Previously: Camael has been in solitary confinement for nearly a thousand years awaiting his punishment. Siosp was executed by Michael for doubting God's existence. The Mother of Monsters made a pact with Heaven, allowing herself to be locked up in Purgatory in exchange for her children's lives.
oOo
Plagues of Egypt
"You look upset, Anna."
The General's Grace is flowing haltingly, filled with bubbles that keep popping and rebuilding immediately. She narrows her eyes, staring at the scarlet trail of the Nile that snakes out into the distance. The warm climate makes the skyline and everything around us waver, while the foul air rises into the sky.
Anna clenches her fists.
"What was meant as a formality is taking longer than planned..." she mutters.
Exuding a putrid stench, countless dead fish are floating on the river of dark and thick blood. Thousands of them are littering the shores with gaping mouths and glassy eyes. They have been rotting there for a week surrounded by swarms of buzzing flies, while the Humans of Egypt are dying of thirst under the scorching sun. All the water of the land has been turned into blood, and they now have no other choice but to drink filtered urine in order to survive.
Such is the power of the holy weapon that we have entrusted to Moses and his brother Aaron.
It was supposed to be a routine mission like the one we accomplished with Abraham or Isaac. Free a population to gain its devotion in order to instill Faith among Humans, as the new directives require. Nothing too complicated, but Pharaoh's stubborn opposition is getting in the way of Heaven's plans.
Over the last few centuries, the orders have been more and more about revealing our existence and more particularly God's existence to Humans. Everything would suggest that Father wishes to be feared and loved by His latest creations, as He had attempted to do with Adam and Eve.
The strategy so far has not been very effective, in my opinion: our missions have targeted a few isolated families, and the impact has been quite limited. That is probably why our current mission involves a large group of people.
Father knows what He is doing. I must have faith in His plan. Because the plan is right.
At our feet, Aaron is once again threatening Pharaoh with the eloquence Moses lacks, and once again, it's ineffective. Then Moses holds out his staff over the river of blood, and millions of frogs emerge in flowing masses. It doesn't take long for these lands to be drowned in a deafening chorus of croaking.
"Maybe this time Pharaoh will give in..." I say, taking a step back to have a better look at the horror and despair the Humans are displaying.
"I hope so. If he doesn't, we will have no other choice but to proceed with more radical methods, which I'm not looking forward to."
Orders are clear. The mission cannot be carried out without Pharaoh's full and unconditional agreement. And orders are orders.
Anna's wings are twitching behind her back with barely repressed frustration. I haven' t seen her like this since the day Adam and Eve were born.
"Why not persuade him more efficiently? I'm positive that by altering or changing some of his memories, I could..."
"No, Castiel. We are agents of Destiny, but we are also required to respect Humans' free will, except when ordered otherwise by the hierarchy. These are the rules. Pharaoh has to release them out of his own free will, or else the mission will be a failure."
Out of his own free will…
Should we still call it free will when we all know that his destiny is to give in eventually, and that we are instructed to make sure of this by any means necessary? Why do we even offer a choice if we only accept one answer? Why let this suffering and pretense continue when what is meant to happen will happen, no matter what? It would be so much easier and truthful to just force Pharaoh to follow the path that Destiny has chosen for him.
Free will is nothing but a cruel illusion. Only Fate and God's will matter. It pains me to watch Humans stubbornly believe that they are in control of their destiny, when everything has been written hundreds of thousands of years ago.
We remain silent while the croaking noise rises to us, getting louder by the minute. As time drains by, shadows stretch out on the ground following the path of the sun. At Pharaoh's request, Moses and Aaron are walking to the palace, frogs hopping out of their way, fearing the power of the holy weapon.
Anna bends over to listen to the conversation. Pharaoh appears to be in a state of sheer panic, icy sweat glistering on his dark skin.
"Oh. He's surrendering." Her Grace brightens with relief. " Good thing he did, the next plagues to come were terrible."
