Hetalia - The Cold of War

Chapter 24! Thank you so much for patiently waiting and to those special reviewers who continue to amaze me with their dedication and support. You are beautiful people.

Reviewing Responses:

SecretParadox Hatsuki asks: Will the Archangels appear in the present time?

All in good time, my friend, all in good time

Willow Leaves: The whole message

Oh my gosh, this actually made me blush a little. I also enjoy to partake in 'the hug'

Chiisaioni:Is the vessel of Eros who I think it is?

You can say? ;) And thank you for your comment on my world building skills, it's lovely to know people enjoy reading about it as much as I love creating it. And about Haldis being a creeper? Yeah expect more of that, its even better when we learn the reason behind it all.

The Fantastical Writer: The whole message

Thank you for your feedback! It's so heart warming when people point out what I'm doing right.

Alright enough said, lets jump back into the past,

Enjoy!

The Otherworld, Mid Tier, Gaia's Garden

"No," The Archangel eerily mused in a quiet voice, "I think not". The air that had been hostile, ignited into warlike within a blink. The overhead clouds noticeably darkened and thundered with booming claps. The Cherubim's four pearl wings flung out in a snap and her lips pulled back over her teeth in an animalistic snarl of challenge. Her other three heads growled and shrieked as they shimmered loosely into existence as her rage grew. Eros' form began to steam and the space around him began to dangerously pulse, the definite form he had held became hazy and formless as the human facade began to evolve. Haldis should of been terrified of being the intense focus of the God's anger, the mere idea should of crippled him to his knees and made him beg for forgiveness. But it was Victoria that Haldis only had eyes for.

It was as if Gaia were in heaven once more. There are truly little words to describe the magnitude of the Seraph's terrible, terrible wrath. The whole entirety of the Otherworld shook from her horrible might, leagues below them all Angels screamed in terror as pure radiating fury pierced their minds; they whimpered and prayed to their mother Goddess for mercy of the petrifying occurrence. The Seraph angel's six wings were fanned out and flared with brilliant holy light; her solid white-blue eyes shone with the raw power and light of a supernova.

"Give up the child, Angel" The Seraph's words throbbed with the icy malice that echoed audibly throughout the whole Otherworld, the force behind them rumbled the floating patches of land. The God of love resisted the urge to take a step back from his sister's greatest Angel, simultaneously intimated and proud of her. His gaze flittered over to the Archangel and Eros felt smug to see that under the sun, Haldis had paled in the face of her threat and was no longer smiling. It was so satisfying to see one who thought he was always in control be smacked out of his element.

A conflicted look came over Haldis' face as he debated over something in private, a conclusion reached when he gave a short bark of a laugh and held out the struggling infant to it's mother. "T'was but a jest, my princess. I would never dare lay a finger of harm upon this child" He smoothly recovered with only a slight quiver on his lower lip that revealed his fear. The electrified energy calmed as Victoria revoked her destructive power and she glowed no more. She stepped forward and pulled Arthur to her, never moving her guarded stare from Haldis'. Athena moved to speak, a disdained expression caused her beautiful face to become ugly.

"You address yourself too bold Dominion. The dishonour you have showed towards our Seraph is unforgivable and will not go unpunished. Therewith the next meeting of the Archangels, we will give discourse on your undignified behaviour. Think yourself fortune that you were not annihilated on the spot" Athena clipped at Haldis, her three heads still partly materialised and glaring at him. The Archangel silently hissed in anger at the Cherubim's words but dedicated himself to the pretend role and submissively bowed his head; first to Athena, then to Victoria.

"My most sincerest apologises, my Lady. It was not my place nor intention to dishonour you" Haldis spoke in a hushed voice that almost sounded genuine, he remained bowed until Victoria answered with a stony reply.

"I have no care for pleads of forgiveness. Fly from mine sight, Haldis, and think well to stay out of it. I grow sick of your forked tongue". Haldis stiffened before he gave a small bow of his head and raised his wings for flight, his viridescent eyes stealing a last glance at Arthur before he propelled himself up and vanished into the clouds. There was a echoing silence after the Archangel of holy water's departure, then slowly, life breathed and moved again in the garden with sullen motions.

Athena's brows drew together and her shoulders remained tense.

