Previously: Castiel is a soldier in the Garrison. Under Anael's orders, he watches over Humanity and observes its evolution. Leviathans have been locked away, Neanderthals have gone extinct, and Adam and Eve are born.

oOo

The original sin

The Garden of Eden gathers all the splendor of Father's creation. The most luxurious plants, the most graceful and lively animals, and of course the two chosen Humans the Archangels brought here soon after they were born.

Within the Garden, mortals don't suffer, age or have any kind of physical need. In its center Father grew the Tree of Knowledge whose apples can widen the human or animal mind, and the Tree of Eternal Life. Adam and Eve are not allowed to touch them for the moment. I heard that God plans to give them the fruits as a reward once they have proven their faith, love and obedience.

Naked as the day she was born, young Eve is drawing rudimentary art in the loose soil with the tip of a stick. A few steps away, brown hair all tangled up, Adam is scurrying after a bright-colored butterfly. I watch them from a distance. We don't need to hide ourselves from their eyes. They have been seeing us without fear since the day they were born, with some kind of naive curiosity. It is known that Humans can't see or hear us without breaking, but these two are the exception.

"I don't get it."

I don't need to turn around to guess that Uriel just landed behind me to watch the two young Humans cut off from the rest of their species. And there is no need to say anything back. I have no answer to give him, and like some other Angels, Uriel just feels the need to voice his confusion.

I am confused too, but it is ill-advised to ask too many questions.

"Why does God talk to them? What is it that these two hairless monkeys have and we don't? They are tiny, weak, ugly, stupid, they have only two hands and no wings."

"Father chose them, and He never does anything without a reason."

No Angel ignores that God came in person to talk to the two Humans, not once but several times, and He didn't let Angels or even Archangels go with Him. Rumors are spreading, but Uriel is one of the few Angels who dare say it out loud.

The little girl giggles happily, drops her stick and chases after Adam, her golden hair floating behind her back. Uriel's eyes follow her gloomily.

"I think we should start chasing butterflies and making pretty drawings too. Maybe then He would take an interest in us, don't you think, Castiel?"

I give him a wary look.

Our own General is being closely watched by Raphael since I reported his behavior, and now Uriel is bordering on disobedience too. Do I need to call the entire Garrison to order?

"We are not supposed to be drawing or chasing butterflies, Uriel. Our orders are–"

"Yes, yes. I know. To observe and obey. I was joking, Castiel."

"Oh."

oOo

We are all gathered in the Garden of Eden. All of us. The Garrison, the other divisions of Angels, Cherubs of first and second class, and lower grades too. Gabriel, Lucifer, Raphael and Michael are standing in a circle around the two chosen Humans who have now reached adult size. Compared to us, they look as tiny and fragile as insects.

Our presence lights up the Garden, washing away every shadow around.

Rachel, Yasen and Hcoma glance at me in confusion, but I don't know what's happening any more than they do.

Michael's voice rises up, rolling like thunder on a summer night, and we listen.

"God created Humans in His image and breathed in their souls His very own essence and free will. He orders us to bow down before Adam and Eve. And from now on, to love Humans more than we love our Father."

A murmur runs through the crowd when Michael, to set the example, bows down before the two tiny Humans who are holding hands and staring up at him unblinkingly.

Gabriel kneels too, followed by Raphael who obeys with some sort of reluctance in his stiffened Grace.

I don't understand what is the point in bowing before the evolution of the fish I have been watching for millions of years, but orders are orders. My role is not to think, but to obey orders without discussion. Anael and Rachel are kneeling already and I do the same. Uriel hesitates for a split second before he follows the movement.

"This is ridiculous."

All eyes turn towards Lucifer who is still standing, his Grace writhing in rage. He is towering over the Humans and glaring down at them with ice in his three eyes.

"Love those apes more than I love Father? I can't. I will never love them!"

"Lucifer!" Michael hisses.

"And all of you agree with this? Am I the only one to truly love our Father here? Are you all willing to love those flawed, murderous and ignorant beings more than Him?"

Only silence meets his words.

I notice a second-class Cherub's wings twitch in front of me like he's itching to reply. But he remains silent and very still, his head lowered.

