Previously: Castiel is an Angel of the Garrison, a group of soldiers created to watch over humanity, with Anael (who calls herself Anna) at its head. Through battles and tragedies leading to destruction and Apocalypse on Earth, Castiel sees some of his brothers doubt and pay a high price for their rebellion. He himself feels doubts he dares not voice, terrorized by the punishment the Archangels reserve for rebels, and oppressed by his desire to be a good soldier and a good son. With Jesus' death the celestial interventions on Earth ceased, and it will take two millennia for this to change... For nothing stays locked up for ever.

oOo

Transfer of power

It takes only a few seconds to go from Heaven to Earth and I have taken this pathway many times over the last few thousand years, but never has it seemed so long before. The Garrison appears in a chaotic formation in the late autumn night sky, slashing through the air like a sheet of silk. With our wings pressed tight against our bodies, we dive straight to the Earth, whose oval curve is bathed in moonlight. Straight to our target, a city in the middle of North America.

The ground is coming up at high speed, and we snap our wings open with a muffled rustle to land. Invisible to mortal eyes, we tower over the houses, streets and vegetation. Not the slightest cloud in sight, and yet, looking from here, there are no stars adorning the night sky. Artificial lights and pollution are dimming their splendor.

"It reeks of sulfur" Uriel snarls.

There is indeed no way to ignore the sweet, sickening stench rising up to us.

"Demons." Zedekiel narrows his eyes. "Great. Just what we needed."

"They have been swarming around for decades anyway, and we still haven't been ordered to take action," says Rzionr Nrzfm.

"It doesn't matter," interrupts Rachel. "We're not here for them."

"Anna!" says Uriel sharply, and his voice rings in all our heads. "We know you're here. Surrender yourself to us now or we'll have to do it the hard way!"

My blade takes shape and slides into my hand. I grasp it and try to put my hesitations aside.

"Anna," Htmorda says sternly. "The circular 543A stipulates that it is not allowed to descend to Earth except during a mission authorized by the hierarchy, and using a vessel without going through the circuit is punishable by rehabilitation."

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice a theft from my livestock, darling?" Balthazar chimes in. "Now, don't be shy and show yourself!"

A movement catches my eye, and a young Human female appears on the roof of a house in the blink of an eye, her eyes raised towards us. She is barefoot, only dressed in her pajamas. Over her soft oval-shaped face framed by short black hair, Anna's real face is floating, translucent, her fierce eyes staring at us with barely restrained anger.

"Let me guess. Zachariah sent you."

She doesn't seem surprised when I nod affirmatively.

It came as a surprise when Zachariah summoned us all without going through our General. We had not seen him since the mission involving Judas Iscariot, and he normally sends his orders to Anna who then enforces them on us. But this time, the situation is different. Because we have to intercept our own General who is accused of insubordination, sabotage of the plans of Destiny and high treason. I don't know in detail what she did - Zachariah gave us no further explanation.

"Don't make it harder than it has to be, Anna," I say in the most dispassionate voice I can muster. "Our orders are to kill you should you resist."

Anna tilts her head to the side, smiling bitterly.

"I will be killed anyway. I've been through rehabilitation once before, and it's rare that they give 'defective' elements a second chance. Do you even know why I'm here, Castiel?"

My blade catches a ray of moonlight as I squint.

"It doesn't matter why, your presence on Earth defies the will of Heaven."

The night breeze ruffles her curls as she glares at me, ignoring the blade that threatens her.

"Cas... You must have noticed how increasingly absurd the orders are becoming..."

I tighten my grip on my weapon, throwing her an icy look. Why is she specifically talking to me? As though she believes she can draw me into her fall. That's offensive. I'm a loyal soldier and I would never betray my Creator.

When she finally takes her eyes off me, my Grace starts flowing more easily and I can relax my wings. Now she's scrutinizing the other soldiers one by one as she spreads her vaporous wings behind her back.

"You have also noticed the abnormal demon activity in recent years. Why do you think our monitoring missions have declined and we haven't been intervening directly for two thousand years? And why is it forbidden to fly to Earth without permission?"

Her voice vehemently echoes in our heads, and I can't think of anything to say. I lower my blade, confused. She's right. Since Camael's death and Gabriel's sudden and unexpected disappearance, our observation mission has been gradually abandoned, it has even become quite unusual for us to go down here. We have been transferred to other services for punctual and simple missions - such as sorting souls or managing human Paradises. I have wondered about this without ever daring to ask, the memory of the large-scale executions still seared in me.

"Zachariah warned us not to listen to her," Zedekiel hisses nervously. "She is trying to make us doubt..."

Anna is still staring at us unblinkingly, a wistful look growing in her eyes.

"We've known each other all our lives. I've always cared for you, all of you, I've always made sure that..."She lets out a sigh and closes her eyes wearily. "Zachariah warned you because he's afraid I'm going to reveal every dirty secret that the hierarchy is hiding from you. And he should be. I'm here to stop Azazel from destroying this human family, which descends from Cain!"

She points down at the house whose rooftop she is standing on.

"Azazel...?" I whisper, bewildered.

Azazel. I remember the yellow-eyed and arrogant second-class Cherub. Forsaken and exiled by God Himself to be in charge of Hell.

Is Anna telling the truth? But what would bring Azazel on Earth?

"I don't have much time to act. Tonight he will bleed in the infant's mouth and kill the mother, as he has done dozens of times before on this continent. Do you understand now? I want to protect the Humans and smite demons as we should be doing, instead of standing there and watching idly!"