She raises an arm and lowers it slowly. Silence falls as all the summoned frogs drop dead and the Nile reverts to its clear blue color. Her wings relax instantly.
"Once the chosen people has been set free, we will be able to teach them Father's instructions. His Ten Commandments."
oOo
The Garrison as well as Hester and Virgil are called for a crisis meeting, room 3609.
I look up to the sky, ceasing my study of the behavior of Eve's creatures among Humans. My wings unfurl with a soft rustle and the next second I'm slicing through the air. A crisis meeting? Did the Mother of Monsters break her oath? It can't be, the creatures I have observed display a moderate appetite and are turning a reasonable number of humans, just like she promised.
I am the first one to show up in the meeting room. Anna is standing there, three Angels I have never seen before at her side.
"Sit down, Castiel," the General orders in a harsh voice.
I promptly obey, a hundred questions running through my head.
Anna seems on edge. Her Grace is swirling in her body ferociously - bluish bubbles are building up and throbbing inside her arms, and the feathers on her wings are puffing up. She is radiating anger, I can almost feel the waves.
Uriel joins us and takes a seat, scrutinizing the three unknown Angels, his purple eyes narrowing. I can't help sharing his suspicion. There is something off-putting about them.
I have never seen Angels so diametrically disparate in their posture and behavior. There is a pretentious glare in the first one's silver eyes. The second one is fidgeting and turning his head all around with amazement. The third is standing as still as a rock, staring into the distance with red eyes. I take a closer look - indeed, his eyes are glowing red like a blaze of fire.
Uriel looses interest in them when Virgil shows up and sits next to him. They're having a whispered conversation while our other brothers join in one by one. Hester sits beside me, winking at me with a warm look in his eyes.
Zedekiel is the last to arrive, feathers all ruffled, and takes his place while muttering a lame apology.
"Pharaoh has broken his promise." It's obvious Anna meant for her voice to be neutral, but it vibrates with frustration anyway. "Once again, he refuses to let the people go."
Silence.
Uriel clasps his hands evenly.
"I'm not surprised. A sworn oath taken by a Human is meaningless."
Virgil nods in agreement.
"The higher chain of command had warned me that it would take a strong hand to persuade him, and I assumed that blood and frogs had been enough to make him see reason… I had already started writing the mission report!" Anna huffs. "I was not expecting a breach of oath."
"Come on, dear," Balthazar says in a sweet tone. "There's nothing to be alarmed about, a few more of these plagues should convince him, don't you think? As I told you before, the thing about Humans is that you have to impress them, show them who's the boss! Blood and frogs are all very sweet, but it's not much more wahoooo than what Pharaoh's wizards are capable of doing..."
Anna looks away in dejection.
"Just before I called you here, I ordered Moses and Aaron to infest Egypt with horseflies and vermin, as I was instructed. However, should Pharaoh persist in resisting God's will, then the outcome will be merciless, and there will be collateral damage."
"There always is," Uriel says dismissively.
"I don't think you realize how bad the situation is, Uriel. We will be ordered as a last resort to slaughter every firstborn child of every family in Egypt. With our own hands."
I clench my fists to refrain from voicing my disapproval. I cannot discuss orders. Orders are orders.
"So what?"
Taken aback by Uriel's harsh tone, Anna blinks and tilts her head.
"If the orders are to slay infants, animals or anything else, so be it," Uriel adds confidently. "We are soldiers, that's our duty. For it is the will of God."
Carrying out God's will by slaughtering innocent animals and children, solely to make one Human yield? Are we soldiers or executioners?
We must obey God's will. I know that. But why does it require the sacrifice of so many innocent people? Why does Father repeatedly destroy His own work of art over and over again?
"And it is about time that Humans learn their place, and that they owe God fear, respect and devotion!"
Uriel's voice thunders in the room, tinged with jubilation, and no one contests his words. Even Anna remains silent, staring at Uriel as though she has never seen him before.