"Don't count on me, Father!" Lucifer screams up to the sky.

Raphael spreads one of his wings in front of Adam and Eve like a giant shield to protect them.

Michael rises to his feet, radiating with a threatening aura.

"Lucifer, bow before the Humans! You know the fate of those who rebel."

Lucifer lets out a broken laugh.

"Do you want to eliminate me, Michael? You would kill your own brother for those hairless apes?"

"Those are the orders, Lucifer."

An explosion of light throws all of us backwards and I snap my wings open to rise above my brothers in arms. From up here, I see Michael scrambling back to his feet while Lucifer is walking towards the two Humans Raphael is protecting.

All of my brothers are watching it happen, standing still and silent, waiting for an order to come.

"Move aside, Raphael."

The Archangel unfolds his other wing to shield Adam and Eve.

"Don't make me hurt you," Lucifer murmurs with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Lucifer! Stop this madness, brother, please! Repent now, Father will forgive you!" shouts Gabriel who had stayed away from the fight until now.

Lucifer holds out his hand to Raphael.

"Father has not been thinking straight since He created those abominations. Once we get rid of them everything will get back to normal. Raphael, join me, or perish with them."

A sudden flash of light blinds me and I shut my eyes, shielding my face with my arms. A scream makes my Grace run cold.

When I open my eyes again, there is a bottomless pit in the ground at Michael's feet, already shrinking until it disappears altogether. Lucifer is gone, and Raphael is on his knees whimpering in pain with his wings on fire. Gabriel rushes to his side to heal him.

Unharmed, Adam and Eve are stepping back, holding hands and looking frightened.

I'm landing in the middle of the Garrison.

"Where is Lucifer...?" Ephra whispers, eyes wide open.

"Locked away, like the Leviathans."

Until now, all Angels showing sings of doubt or refusing to obey a direct order have always been executed or sent to rehabilitation.

I don't know if Lucifer is too powerful to be eliminated or if Michael and Father couldn't bring themselves to kill him.

oOo

Since the last events occurred, I went back to watch over the other Humans who have moved on and forgotten all about Adam and Eve's very existence. I made sure of it. I have been informed that their parents looking for them everywhere was an inconvenience.

The soul of Eve's mother is bright and pure. And peaceful, now that she has forgotten about having a daughter. Even from up here I can see it glowing softly. All wrapped up in her clothes made of sheepskin, she is washing some fabric dyed in blue into the stream. She keeps singing the same wistful tune over and over in her crystal-clear voice.

She will never know she has a grown up daughter, chosen by God.

A ray of sunlight caresses her blond hair. A breeze makes the leaves shiver around my claws.

I can no longer observe the Humans with an indifferent eye now that I know Father made them in His image. Which means my brothers and I do not look like God. And that these Humans are now the most accurate representation of my Father I could ever imagine.

Does He not have wings? Does He only have two hands, two eyes, and such a frail body? Soft skin, flesh and blood? A nose, eyebrows and long hair on the top of His head?

I raise my four arms before my eyes and unfold my fingers. I have no skin, no flesh, no organs, no blood like Humans do. Only a solid and translucent frame, like bones made of glass inside which my Grace flows like liquid light fizzling with blue bubbles. Should I receive any injury, only my Grace would bleed out of me.

Knowing that my brothers and I look nothing like our Father carves a void inside me.

"Castiel."

Uriel appears at my side.

We haven't seen each other since Lucifer has fallen. He has been tasked with watching the Garden of Eden and the two chosen Humans. For him to fly all the way here, it has to be important.

After Lucifer's punishment, Anael grew way too close to the two Humans and Raphael sent him in rehabilitation a few months ago. I was not surprised. I knew it would happen.

In his absence, I carry out his functions.

"Adam and Eve are behaving in an unusual way."

I look away from the singing woman and make eye contact with my brother. For once, he looks serious and shows no sign of sarcasm and teasing.

"In an unusual way?"

"When I appeared to her, Eve startled and tried to hide her genitals and breast. And she was sewing clothes with fig leaves for Adam and her."

Now this can't be good. Surrounded by animals, Angels and vegetation, how could they develop the concept of modesty? And above all, where did Eve learn how to sew?