"A most discomforting encounter, his interest in Arthur was more then sheer curiosity" She voiced with a grieved shake of her head. As Victoria began to walk closer, Eros nodded in agreement with Athena.

"Forsooth, I've never seen one be so disrespectful in my presence" Eros noted with concern, his stare fixed to where Haldis had taken off. Victoria sighed and rocked Arthur gently as she thought.

"Indeed he's grown bolder. Something must of changed, something that casts off his caution to the wind. I fear about the Angels he has secretly convinced to fall from our Lady, I feel that the air is thick, like some storm has began to brew and I cannot see it's approach. It truly sets my teeth on edge, for I now have not only the safety of the kingdom to care for, but now also this child". There was a unsettled pause before Eros spoke up with a tone filled with ill forlorn.

"The future is clouded to me, virtuous Victoria. Hark, I sense a dangerous threat loom closer hither, so close yet invisible to my foresight. I rede you remain on guard and keep Arthur close, my intuition tells me the fragile peace we live in now is not long to shatter". Victoria heeded Eros' warning well, equally grateful yet disturbed about it's contents. With Arthur held close, she gracefully threw out her six colossal purest-white wings (her angelic mark of the title: Seraph), and threw them back wide in preparation for flight.

"Then let us pray to the Fates that peace holds a little longer. I will take Arthur to the temple for rest, I wish you both good fortune in these dark times" Victoria said to her most trusted fellow Angel and God of love before she launched herself into the skies with a powerful downward thrust of her wings.

She soared upwards and spiralled so that her front faced down and the warm air slid under her wings and kept her steadily airborne. Away from Gaia's Garden and past the Temples of Knowledge, the Halls of Archives and the overseeing Watchtower. As she glided, Victoria gave another press to ascend to the higher levels of the Otherworld, where only the privileged and Gods were permitted residence . At the tallest peak, above all else in the Otherworld, was the divine temple of Gaia. Built from the condensed matter of stardust on a small floating patch of lush land, Gaia's temple was the most magnificent establishment in all of the Otherworld. The sanctuary had a divine quality that invited purity and good will, a spiritual place of light, healing and power. Victoria gracefully flew up before she slowed herself to a descent, her feet daintily touched down on the cool polished floor of the temple and her footsteps echoed throughout the empty structure as she walked into the inner section of her Lady's home.

Oval in shape with framing columns and no roof, the ivory temple was open to the subtle elements. As Victoria came to the centre, she admired the titanic craved throne on which her Lady sat when governing the Otherworld. Though it had been decades since she had last sat there, the last time being when she had announced her hibernation. At the foot of the throne, Victoria had set up a small living area for herself and Arthur; beside the fresh offerings left, two large thickly furred skins lay in the fashion of a bed. Due to their tolerance to the trifles that bothered men such as hunger and sleep, Angels had no real need to feast on produce nor to rest. However the reason for the offerings was not for Victoria, but Arthur. Someone had recognised that the half human child would require nourishment and been generous enough to give it, though no indication of whom the provider had been was to be found.

Her naked soles padded over the furs and gently, she removed Arthur from her and carefully lay him down on his back, the infant fidgeting slightly from the sudden loss of warmth until he gave out a weak yawn as tiredness took over. Victoria smiled loving at her child as she shifted and lifted him to ritualistically climb between the furs with him. She often liked to lie next to Arthur and listen to his quiet rhythmic breathing as he dreamed, sometimes choosing to close her own eyes to enter a mediative state where she would pretend to sleep beside him.

Arthur slept soundly on his back with each arm up by his head, his nostrils flaring slightly as he breathed softly. Victoria looked at the tiny person she had brought inside Gaia's world, a creation that she and Gisil had made. It was a wondrous experience, to watch her child simply be, to know that he was real and had life as such as she did. Quite wondrous. Confident that she would remain aware enough to sense any movement within the temple's grounds, Victoria lowered her lashes over her eyes and began to meditate, breathing deeply in and then deeply out in an imitation of sleep.

Time pasted…

THUD! Victoria's eyes snapped open the second she felt three foreign presences set foot on her Lady's turf, three being's that smelt of malcontent. Raising herself into a conch protectively over the sleeping babe, Victoria waited for the beings to reveal themselves. Out of the concealing shadows, stalked a sinister trio, their blackened forms morphed and their forms constantly shifting so that they had no true shape. A chattering, clicking noise emitted as they slicked closer; their gleaming crimson eyes fixed on the motionless child.