I'd rather keep my thoughts for myself. I can still hear Siosp screaming in agony as His Grace was burning and falling in a slow rain of ashes.
Much like Pharaoh, Angels have no choice. We must have faith in God's plan, in God's existence, because voicing even the slightest doubt, the slightest hesitation – as Siosp did – is a death sentence.
I love my Father with all my being, I have never doubted and will never doubt His existence, but knowing that if doubt were to take hold of me as it did to Siosp, I would be put to death...
It makes me uneasy.
No.
It terrifies me.
The General's Grace is swirling and clouding, but she quickly puts herself together. Her posture stiffens.
"Indeed. But I would like not to come to such extremities."
Virgil darts an intense look at her.
"Pharaoh is a stubborn being who thinks himself more powerful than God. Killing firstborns is merely a display of strength - a lesson in humility - a very lenient one. And it is necessary. We have to obey."
"Of course we will obey. But that doesn't mean we should enjoy it."
That was Levanael talking. He is staring unblinkingly at Virgil who meets his gaze with a cold expression in his eyes.
I share a look with Zedekiel who seems to be totally confused.
"We're not there yet," says Anna. "The horseflies and vermin might be convincing enough. Let's move on to the second announcement I have to make."
She narrows her green eyes at us, her wings tightening in her back.
"The chain of command has finally granted us the reinforcements I have been requesting since the Apocalypse. While I had expected a more... significant number, three new soldiers are joining the Garrison. Unlike Hester and Virgil, they won't go back to their original division. The transfer is permanent. I expect you to welcome them into the group."
One of the three Angels snorts loudly when Anna motions to him to step forward, which he does with obvious reluctance.
"This is Rzionr Nrzfm from the Insect Division. An excellent soldier, according to his former commander."
Zedekiel greets him with a hand wave, but the new soldier turns his head away with an irritated swirl in his Grace.
"This is Pmox," Anna continues, "former soldier from the Plankton Division, who is also joining us."
Our General doesn't seem satisfied with the new recruits, judging by the way her Grace is clouding when Pmox steps forward eagerly.
"Hello everyone! My name is Pmox, and I reaaaally can't wait to fight at your side, brothers!"
Uriel drags his hand over his face, wings tensing behind his back. "Great. He's annoying me already."
Virgil leans over to Uriel and whispers low, but I manage to grasp his words:
"The hierarchy is sending you Heaven's simpletons and rejects. I told you, Uriel, things are starting to change up there, and Humans are now becoming undesirables..."
"Silence," Anna interrupts exasperatedly. "And finally, this is Baradiel, formerly of the Rock Division. He is one of the oldest Angels created. His wisdom and experience will be most useful to us."
The Angel steps forward stiffly and gives a short nod as greetings.
"His eyes are red!" Zedekiel blurts out.
"Yes, and?" says Balthazar. "Have you never seen red-eyed angels before? There are not many of them, but a few of the older ones are like this."
Zedekiel's Grace starts fizzling with embarrassed bubbles. He glances at Baradiel whose gaze is impassive but... unsettling. I could swear I see fire dancing in his red glowing eyes.
"Uh… no. A red-eyed Angel, it's... abnormal, right? A bit demonic?"
Anna turns to look at Balthazar, apparently just as clueless as we are. It is comforting to realize I'm not the only one wondering.
"Oh come on!" Balthazar says dramatically. "Am I the only Angel in Heaven to educate myself at all and use the library? Don't tell me you still haven't figured out where your eye color comes from?"
Everyone falls silent, and Baradiel is the only one who looks like he knows what Balthazar is talking about. Ephra is leaning forward, his wings twitching restlessly.
I'm getting curious now. Is the color of our eyes of any particular significance?
"Honestly, I'm embarrassed on your behalf. This is truly a disgrace."
"Stop delaying and just tell us, Balthazar," Anna orders, narrowing her eyes.
Balthazar rises up oh so slowly to make us wait a few seconds more.