"We need to inform Raphael."

Uriel shakes his head, looking reluctant.

"Why bother Raphael just for this? Can't we fix this problem ourselves? Our big brother doesn't exactly enjoy being called for no reason lately..."

Uriel does have a point.

"Fair enough. Let's see the situation and we will call on Raphael if we really have to."

The moment we reach the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, wearing their clothes made of leaves look up at us in fright. They have been seeing us all the time since the second they were born. Why are they afraid of us all of a sudden?

And then, for the very first time, I speak to the mortals I have been watching evolve since the beginning.

"Adam, Eve. Why is there fear in your eyes?"

The two Humans take a slow step back and Adam wraps his arms around Eve as if to protect her.

"Why are you hiding the body God gave you?" Uriel asks in a thundering voice.

Adam swallows hard and Eve bits her lower lip before looking up warily.

"The fog hindering our mind dissipated. Everything is so clear now. We know that we are prisoners here and that our entire life is but a lie!"

"There are more Humans out there and we don't want to live ignorant like animals anymore," Adam says with defiance in his eyes.

Oh. This is much more than just a modesty issue.

"Raphael," I call out, directing my prayer to the Archangel.

He will know what to do.

With a rustling of wings Raphael appears at our side, eyes blazing with wrath. Apparently he heard what the Humans have just said.

"Who told you this?" he utters, and his harsh voice petrifies the mortals with fear.

A tear rolls down Eve's face.

"An Angel. He revealed the truth to us. We were taken from our parents at birth and raised naked like beasts just to please God. And.. And we..."

"And we can't leave nor disobey Him, we can't choose our own life without Him eliminating us," Adam finishes for her through gritted teeth.

"So this is true? He was telling the truth?" Eve chokes between her sobs.

Raphael lets her question unanswered.

"Which Angel?" Uriel asks.

"That would be me," says a voice behind us.

We turn around to face a second-class Cherub. Even though he is much smaller and less powerful, his three yellow eyes look down on us with a gaze of superiority.

"Azazel," Raphael narrows his eyes. "Why?"

"Because Lucifer was right. God wants us to bow down before these mortals. He likes to think that they chose to love Him. So I showed Him free will for what it really is. A delusion. Faced with a real choice, Humans will always pick the wrong path."

There is a dark satisfaction gleaming in the Cherub's eyes.

"All I did was reveal the truth to them and offer them a choice. The choice Father couldn't bring Himself to subject them to. Blindly have faith in Him, or eat a fruit from the Tree of Knowledge to finally be able to understand His plans."

Raphael stiffens when Azazel starts laughing. I glance at the Archangel, waiting for his orders. Azazel spreads his arms provocatively.

"Well, Raphael, what are you waiting for? Be a good dog and smite me! Smite me like Michael smote his own brother! But be forewarned, I am not the only one who thinks that way! Do you think you are ready to kill every single one of your brothers, one by one, in the name of these pathetic apes?"

Before the Archangel even gets to smite the rebellious Cherub, a thunderbolt of pure light radiating with divine wrath tears the sky open and strikes down on Azazel. Blinded, I narrow my eyes and hear him screaming in agony. His wings burst into flames, turning black and tarnishing while his Grace seems to boil. I catch sight of his yellow eyes flashing just before he crumbles into dark smoke whirling up before it dives into the ground and disappears.

Then, without a sound, the entire vegetation of the Garden of Eden wither in a few seconds and the animals fall dead to the ground. The sky darkens with stormy clouds. A torrential rain falls down and thunder makes the earth tremble. Adam and Eve are on their knees, in each other's arms, tears and rain streaming down their faces.

Raphael looks down at them.

"You have committed the original sin, Humans. You doubted God. And for this, you are expelled from the Garden of Eden. Eve, you will give birth in sweat and blood and mourn your children when they die. Adam, you will have to work the land to feed and kill to survive. You will live in pain and sorrow and go back to soil when you die."

With these dismal words, the Archangel disappears.

Uriel folds his arms and and comments sneeringly:

"You wanted freedom? There you have it!"

oOo

In the next chapter

"Gabriel, does God really look like Humans?"