Chapter 5: Plight Of The Archangels

The day of the Extermination:

The room was bathed in the tranquil hue of ocean blue, with two walls painted to match. On the third wall, a golden sun rose in all its vibrant glory, casting warm rays across the space. At a small wooden table sat two ethereal beings, their shining wings tucked neatly behind them as Sera and Emily faced each other in conversation. The faint scent of tea lingered in the air, adding to the peaceful atmosphere of the room. Unfortunately, the conversation being had was not as pleasant.

"As if every year wasn't enough, now you want to do it twice?" Emily questioned, the current Extermination being on her mind all day. "They haven't even done anything to us!"

"That fact is irrelevant, Emily," Sera responded, sipping on her tea. "It is our duty to protect our people here in Heaven from all external threats,"

"But what threat do these people pose?" Emily pleaded for answers. "You act as if they're plotting to take over, but they aren't even remotely capable of it!"

"You don't know that!" Sera exclaimed, setting her teacup down. "Those sinners, they may live on drugs, crime, and rape, but some of them are powerful!" She shuddered. "Don't forget that their leader was once one of us,"

Emily remembered. Lucifer, the first-born and most powerful of the Archangels was cast out from Heaven because he questioned the word of God. He caused a Civil War in Heaven in the process that led to the deaths of two of the other archangels: Jophiel and Camael. As punishment, he was thrown from Heaven, along with his lover, the first woman, Lilith. Together, the couple created Hell, a place where sinners and other demons alike could thrive.

"But, surely they can change their ways!" Emily pushed back. "You said yourself that 'nobody is perfect!'"

Sera responded, "They were given their chance, Emily. God commands sinners like them to be condemned for an eternity in Hell,"

"Yeah, well maybe God was wrong!" The young seraphim retorted angrily.

"EMILY!" The archangel scolded, her fists pounding on the table. "Under no circumstance are you to speak of our creator in such a disrespectful manner!" She sighed, exasperated. "God's word is the ultimate law. He CANNOT be 'wrong,' no matter what any of us may think,"

"But who decided that?" Emily desperately shouted back. "God hasn't even appeared before any of us since Lucifer fell! We weren't even alive the last time he appeared before an angel!"

"That doesn't matter!" Sera yelled. "Michael was the last one to communicate with him. He knows the word of God better than any of us," She grabbed Emily's hands from across the table. "Look, just trust me, ok? Everything is going to be alright,"

Emily let out a heavy sigh, her head nodding in defeated agreement. The chaos of it all weighed heavily on her mind. How could she reconcile the belief in an "all-loving" God with the seemingly harsh and rigid laws written by that same deity? Doubt crept into her thoughts, causing her to question if anything was truly worth fighting for in this confusing world.

Suddenly, a flash of light lit up the opposing side of the room. The seraphs looked over and found a familiar-looking soul materialize in midair, then collapse to the ground. It was the snake demon Charlie had shown them during the hearing last month, only now, he had a halo?

"Huh? Wha- whe-" He stammered as he stood up. "Where am I? Oh," He noticed the two angels staring at him. He smiled nervously and waved at them. "Hello!"

A high-pitched squeal of pure excitement escaped Emily's lips, her eyes wide with wonder and realization. In that moment, she was certain that the redemption of souls into Heaven was not just a myth, but a tangible reality. A warm sensation filled her chest and spread throughout her body, as if her soul itself were being rejuvenated by this newfound truth.

Sera, on the other hand, was not as pleased. She had dedicated centuries to protecting the realm from the invasion of sinners and maintaining its purity. And yet, despite all her efforts, it seemed that her worst fears were coming true. If one soul could be deemed "redeemable," then what was to stop a flood of them from entering? A thousand, a million - they would soon overrun this sacred place she had sworn to protect.

"Oh. My. GOSH!" Emily squealed with joy as she ran up to their newly arrived soul. "Hi! My name is Emily! But you can call me 'Emmie, Em, doesn't matter to me! What's your name, sir?"

"Who, me?" The snake demon questioned, "Ah yes, right!" He cleared his throat, "I am Sir Pentious! Pleasure to be meeting you Miss Emily!"

