseeching movement with her hand, "Please, reconsider this war with humanity. Turn back to your family, to Michael. Put aside your anger and avoid this confrontation, please."
Gabriella saw it in his face before he even spoke, her heart dropping.
Gabriel grinned a cocky grin, "So sorry to disappoint you love, but that's not going to happen. I'm quite content with all that I have."
Gabriella sighed, and nodded, "So be it", stepping back and gripping the spear tightly, the echo of destiny ringing in her words.