"Our eye color is the result of a chemical reaction inside our Grace at the exact instant of our creation. Remember the very first thing you saw. Your Grace has absorbed its color and preserved it. For instance, the splendid green and pink nuances of my tourmaline eyes that make all my charm come from the lake near which I was created, at sunset. And our dear friend Baradiel was created…"
"… inside an erupting volcano, indeed."
Baradiel's voice is deep, echoing in our stunned silence.
"I was created in a tropical forest..." Anna murmurs thoughtfully.
The ocean battered by storm and lightning.
A dark blue-grey water mass.
Raw purity and serenity infused with power.
The first glimpse of Father's work that I laid eyes on has been imprinted in me forever.
A sense of longing seizes me. My brothers are as silent as I am, and judging by the distant look in their eyes, they have been, just like me, thrown millions of years ago through their memories. To a time when Humans were mere crawling fish, when the Earth was united, with no Hell or Heaven, when Lucifer was our inspiration, radiant and infallible...
Suddenly Anna stiffens, a finger on her temple as she raises one hand to get our attention.
"Aaron and Moses are praying to me, they say that Pharaoh is promising again to set the people free. I'm heading back to write my report, let's hope this time he will keep his word."
She flies away in a rustle of feathers, leaving us to face the three new soldiers in an uncomfortable silence. We share a few looks but no one seems willing to engage.
"Tell me, Pmox…" Zedekiel finally speaks out. "Is it true what everyone says about the plankton division, that it's so dull you could die of boredom?"
Pmox jumps up to Zedekiel, spreading and folding his wings excitedly.
"Understatement, my good friend! My only distraction was to listen to rumors about you. I am so pleased to join you, I have been dreaming of this for thousands of years! I know everything about you and your adventures, your missions are so fascinating!"
Pmox chuckles quite inappropriately for a warrior of the Lord, which makes Zedekiel cringe and step back in embarrassment. He's acting and sounding like a low-rank Cherub. This isn't an appropriate behavior for an Angel of our rank.
Uriel gets up and blatantly ignores Pmox.
"Enough chattering. We have horseflies and vermin to get rid of, even though I'm willing to bet that liar of a Pharaoh will break his oath again."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Rzionr Nrzfm snarls. "Using horseflies and vermin was a stupid idea. Except for causing some skin rashes, they are harmless. It would have been better to send them magnan ants, wasps and some of these little beauties that would have cleaned your Humans to the bone in a few seconds."
Baradiel remains indifferent while Rzionr Nrzfm starts listing all the insect species that can kill Humans, and Pmox jumps from one Angel to another to talk at length about our former missions.
"Good luck for the integration of your dead weights!" says Hester, patting me on the back with his wing.
"Thank you."
Better get out of here before Pmox tries to talk to me.
oOo
"It's a good thing Hester's not here…"
Rachel agrees with a nod, his eyes lowered to watch the animals dying in the mud, screeching in pure agony while the hailstorm is hammering their bodies so violently it pierces through the skin and splashes blood everywhere.
"He would have every reason to be angry," says Levanael. "Animals and Humans alike are paying for Pharaoh's obstinacy."
"How can Humans accept such a ruler who is unable to honor his word and who lets them die without lifting a finger?"
The Humans are hiding in their homes, their skin covered in blisters and boils that make them whimper and cry out in pain. Mothers are holding their children in their arms with tears streaming down their faces.
"What about us? How can we do the exact same thing?"
That was Levanael talking. He is staring down at the ground unblinkingly, a hard look in his brown and green eyes. The hail is pounding his body, water running down his face and arms like waterfalls of light.
"What is that supposed to mean?" asks Rachel in a suspicious tone.
"Our Father let Siosp die. And Riemu. Ecaop. Hcoma. Yasen. And thousands of our brothers, even though His intervention could have prevented their death. Camael has been in solitary confinement for centuries, almost a thousand years now. How can we keep obeying Him and perpetrating atrocities in His name when we have never seen Him and probably never will?"