"Oh my gosh, this is so exciting!" Emily bounced up and down, brimming with jubilation. "Here, let me show you around!" She exclaimed as she grabbed him by the hand.

"Wait, where are you taking m- AAAAAAAA!"

The young seraphim pulled Sir Pentious out of the door, causing him to let out a piercing scream. When they reached the outdoors, the joyous Emily took flight, bringing along the snake who himself was unable to fly, causing him to scream even louder.

Sera was left alone in the room, cringing in disgust. How could it have come to this? Adam was supposed to prevent this exact thing from happening! She was going to have a chat with him when he got back.

"Lady Sera?" A voice suddenly called to her. "I apologize for the delay, but I've come to report on the latest Extermination,"

Five minutes later:

Sera was completely disoriented. In the span of a day, she had lost the Exorcist Commander along with dozens of his soldiers, witnessed a soul being redeemed before her, and as a result, may now have evidence that one of her colleagues is involved in a treasonous act. The rogue actions of Raphael and the uncertainty that came with them crushed down on her like a boulder, threatening to suffocate her with its heavy presence.

To make matters worse, Emily was now openly questioning the word of God himself. As a heavily influential figure in Heaven, she could not be allowed to spread such heresy within the realm. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of it all amidst the chaos and confusion swirling around her. So she came to the only conclusion she could think of. She conjured a piece of parchment and a quill out of thin air and carefully wrote a specific message. As the materials disappeared, Sera took a deep breath.

All seven of the archangels were gathering to meet for the first time in a thousand years.

Thirty-four days later:

The Head Seraphim, her brilliant wings outstretched and gleaming in the sunlight, gracefully approached the designated meeting place. As she touched down on the soft, fluffy cloudtop, a wave of energy rippled through the air, signaling her arrival. At that moment, a grand castle appeared before her. Seven towering pillars, each representing one of the mighty archangels, stood proudly at the entrance, the structure itself seeming to radiate strength and power. With a single step, Sera crossed an invisible barrier and was instantly transported inside. The room was vast and imposing, with seven towering chairs placed in a circle at its center. Each chair represented one of the archangels and was adorned with their unique symbol, including her own - a shining gavel surrounded by stars. The walls were lined with shimmering tapestries depicting tales of celestial battles and triumphs.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," She heard a voice say. The seraphim looked to her left and saw Gabriel, the Archangel of War, with his eyes closed and his foot pressed against a pillar behind him. "I never took you for one to call these meetings," he said, turning and walking towards her. "This is so unlike you. Whatever could have happened, dear Sera?"

"Now now, Brother," a second voice said, this one feminine. From around the opposing corner, a woman with armpit-length black hair in a gorgeous long black dress and black lipstick appeared, her six dark gray wings tucked at her back. Raziel, the Archangel of Death, locked eyes with the seraphim. "She's a very busy angel. Let's not tease her,"

"Relax, Sister. I wasn't teasing," Gabriel scoffed in response.

"I just got here, and you guys are already going at it?" a third, masculine voice said. Out of a sphere of green light, a muscular bald man with light brown skin materialized into the room with them. This was Malik, the Archangel of Nature. His eyes, lit up when he saw the seraphim. "Sera!" he exclaimed happily. He rushed over and gave her a bear hug. "I haven't seen you in ages! How've you been?"

Sera smiled warmly back at him. "I've been better, unfortunately, but it's always a charm to have you around," she glanced at his exposed upper body. "I see you're as opposed to the dress code as ever?"

Malik laughed loudly. "Of course! Clothing is unnatural! The only reason I'm even wearing pants right now is because he'd kill me if I didn't," he gestured to Gabriel. "Speaking of whom," he approached to the Archangel of War, who was clearly annoyed. "My offer still stands, Prince Charming," he winked. "You know where my place i-"

The war angel's voice dripped with ice as he spat out the words, his eyes flashing a bright and piercing blue. "I told you I have no interest in you, Freak. Now get the fuck away from me," he sneered, the coldness of his tone cutting through the air like a sharp blade. His fierce aura radiated from him, a clear warning to everyone that he was not to be trifled with.

Malik put his hands up in apology. "Sorry, sorry," he backed off and stood next to Sera. "Your loss," he muttered under his breath.