Victoria threatening unfurled her wings and steeled her glare, "Underworld scum, you dare to trespass into the Goddess Gaia's sanctuary? Are you so empty headed that you do not understand the consequences of your insolence". The shadows chattered avidly as they crept closer with invisible sinister grins.

"Will be no consequence for us, Seraph. Not after this night" Their echoing voices rang in unison with undisguised pleasure, metallic claws tapped and scraped against the smoothed stone. A chill that was not due to the temperature rode the night's breeze and whispered in Victoria's ear a warning, urging her to take action. Far below them in the lower levels, Victoria sensed her kin take to arms against unknown attackers, their cries of war rang in her mind. Gaia's kingdom was under assault.

"Cease your claptrap and untie your riddled tongue, demon, before I decide to rip it out through your teeth" Victoria demanded with the cold venom, as she silently invoked her powers of Quintessence; her skin gave off a glowing quality as her Grace stirred. The demons gave off their horrible clicking laugh again before they spoke.

"Empty threats Seraph, empty threats. You are not as you were once. You used to be feared, we trembled at your name. But no more, your time spent on Earth has made you…soft, a shadow of your former greatness. This will be easy. Our master has given us our purpose, 'Retrieve the hybrid guarded by the Seraph', he says 'bring Arthur to me' he commands, and so we shall"

A pounding shot of icy hate shot through Victoria and she calmly pulled Arthur to her person, her tone was beyond subzero when she spoke, "Would you like to see how soft I have become?". She stretched her shining palm out to the demons, omniscient holy light building at the centre. The demons slowed for a moment before they shook reason from their minds.

"The age of Gaia is over, Tartus will be rule above all!" The demons shrieked as they lunged for the sleeping child cradled in Victoria's arms, sharp claws extended to grab and scratch. It was their fatal mistake. Victoria's Grace unleashed itself from her directed palm in the form of white hot lightening, the pure electrified energy bolted and cracked when it made contact with the demons. Their agonised screams didn't even leave their throats before their bodies vaporised into piles of black ash.

The crackle and snap of the lightening startled Arthur awake and he began to cry as he had when Haldis had held him, his wailing disconcerting against the sudden silence. Rage boiled inside Victoria as she thought of the demons that dared step into her Lady's sacred place and kidnap her son. They spoke of a master, someone who had commanded them specifically after Arthur. Victoria's jaw muscles clenched as she realised the only person bar Athena and Eros that knew her son's name, was Haldis. He had finally decided to play his hand, and it seemed Arthur had become a target.

As Victoria strode past the spattering demon ashes and out the temple with Arthur in arm, she opened her mind and she patiently waited to contacted. It was less then a second before the urgent consciousness of a hysterical Angel rubbed against hers.

"Seraph! Please save us! They are slaughtering our brothers and sisters!," The voice of a young Angel squeaked and Victoria can practically taste the panic and distress in their words "The demons, they are being led through the gate by our Archangels. Oh Seraph, hear us!". Victoria readied her wings for flight at the edge of the temple, prepared to plunge down into the lower disarrayed regions of heaven.

"Quell your speeches of horror my kin, I am here," Victoria's internal voice vibrated with bell-like clarity above the hectic chatter of the Angel's telepathic conversations, all of them fell silent when she spoke with regality befitting her title "Listen here and listen well, our Lady's kingdom is under attack and it falls to our mantle to defend it. Screw your courage to the sticking place. We are Angels of Gaia and we will not allow to be beaten by Underworld forces, nor any who would associate themselves with them". The moment she finished her speech, Victoria felt the familiarly powerful presences of four Archangels reach out to her to communicate; Athena, Caesar, Ayiana and Afonso opened their minds to her.

"Victoria, t'is worse then could of been feared. Haldis has turned traitor, and methinks he hath convinced Arman, Isis and Erik to join his demonic cause" Athena sadly reported with clear grief, she had been close to Isis and had considered her a sister. Her aura seemed distant to Victoria and hinted that she was currently inside a structure, likely the Archives as to protect them.