His voice breaks on those last words, tainting the stormy air with a hint of sorrow.
As Rachel's steel eyes cloud, he averts his gaze and clenches his fists. He remains silent for a few seconds and then replies in a resigned tone: "We were created to obey, Levanael. We are nothing more than weapons to our Father. To obey Him blindly is all we can do. We cannot inspire Him the kind of love He has for Humans, but we can at least bring Him satisfaction, serve Him, and not incite His wrath."
Levanael gives out a hollow laugh.
"If we were to cause His wrath, then perhaps He would at least acknowledge our existence, if not love us."
"Like Lucifer did?" I say in a severe tone. "You need to pull yourself together, Levanael. We are Warriors of God, and Lucifer's treason is not an example for us to follow. We will serve God until the end of times, because we believe in Him, not to beg for crumbs of the attention He gives to Humans. Faith is about believing unconditionally. Devotion requires obedience without expecting anything in return."
Deep inside, I don't really feel the confidence that can be heard in my voice.
For I would give everything to meet Father, just once. To have His eyes laid upon me, to have Him tell me that my existence matters to Him, at least a little. It is a haunting and aching hope that I can only convey by carrying out the missions as best I can. By being useful to Him.
With time, I've come to understand Father's interest in His latest creations: they are complex, unpredictable, inventive and fascinating.
But we are His children too.
"Castiel is right, we can do better," Rachel says.
Levanael nods, his eyes riveted on the Humans writhing in pain and the agonizing cattle.
"Sometimes…" Levanael's voice, barely above a whisper, is drown out in the pounding sound of hail hitting the ground. "Sometimes… I think that if the Humans had never existed… Father would have loved us."
His words strike me as the hail keeps falling on us relentlessly.
"These are thoughts we cannot afford, Levanael," I say quietly.
"I know. And I would never disobey orders. But… there are times when… I understand why Lucifer rebelled."
Levanael looks so ashamed of his own admission that I choose not to say anything. We remain silent for a while, watching Aaron and Moses as they return to the Palace to collect Pharaoh's answer.
"He's once again promising to release the people," Rachel says. "I'll notify Anna immediately."
And he's gone in a snap of wings, so fast that I could swear he's flying away from the words our brother should never have spoken out loud.
Levanael looks up to the sky, letting the hail whip his face.
"I wish Siosp were here…"
His words fade into the thundering darkness.
oOo
The Garrison is requested urgently, room 3609.
Miz and I gaze away from Eve's creature that has just turned into a wolf at full moon, and we immediately spread our wings to launch ourselves into the cold air of the night.
When we get there, the meeting room is very quiet. The General is standing with her four hands flat on the table and her head down. Which is not a good sign.
Once we're all here, Anna lifts her head.
"Pharaoh went back on his word a few days earlier, and as you already know, we invaded the lands with grasshoppers and then with darkness until he yielded and the preparations for the people's departure began. But once again, he has just backed down from the agreement."
A loud and outraged sound breaks the silence – that was Pmox, he looks like he is shocked to the fullest extent. He is the only one who can still be surprised by Pharaoh's changes of heart.
"Well, I told you so, grasshoppers aren't enou..."
"Be quiet, Rzionr Nrzfm!" Anna interrupts exasperatedly. "I have gathered you because after long meetings with the hierarchy, my requests for a exemption for the next plague or for altering Pharaoh's memory have failed. We have to carry out the last plague ourselves. And orders are orders."
Uriel nods with a pleased look as I exchange a glance with Rachel and Levanael.
"I have already sent Hester and Virgil to tell the chosen people that in order to be spared, they need to mark the door of their house with the blood of a lamb. Don't ask me why, it is destiny, it is not to be questioned," says Anna with an annoyed twitch of her wings.