"Oh my God, you're so mean!" yet another voice called out, this one feminine. Out from a sphere of rainbow light, walked Naomi, the Archangel of Beauty. She appeared as a fair-skinned angel with shoulder-length blonde hair with a body resembling that of a girl in her late teens. Her wings were colored like a rainbow, the different colors blending into one another perfectly. Her outfit was strange for an angel of her status, consisting of high-rise denim shorts and a pink tank top. "Ignore that dumb piece of shit, Malik. You're beautiful, no matter what anyone else says,"

"Thanks, Nims," he glanced at her outfit. "Er, what exactly are you wearing?"

"Oh, this?" Naomi gestured at her clothing. "I've been following human fashion trends lately. Lots of girls have been rocking this during the summer, and I LOVE it!" She flipped her hair. "Plus, look at how it shows off my curves," She hit various poses and swayed her hips.

Malik grinned. "I don't quite get it, but if it makes you feel natural, I support it!" he exclaimed with a thumbs up.

"Are you utterly shameless?" Gabriel snarled. "Both of you, show some decency while in such a sacred place!"

"Ugh, fuck off, you old prick!" Naomi spat while giving the war angel the finger. "What are you gonna do? Smite me for wearing clothes?" she giggled. "Sounds to me like you like what you see~"

"You degenerate little whore," Gabriel's voice shook with boiling rage, but he took a deep breath to compose himself.

"It does look good on her," Raziel said with a smirk.

"Fuck you too, emo bitch," the beauty angel responded, giving her the finger as well. Raziel just chuckled, unaffected by her colleague's insults.

Gabriel sighed. "Great, now we just have to wait for-"

At that moment, a white sphere of light appeared. Out walked a male figure, looking like he was in his mid-thirties. His six wings were a gradient of red to blue from left to right and were tucked behind his black suit, similar to that of a lawyer. The Archangel of Law had arrived. The room remained silent, save for Malik.

"Hey, Raph!" he called from across the room, beaming at him. "Took you long enough!"

Raphael merely nodded at him before taking his seat.

"Wait, where is Sir Michael?" Sera asked.

"Brother Michael has other, more important matters to attend to at the moment," Gabriel responded, moving to the front of the table. "As such, he requested that I lead this meeting in his place,"

Naomi scoffed. "He would choose you. Fucking nepotic bitch."

Gabriel glared at her. "Anyways," he cleared his throat. "Sera, you're the one who called this meeting. Explain why we are gathered here today."

Sera took a deep breath. "For the last thousand years, the Heavens have lived in relative balance and peace," she began. "At our last gathering, we determined by a 4-3 vote, to periodically exterminate demon souls. This began as a once-per-century event, but has since increased to once-per-year to accommodate for Hell's exponential population growth of the last two centuries,"

The room was filled with tense and divided expressions, almost as if their opinions on the matter could be read just by looking at them. Gabriel and Raziel had self-assured smirks, openly supporting the Extermination. On the other hand, Raphael, Naomi, and especially Malik appeared distressed and opposed to the idea of wiping out an entire population. "But now, that peace has been threatened, in large part due to the death of Exorcist Commander Adam, but more importantly," she glared at Raphael. "due to the Archangel of Law forgoing his duty to guide souls to the correct realm of my judgment,"

Raphael remained still and serene, his eyes closed shut as if in deep meditation. His face was a blank canvas, giving nothing away to those trying to decipher his emotions. The tension in the room hung thickly, like a heavy cloak, as everyone held their breath, waiting for any sign of what was going through his mind. His stillness was unbroken, a mystery within itself.

"Yes, I've heard of such behavior," Gabriel too, began leering at the law angel. "Explain your actions, Brother,"

Without opening his eyes, Raphael responded, "My actions?"

"Sir Raphael, my duty as the Archangel of Judgement is to interpret the words of God and to rule said interpretations in the Angelic Court," Sera rose from her seat and approached her colleague. "As the Archangel of Law, it is your responsibility to enforce the words of God as I interpret them. This includes determining whether human souls will go to Heaven or Hell based on their actions during their time on Earth," she rested her hand on his chair. "You raised an unworthy soul into Heaven when they deserved eternal damnation, and in doing so, have defied the words of God. This isn't easily forgiven."