"How great a force rallies to him? Where is the place they gather most?" Victoria demanded.

"No more than ten thousand, a challenge to be sure now that four of our own are against us" Afonso's conserved deep voice rumbled, snapshot scratches of violent action against the demon's flitted into his mind and so their's as he fought.

"Erik was on watch this night, it must of been he who let the demons in through the gates," Ayiana informally added "The last I saw of them was flying from the gate wince they were guarding it…I did not see Haldis among their numbers"

"He is missing? That snake is likely staying out the scenes to plot his next steps, bah! Seraph, allow me to go search for the fiend so that I may drag him before your feet" Caesar vowed with valour, his title of Throne worthy of a great Angel of his persona.

Victoria mentally shook her head in objection, "No Caesar, you will do no such thing. To chase a phantom in the dark is pointless and will do our side no good. Instead we rally and launch a counter strike. Athena, guard the Archives and their contents, those records must be preserved. Afonso, gather together everyone and guard them well. Ayiana, you fly to the Watchtower, your purpose there is essential to my goal"

"What goal Seraph?" Ayiana asked with confusion colouring her telepathic voice.

"The Otherworld is no longer safe for my young one. Haldis has made his criminal intent clear to me. He desires him for some unknown plot, having already sent demons my way to capture him," Victoria solemnly spoke "He is too vulnerable here therewith I will travel to Earth where he will be hid until we resolve this conflict".

A spike of anger came from Caesar "You would leave our Lady's kingdom undefended to go to the mortal realm? You are our Seraph! Together with Athena, we three alone could destroy this army of darkness instantly"

"Fool! The child is half human, he has a Soul. He will not be able to withstand the all might of our combined Graces" Athena hissed in defence and Victoria felt weak waves of guilt lap against her mind from Caesar.

"My apologises, Seraph. It was not my place to question your actions" He goodheartedly apologised.

Though her fellow Archangel's could not see the action, Victoria physically nodded held her wings out as she stepped off the temple's platform and plunged down whistling to the war struck kingdom below. "Peace Caesar," She thought as she dived, before her in the vast cloudy area of the Otherworld, a chaotic mass of demons circled and swarmed; flashes of light and the resulting demon screams were evidence of the Angels' resistance. "If what Ayiana reports is true, then the gate will be heavily guarded. Thereby I require your aid to clear a path for Arthur and I as we descend to Earth. I cannot risk using my Grace when I hold him". As the Seraph plummeted down and drew into range, snarling demon heads snapped to her direction and jerked and spun to engage her.

Victoria pulled her right wings in close and tumble spiralled out of the way, the column of demons shooting past her before rearing back around for more. Arthur cried against her chest as the chilly wind whipped past them and Victoria clutched him closer as she drove, irritation pricked at her for her current powerlessness with Arthur.

Then out of circling dark mass, a comet of holy fire ruptured through and shot towards Victoria; the sword of heaven had come to her side. Caesar spun as he alined himself parallel to Victoria's vertical form and swiped a arm wide, flaming wheels of fire were cast out, homed in on and destroyed the approaching demons entering from the gate below them.

"I am with you, Seraph" Caesar shouted over the wind as he rightened himself and dived at Victoria's side, his honey-amber eyes narrowed as they sped down to the gate of heaven; entrance to the mortal realm. The bottom of heaven was a sea of mist that churned and toiled, the heavens gate a large sudden gaping hole that led down to the Earth's atmosphere.

"Mine thanks, Throne Caesar. Keep the gate clear for my return, I will not be long on Earth" Victoria called as she fell closer to the gate, hearing the raged screams of demons as Caesar covered her escape. Victoria nosedived straight into and through the gate, the clashes of heaven behind her as the earth's heavy skies surrounded her. Below her she saw the breathtaking circular surface of her Lady's creation, the last rays of dusk peeked from over the vast far away horizon and cast out streaked colours of deep orange, blue and red.

The Archangel carefully invoked a small portion of her Grace and pictured her mate's little cabin hidden in a grove, and when she opened her eyes she saw the same image before her; a quaint home of logs with a candle in the window and smoke rising from the chimney. The night noises of the forrest hushed at the Seraph's arrival and only rich smelling pine trees rustled and swayed. She sensed the powerful dark blue Soul's of four sorcerers inside the house; three little candles fluttered beside the roaring did not approach the cabin, an all matter of sigils and warding that guarded its occupants were engrained into the oaken wood. Instead she waited outside the indivisible circle of protection for her love, the celestial stars above her watched with interest.