"I imagine Hester wasn't exactly overjoyed to hear this," Balthazar points out in a playful tone. "I know how much she cares about lambs and baby animals on a general level…"
"All the more so since Humans won't be the only ones to die at midnight. First-born animals will also be slaughtered. Anyway, I suggest that we proceed fast and efficiently, without inflicting any unnecessary pain on the victims. It is night time in Egypt at the moment. We will strike them in their sleep. It shouldn't take more than a few seconds for us to get it done. Be ready to leave at once."
"What, now?" Pmox bounces off his chair, his wings shivering with alarm. "This is my very first mission where action is required. I mean, real action! Well, we did have a good laugh in my division during the Flood… As for the Apocalypse, we were not even called in, supposedly because the natural balance of plankton would be crucial for rebuilding life, so all we did was listen to the rumors from the depths of the ocean, very frustrating! The extinction of the related branch of plankton during the last great glaciation does not count, I was…"
"I'll handle our overexcited new recruit," Miz declares with a hint of amusement in his flat voice.
It has been centuries since we last heard his voice. He grabs Pmox's shoulder and spreads his wings, ready to fly.
"It is midnight. Get in formation, soldiers! Follow me! The orders are to kill all first-born babies, humans and animals alike, who are not in a house marked with lamb's blood," Anna shouts in a strong but dispassionate tone.
Within seconds, we descend into Egypt and split up to cover the area bathed in moonlight. I reach down to locate the houses whose doors are not marked with lamb's blood. Then, I methodically stop the heart of every firstborn with a brush of finger, trying not to see their memories in the process.
It is not my place to form a value judgment on what we are doing. I am the arm of God, and God wants these children, these animals to die. I am a Warrior, a weapon.
My siblings are doing their share too, and hundreds, thousands of souls are rising from the lifeless bodies, soon snatched up by the white shadows of Reapers, silently roaming the alleys.
And I keep bringing death to these children and animals, including newborn infants.
I can't afford to have second thoughts. Orders are orders.
The Palace is right under my hand. Pharaoh's son is sleeping in his bed, breathing peacefully with an innocent smile on his face.
"I am sorry..." I whisper, before I make his heart stop.
I rise slowly and turn my head to the rest of the Garrison. Together, we listen to the poignant cries and laments filling the night, and I shove back down all unnecessary regrets. A soldier has no cause for regret.
oOo
"I knew he would change his mind again," Uriel brags while the water of the river flows apart as Moses, Aaron and their newly freed people walk through it.
Zedekiel squints at the six hundred chariots, horsemen and Pharaoh's army raising clouds of dust and gradually gaining ground on their targets.
"Are we really allowed to help them escape, now that Pharaoh has changed his mind again?"
Anna shakes her head and watches the former slaves step on dry ground between two walls of flowing water.
"Once they are free and on the move, free will is no longer an issue, Zed. I have been told so by the hierarchy."
Zedekiel tilts his head, narrowing his ice-blue eyes.
"I really don't understand a thing about free will... It's just too complicated for me."
"Rest assured, Zedekiel, no one can figure it out," Baradiel says, "I personally think that free will is just a fleeting trend that the higher chain of command will grow tired of eventually."
"Freedom is overrated," says Balthazar. "Look at them running and sweating. Were they not better off under Pharaoh's protection? Now they will have to look for a new tyrant. They need it, it is in their nature: they aspire for servitude."
"They are not all that different from us in some respects... We also need a leader, a shepherd, just like they do."
"Are you implying that God is our tyrant? Oh! Blasphemy, my dear Leva, blasphemy!" Balthazar says in an indignant tone, plastering one hand on his chest and widening his eyes excessively.
Levanael was about to defend himself when Pmox drops himself to the ground, sticking his face just above the water to observe the action as closely as he can.
"Pharaoh's army is moving into the passage! They're going to catch them! Run away, tiny Humans, run away!"
Anna whacks him on the head with her wing.
"Behave like a soldier of God, Pmox, with dignity! And have no fear, the waters will close in on the pursuers. It is in the program."