"Ah, who cares! Malik shouted out. "One soul isn't gonna hurt anybody!"

"He's so pretty, too!" Naomi squealed joyfully. "He's like, the hottest guy ever, and I love his outfit!" Her expression suddenly changed to one of intense desire. "Plus, I hear he's got two dicks."

Malik quickly turned to face the angel of beauty. "HE HAS TWO?" He shouted quite loudly.

"Enough, you two," Raziel called out from across the table. She yawned, clearly bored. "We have 'more important' things to talk about,"

"Sorry,"

"Sorry,"

The Archangel of Death turned to face her accused colleague. "Well, Brother? Do you have any response?"

Raphael finally opened his eyes and glanced at the seraphim standing over him. "My duty is to enforce the words of God," he said, calmly. "Not your own twisted perversion of them," he closed his eyes again.

Sera's eyes flashed with anger. "Twisted perversion? My angelic duty commands that I take God's commands and pass them down to you!" She leaned in with a furious stare. "You should be careful with your words,"

Raphael opened his eyes and met Sera's glare with his own. "Madam Sera, you constantly preach to all of Heaven that God's word is absolute and has no conceivable faults," he rose from his chair. "And I agree. Even young Emily understands this concept. You're the one twisting his words to feed your own biases." He sighed. "Besides, the only reason you even hold such a duty is because Brother Michael made it so, and even that was a mistake,"

"Watch yourself, Brother," Gabriel rose from his seat and stormed over. "Brother Michael was chosen by God himself to be our new leader after the traitor fell. You should treat him with some respect," he sneered.

"I respect Brother Michael very much," Raphael turned to face his older brother. "Or at least I try to. Unfortunately, he makes it quite difficult sometimes,"

"Don't flatter yourself by pretending to care now," Gabriel snarled. "You didn't care when you defiled his name by bringing a degenerate soul up to the Heavens."

"Big talk coming from a guy who killed his own sister."

"I did what I had to do! the war angel yelled. She betrayed us trying to defend him!" he turned away, his expression filled with pain. "Besides, you think that didn't hurt me? I still think about that moment every day, Raph. It haunts me to my core," he gave a somber look to his brother. "And that's why I need you to stop, dear Brother," he was almost pleading. "There's only four of us original seven left now. I don't want that number to get any smaller,"

"You had the strength to do it before," Raphael responded. "I'm sure the third oldest archangel in all of creation has the strength to do it again."

"Don't talk like that, Raph," Malik spoke desperately. "You're not going anywhere on my watch,"

"Yeah, Gabe. That's fucked up," Naomi said loudly. "Aren't you supposed to love your family above all else, or something like that?"

"SILENCE!" Gabriel roared, his eyes once again glowing blue, full of emotion. "Raphael. You are a dear part of my family, like Raziel, and Cameael and Jophiel both were long ago." The war angel begged, "Please, don't make me do this again,"

Sera quickly tried to intervene. "Sir Gabriel, wait, this might not be necessary." She turned to the Archangel of Law. "Sir Raphael, you have committed a grievous act against the Order of Heaven," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "But, all can be forgiven if you just send that sinner back down to Hell where it belongs," She breathed heavily and tried to offer a weak smile. "Please, just make things right, for Heaven."

Raphael, for the first time during the meeting, showed some emotion by wearing a warm smile on his face. "I greatly appreciate your concern, Madam Sera," his smile weakened and saddened. "But young Emily is counting on me. I cannot betray our principles now, even if it may be pointless in the end," he gently pushed Sera's hand off his shoulder and walked away from the table to face Gabriel. "It's time, Brother," He said confidently. "I have committed treason against the Heavenly Order, and I do not regret it in the slightest," He took a deep breath and uttered, "Let's get this the fuck over with."

A shocked Gabriel quickly shook himself out of his stupor and summoned an empty sword hilt into his hand. From the top of the cross-guard slowly extended a glowing yellow blade. The other angels recognized it as blessed soul-energy, which could only mean one thing...

Gabriel spoke the words with the utmost commanding authority. "Raphael, Archangel of Law, and Sixth-born angelic child of God. I accuse you of treason against God and the Heavenly Order. I hereby call upon the Seven Archangels to decide on a verdict. Defendant, you may also participate in the decision. Let us begin."