Sure enough, the mortal inhabitants stirred when they felt her presence just outside the warding circle, all clambered to their feet in loud procession. The front door was swung open and Victoria saw the Kirklands, the man who had won her heart stood central and in control. Gisil Kirkland was strength defined into flesh. With a tied back wild mane of copper and eyes of smothering Greek-fire, Gisil stood as one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence. He originated from the purest bloodline of the First Sorcerers and had earned the title of the greatest hunter among the sorcerer's community through countless fantastic feats. His scar littered muscular chest was bare and he wore only a simple pair of drawstring pants, thick tattoos of intricate midnight blue celtic knots decorated his limbs and broad back. He sported attractive heavy stubble around his jaw and his comically thick chestnut brows pulled together with concern when he saw Victoria and Arthur. At his hips, a growing child that was the twin of his younger self held his two brothers' chubby adolescent arms with a fierce protective look on his young face.

Gisil muttered something to his eldest with a pat on his head before he left them and strode across the grassy front yard of the cabin to Victoria, the three children stared after him fearfully. His ruggedly handsome eyes softened as he took in his true love's appearance and the babe. He stepped forward to take the Angel into his arms and shower her with kisses, only to be stopped when Victoria placed a firm hand on his chest to stop him.

"I am sorry dearest one. But the news I bring cannot wait," Victoria apologised and fought with herself to remain objective, the mere dight of him after so long made her heart ache for his touch and even as she spoke she left her resolve begin to slide. Gisil enclosed his large hand around the one she had stopped him with, and brought it up to tenderly place a delicate kiss on it.

"Then speak love an' gift ma ears with your sweet news" Gisil spoke in his rumbling cooing voice, rubbing small circles with his thumb into her hand. Victoria pulled her hand away and sadly shook her golden waves in disagreement.

"No Gisil, the news I bring could not be farther. My Lady's kingdom is under attack by the Underworld and Arthur is no longer safe there. I've brought him to you, so that you may hide him from those that would take him" Victoria solemnly explained as she looked down at Arthur who was looking up at the stranger in awe. Gisil followed Victoria's gaze and his scowl deepened as he reflected on the words.

"Are ya certain?," He asked seriously, his eyes flitted back to his other sons "Who would come looking for the lad"

"Demons under Haldis' command. Three dared to attack me in Gaia's temple and more tried to prevent me from passing through the Gate. Haldis' disguise has been cast off and three other Archangels have been foolish enough to believe his lies and join him" Victoria sighed. Gisil reached out and placed two fingers on Arthur's tiny forehead, before he let out a hiss of surprise.

"Grace and a Soul?! He's a walking bacon!" Gisil growled, so much taken off guard that he and Victoria did not notice the hidden figure step out of the darkness until he spoke in his trademark slippery silver tongue.

"That he is," Haldis purred as he became visible from a distance away, standing in the dark shade of a large pine tree on the edge of the clearing. Victoria pushed Arthur into Gisil's arms and spun to face Haldis with a threatening snarl rippling from her bared lips; the cool mask of Seraph giving way to the primal protectiveness of a cornered maternal mother.

Uh oh spaghetti o. Ha ha, so advancements! Coupes and betrayals! I am really enjoying writing this little diverting origin story, all the while keeping it relevant to the main storyline.

Just something that should be mentioned that doesn't quite come across in the narrative. During this past time, the gates of heaven were open to the Gods and the Angels, who were allowed to occasionally go down to Earth. However they delicately avoided becoming involved in human affairs save the odd occasion, meaning that although it was a time of Angels, humans never become aware that they could walk the earth and that they secretly defended them from demons and other dark creatures. When the gates of both heaven and hell were forcibly sealed, the Earth was rid of Angels and Demons. But that did not stop either side as they discovered ways around communicating with the mortals. The Gods are in no way restricted by these changes.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you are enjoying this series and wish to see it long continue, the please consider leaving a review telling me your thoughts, opinions and questions. Once again thank you for reading and as always,

Until next time folks!