Pmox stands up, his Grace fizzling with contrition, but still radiating with enthusiasm. Uriel snickers when the water walls collapse and crash onto Pharaoh's army, swallowing them whole.
"Well, good riddance. You may return to your positions, soldiers. I will ensure that God's commandments are passed on to the Humans, and then I will finally get to close the file on this mission. Good work, everyone. Dismissed!"
oOo
After centuries of constant confrontation, the two human armies are facing each other, spears and swords in hand, standing on two opposite hills in the valley.
Throughout the surface of the Earth, Humans frequently tear each other apart over territory, revenge, harvests, and sometimes even in the name of the Lord or other divinities born of their fertile minds. But this is all just excuses. No matter how wonderful their sense of aesthetics and poetry are, and that sometimes they display treasures of art and compassion that border on the divine, the thirst for war and violence runs in their veins. It has been more than two hundred years since the Pharaoh debacle, and humanity has not made any progress at all. In the end, the mission was a failure: the newly freed people were unable to embrace God in their hearts, and were quick to idolize other imaginary deities. Instilling Faith on Earth is a more arduous task than we had expected – for devotion is an innate part of Angels.
In contrast, the hearts of Humans are unreliable and unfaithful.
A human being who is much taller and larger than the others steps forward from the ranks. He introduces himself as Goliath and offers to settle the conflict with a single combat to avoid a bloodshed. A young boy named David rises to the challenge, but Goliath refuses to fight a child, which is admirable on his part. Annoyance ripples through my Grace when David claims to have God at his side, and knocks the man down with a stone to the head using a slingshot.
Will this constant urge to blame or glorify God for trivial things never cease?
God was never on his side. The child is skilled and resourceful, that's all.
"Castiel."
That was Anna's voice, I didn't hear her come over the clamors of victory and the hasty retreat of the defeated. She's staring at me unblinkingly, then glances up at the cloudy sky. A shining figure is approaching, and all of a sudden, Rachel is landing right in front of us, folding his wings.
"A meeting, Anna? Here?"
Anna nods, frustration flashing through her dark green eyes.
"It's exceptional, yes. Rgoan scheduled a meeting with the hierarchy in room 3609 - our room - without giving me prior notice and without respecting the timetable. We will have to do this here."
More figures emerge from the skyline, and seconds later, the entire Garrison, including Hester and Virgil, is surrounding Anna.
"Good. I wish we had better conditions, but this valley will have to do. I have some news for you, both good and bad." After a short silence, her voice is warmer when she resumes. "It's about Camael. The hierarchy has agreed to give him a second chance, the possibility of redemption and God's forgiveness."
A murmur runs through my siblings, and my Grace lights up with joy.
"But," Anna interrupts us by lifting her hand, "he will have to earn his forgiveness. A very important mission will be assigned to him. I don't know all the details yet - everything is still very confidential - but within a century or two he will bear a heavy burden of responsibility, and he will need to do it alone."
"What kind of mission?" asks Levanael.
The General's eyes darken.
"All I know is that it will be of the greatest importance. Which brings me to the bad news. He is spared execution and rehabilitation, but for this mission, and also as punishment for his crimes, Camael will have his Grace ripped away. Which means that he will be born and walk the earth among Humans as one of them. After a few years, he will no longer remember his true nature."
A shocked silence falls upon us.
"So we will no longer be allowed to treat him like our brother?" I ask. "Or at least help him in his mission?"
"We will have frequent contacts with him to guide him, but we will have to treat him like any other Human. Under no circumstances will you reveal his true nature to him. Besides, you will no longer be able to call him Camael."
"Then how should we call him?"
"Jesus."
oOo
In the next chapter
"But Michael and Raphael said-"
"I don't give a flying rat's ass about what Michael and Raphael said! I am still your superior, so just do as I say, period. I don't need a flock of giant ducklings following me around and watching everything I do. I order you very officially to get lost. Shoo!"