Gabriel began by lifting his palm and producing a ball of red light, signaling a guilty vote. Raziel followed, also producing a red light. Malik and Naomi looked at each other and nodded before both producing blue lights, signaling a vote of innocence. Raphael also produced a blue light, in an effort to defend himself.

From the empty seat of the Supreme Archangel, Michael, a small red light could be seen materializing from thin air. An ethereal, masculine-sounding voice spoke directly into the minds of all present, "He is guilty."

Gabriel looked on in wonder. "It would appear Brother Michael has listened in on the meeting and cast his vote," He looked around the table. "That brings the current vote to a 3-3 tie. Madam Sera, you are the deciding factor. May God guide you on your final decision."

Sera's hands trembled with nerves, her heart racing and her mind spinning with the weight of her responsibility. In all of Heaven's history, there had only been one other angel cast out - Lucifer, the fallen Archangel who had rebelled against the Order and brought about destruction and chaos. His accomplices, Camael and Jophiel, had met their own tragic ends at the hands of Gabriel and Raziel, while Lucifer himself was condemned to an eternity in Hell. And now, Sera held the fate of another in her hands. The weight of her duty to Heaven pressed heavily upon her, but at the same time, she couldn't help but question whether she could truly condemn another archangel to death for the first time in thousands of years. Her thoughts swirled like a storm inside her as she struggled with her choices.

A jolt of clarity surged through her mind as she came to a firm decision. It was as if all the fog and uncertainty that had clouded her thoughts had suddenly lifted, revealing a clear path ahead. She felt a sense of relief wash over her like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. With confidence and determination, she knew she was making the right choice for herself, as she looked Raphael dead in the eyes, lifted her hand...

...and produced a red light.

Raphael merely nodded in respect, seemingly accepting his fate with open arms. He turned to Gabriel, whose face now displayed a solemn conviction of duty.

"The Seven Archangels have decided." He stepped forward and continued, "By a vote of 4-3, it is decided that Raphael, Archangel of Law, and Sixth-born angelic child of God, is found guilty of treason against God and the Order of Heaven. As second-highest ranked of the Seven Archangels," he lifted his blade and pointed it at his brother, "I, Gabriel, Archangel of War, and Third-born angelic child of God, sentence you to death."

Raphael remained eerily still as Gabriel took a calculated step forward, his gleaming blade held firmly against Raphael's throat. The sharp metal felt cool and dangerous against his skin. Yet, he felt no fear. He met Gabriel's intense gaze with an unwavering stare, ready to meet his destiny.

"This is a blade of pure soul energy," the war angel explained. "You won't revive in Hell when you are killed by it. Your very soul will be destroyed, as it was written." He looked Raphael dead in the eyes.

Raphael nodded. "As it was written," he responded.

Gabriel smiled at him sadly. "Do you have any last words, Brother Raphael?"

Raphael took one last look at his colleagues. Raziel was giving him a cold smile, Malik and Naomi were weeping loudly, begging Gabriel to stop, and Sera was doing her best to hold them back. He turned and smiled back at his brother before closing his eyes.

"Praise be to God."

With a swift, decisive motion, Gabriel sliced through his brother's throat. The Archangel of Law crumpled to the floor, lifeless in an instant. A river of bright yellow blood poured from the wound in his neck, staining the pure white marble beneath him. "Amen," Gabriel whispered under his breath as he plunged the blade into the corpse's back, causing both the weapon and the body to dissipate into golden dust. His chest heaved with a mixture of emotions - grief, guilt, and a sense of duty fulfilled - as he surveyed the scene before him, the fallen angel and the spatter of golden blood that marked his final moments in the universe before it too, vanished.

Naomi collapsed to her knees, her sobs piercing the air. Malik swiftly dropped to his knees beside her and enveloped her in a tender hug, tears streaming down both of their faces. The two archangels grieved in silence, their hearts heavy with the loss of their fallen comrade. Every breath felt like a weight on their chests as they mourned the end of an era.

Sera stood there, frozen in shock. She had done the unthinkable. Gabriel may have been the one to pull the trigger, but it was her decision that sealed Raphael's fate. Her hands trembled as she collapsed back into her seat, her mind reeling with the weight of her actions. The room seemed to close in on her, the walls pressing in like a vise around her. She struggled to catch her breath and gather her thoughts, desperate for some sense of clarity amidst the chaos within her.

"It is done, then," Gabriel announced, adjusting his light gray suit. "If there is nothing else..."

"Hold on," Raziel commanded. "With the execution of Raphael, the role of Archangel of Law is currently unfilled." She glanced around the room. "What is to be done about this?"

"It could take years to find a successor," Malik said solemnly. "We don't have that kind of time. I believe one of us should take on the duty in the meantime,"

"An archangel has never held two titles at once before," the Archangel of Death responded. "But we may not have a choice. The question is, which one of us should it be?"

A heavy, tense silence descended upon the room as each archangel considered their potential second role. They were already tasked with important duties, using their time and energy to fulfill their divine purpose. Adding a second role would be a significant burden, a weighty responsibility that they were not sure they were ready for. The air around them seemed to grow heavier with every passing moment as they contemplated the decision before them. It was a weighty matter, one that would require much thought and consideration.

As if on cue, a blinding brightness overtook the room, enveloping Sera in a dazzling white light as she began to levitate. The intensity of it was almost overwhelming, like standing in the heart of a sunbeam. It seemed to radiate from her very core, filling every inch of the room with its brilliance. She felt weightless and free, as if floating on a cloud made of pure light. All she could do was surrender to the luminous sensation and let it consume her.

Just as quickly, it ended, and Sera touched back down on the floor. Gabriel looked at her with approval. "It would seem Brother Michael has made a decision for us," He approached the seraphim. "Congratulations, Madam Seraphim. You have been chosen as the next Archangel of Law." He sighed. "You now carry two great responsibilities to Heaven, Sera," he said solemnly. "As the Archangel of Judgement, you must interpret God's words to the best of your ability and pass them on to the Kingdom of Heaven," he continued. "And as the Archangel of Law, you must enforce these judgments on all souls within the Order. You will examine souls as they enter Heaven and accept them into paradise or condemn them to damnation based on their mortal lives. Do you accept these sacred duties?"

Sera stood still, her face illuminated by a soft silver light that seemed to radiate from within her. Her long silver hair fell in loose waves down her back, shimmering in the glowing aura around her. Her eyes were closed, but a slight smile graced her lips as if she were in a state of pure serenity. "In the name of Heaven, I do accept."

Gabriel smiled at her. "Very good," he congratulated. "Then, I believe we are done here."

"Finally, fuck," Raziel muttered before teleporting out without another word.

"Well then, I bid you farewell, Madam Sera," Malik said politely as he quickly teleported away as well. Naomi just gave a disappointed look to Sera before flipping Gabriel off and following after the nature angel. The Head seraphim gave a quick bow to her remaining colleague before preparing to leave herself.

"Just one moment, Madam," Gabriel gestured her to his side. "Being an Archangel with two duties will be incredibly difficult. I need to be certain you're ready for it."

"Sir Gabriel, I assure you I will not fail this sacred task given to me by our God on high," She assured him.

"Good," he responded. "Then let me give you your first task."

The war angel's commanding gesture caused a large, spherical object to materialize above the table. It radiated with ethereal light, acting as a screen and projecting the image of Emily, a young seraphim, strolling through the gardens in joyful conversation with Sir Pentious, a redeemed sinner. The sphere seemed to pulsate with energy, its glow reflecting off the faces of those gathered around the table. Every detail of the angel's delicate wings and the reptilian's slithery features were captured in perfect clarity on the screen, bringing their interaction to life before their very eyes.

"These two are in direct violation of your judgment, dear Sera," he said with a chilling smile. "It is the Archangel of Law's duty to punish and condemn those who practice such heresy. Do it. Fulfill your promise to God,"

Sera looked at the screen, horrified by what she saw. "No..." she whispered. She turned to face Gabriel. "I will condemn the sinner back to where he originated," she stated confidently. "but I cannot do the same to my dear sister,"

"Your sister is in direct violation of the word of God, Sera. It is her rightful punishment to be condemned just as the sinner was," Gabriel responded. He almost seemed to pity the Head Seraphim.

"Emily..." Sera whispered again, her arm outstretched as if she could reach through the display and touch her beloved. The thought of condemning the one person she cared for most to an eternity of suffering filled her with dread and sorrow. She could feel the weight of her decision weighing heavily on her heart.

Gabriel stood next to her. "I understand," he said comfortingly. "I understand what it's like to make these seemingly impossible decisions. Sister Raziel and I have each had to make it before," He glanced over at the seraphim. "But at the end of the day, this is part of our duty to God. We must make sacrifices in order to preserve the purity of this great kingdom,"

Sera stuttered, "I don't know if I can-"

Gabriel wrapped her in a gentle hug. "You can," His whispered words of encouragement sent warmth and comfort coursing through her body, like a gentle summer breeze. "You are perhaps the most important figure in the Heavens right now," Gabriel whispered in her ear. "Fulfill your destiny, Sera. As it was written,"

He gently pulled away and gave a reassuring nod, urging Sera to continue. She took a deep breath and forced her emotions to the side. As she looked at Emily, her beautiful sister, tears threatened to spill from her eyes. But she knew she couldn't let those feelings cloud her judgment any longer. The young seraphim had betrayed their trust by collaborating with a traitor, and now she had to face the consequences of her actions. With trembling fingers, Sera reached out and touched the orb, running them along the projection of Emily's cheek.

"I love you dearly, Emily," she whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "And I'm so very sorry."

With a graceful flick of her wrist, the archangel summoned pure white light from her palms, forming two radiant spheres that illuminated the darkness around them. On the screen, the two archangels watched in solemn silence as the holes into the abyss opened below Emily and Sir Pentious, swallowing them into an endless descent towards the depths of Hell. Sera's heart ached as she felt tears welling up in her pearly eyes, but she quickly wiped them away with determination. She had fulfilled her duty as a protector of paradise, and that was all that mattered. Beside her, Gabriel placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, offering both congratulations and support as he spoke, "You have done your duty well, Sera. Those two were unworthy of paradise. May they rot in the fiery pit where they belong." The heavy weight of their actions settled on Sera's shoulders, but she knew it was necessary to maintain the balance between good and evil in the cosmos.

The seraphim nodded in agreement. "As it was written."

"As it was written."

And with that, the radiant archangel Sera bowed gracefully and vanished in a flash of ethereal light, leaving the solitary war angel to process their conversation alone. He released a long, weary sigh as he deactivated the pulsing holographic sphere, causing it to dissolve into nothingness. A powerful feeling of relief washed over him as he teleported back outside the towering castle, perched upon a glowing cloud floating high above the earth. The expansive view before him displayed a breathtaking sunset, casting hues of pink and gold across the sky as far as the eye could see. With one last glance at the magnificent castle behind him, the war angel spread his wings and took flight towards his own palace, eager to get back to the weighty responsibilities that awaited him there.

Gabriel landed gracefully on the top balcony, his feet barely making a sound on the smooth stone surface. With a deep breath, he entered through the door tucked into the corner of the platform. As it closed behind him, the balcony disappeared from sight, replaced by a towering glass window that offered an unobstructed view of the colorful horizon. The room was his private training space, equipped with everything he needed to hone his skills as a warrior. Sunlight poured in, casting a warm glow over the polished floors and rugged training equipment. Gabriel couldn't help but feel at peace in this sanctuary high above the bustling Heavenly cities below.

As he was taking in the view, the war angel heard a knock on the main entrance to the room. The door opened and the visitor approached and kneeled.

"Sir, the plans are being drawn up as we speak," She reported. "It won't be long before our full-scale assault on the Pride Ring will be ready for its preparing stages.

Gabriel smiled and turned around before stepping towards her. "Excellent work, Lute. Adam always spoke very highly of you. And it seems you are living up to his words,"

Lute bowed her head. "Thank you for your praise, Sir,"

"Rise,"

Lute got up to her feet and stood next to the war angel. They were standing in front of a giant glass window that looked over an endless void of clouds, the sun almost completely set on the horizon. Gabriel smiled chillingly.

"At last we can purge these disgusting sinners from Creation. As it was written,"

To be continued...