I glance down at the quiet house. All lights are off, except for the occasional colorful flashes coming from the living room. There is a Human sleeping in front of the television. And indeed, there is a demon standing in the infant's room, channeled inside a human body whose soul is engulfed by the liquid darkness flowing in its veins, to the point where I can barely see it glow. His face is lowered over the child. Could it be Azazel?

"I have no time to explain, but I'm trying to do the right thing. For the sake of the millions of years we've spent together, trust me, just this once."

"I understand your point of view," Levanael says in a soft tone. "But you can't just go ahead and kill the King of Hell without permission, that's a major transgression."

"Especially since, according to Zachariah, your actions are going against Fate...," Baradiel adds.

"Enough talking!" Uriel snarls. "You won't bend any of us to your will. Surrender now and get out of your vessel, or I'll rip you out of there myself, blasting this whole town and its hairless apes along with it if I have to!"

Anna frowns, and in a hushed swish of feathers, she reappears behind the house, her wrist slit open as she hastily traces a circle and sigils on the wall and... she opens her eyes wide and looks up. Balthazar is crouching over her, the tip of his finger poking her back.

"You won't fool us so easily," he says in a carefree tone.

And in one flick, he throws Anna away before she can place her hand on the wall to complete the banishing sigil. She can only avoid hitting the ground by flapping her wings to keep her balance.

"She resisted! Let's kill her!" Rzionr Nrzfm roars.

Pmox glances at Miz, eyes wide and begging.

"We still can't possibly kill our own General!"

Miz merely wraps his wing around Pmox's waist, keeping his Grace perfectly still and neutral. I clench my fists while Uriel, Balthazar and Htmorda surround Anna after wiping the blood off the wall.

"Wait a minute, you ruffians!" Balthazar grabs Uriel's arm, stopping him from stabbing Anna with his blade. "Try not to damage the vessel, this is precious equipment that could be of use again! I know the spell to get her out, just leave it to me and get the reception committee ready for her..."

"Are we really out there attacking one of our own to protect a demon?" Zedekiel's left wing twitches. "What the hell."

"Why are you even surprised, Zed?" Levanael says. "We've received absurd orders before."

"It is not our place to discuss orders," I chime in, trying to get them back to reason.

Balthazar has only just begun to recite his spell when screams are heard from the house. It's engulfed in fire, and there is a young boy running out, holding a baby in his arms. Then an explosion smelling of sulfur, and the man who had been sleeping in front of the television rushes out, grabbing the two children to bring them to safety.

In the midst of the fire swallowing up the house, a pure and bright soul is floating among the flames. A Reaper's pale shadow circles it several times, but in vain: the soul seems to refuse to leave.

"Anna is gone!" Zedekiel's voice hisses.

I look up sharply. Anna seized the diversion to flee. She's nowhere to be seen.

"What should we do now?"

Ephra sounds a bit lost. It is typically at times like this that we wait for Anna to tell us what to do. What should we do when there is no one to guide us and command our actions?

Should we call Zachariah and tell him the mission failed?

No. We have to find her. We cannot fail our mission. Orders are orders.

"Let's split up and start searching for her!" I say as I spread my wings.

Without any last glance for the burning house, we all fly away to hunt down our own General.

oOo

I have had the opportunity to visit tens of thousands of human Paradises over the last few centuries. They all depict memories of happiness, laughter, love. Or sometimes they were created out of thin air by their imagination - but that only applies to the few Humans who have never experienced a single moment of true happiness in their lives. I have explored these fragments of life during my missions of soul-selection and my contribution to intense debates on the admission or rejection of particular cases.

But out of all Paradises, however magnificent and shimmering they may be, this one is by far my favorite. Although simple, it radiates a sense of peace and quiet joy that I like very much. The park grass is soft under my feet, a warm breeze makes the kite hover in the blue sky. While the Human is alone in his Paradise, there are still sounds of life filtering in the background. Children laughing, indistinct voices, the clear gurgling of a fountain... Feeling at peace, I let my eyes drop shut, basking in the sun's warmth.

This simple joy tastes like eternity. This autistic man's Paradise is, for me, the most perfect illustration of happiness. It doesn't matter how much suffering and pain Humans go through in their short lives: for the greatest consolation awaits them here. However difficult their problems may be, death clears everything and forgiveness is offered to those who have earned it.

Things are not quite so easy for us Angels of the Lord.

The Garrison no longer has a General, and our only mission now is to find Anna and execute her. But without a leader to direct us, to organize us and to build a strategy, there is no winning. We have no idea what to do or where to start. Without Anna, we are lost. Without orders, we are lost.

Camael and Siosp both went against the Will of God and were punished. Now it is our General's turn. Anna who has always been there to guide us, give us orders, tell us what to do. Why would she do that? She knows better than anyone that disobedience is the way to be executed. Why disobey when we were created specifically to obey orders? With a sense of discomfort mixed with shame, I try very hard not to linger on some of the dangerous thoughts that once crossed my mind. Or to think back about the tens of thousands of rebels executed when Camael died on the cross.

I am a good soldier. A good son. I will stay on the right path.

Lost in my thoughts, I watch the kite dive and twirl.

Camael's death affected Heaven greatly. Gabriel never reappeared and there are a lot of rumors going on about him. There have been changes to the organization to make it stricter. But above all, Angels are the ones who have changed. The mass executions of rebels by the Archangels have made a deep impression, and things are not the same anymore in the Garrison. Miz has never called us again to mock the Humans' sheer stupidity. Levanael had already lost his optimism since Siosp's death, but the last two millennia have made him even somber - I often catch him staring into the void, and bitterness tinges every word he says. Uriel has grown more aggressive and sarcastic than ever, and no longer relates the goat story.

In hindsight I realize now that Anna is probably the one who has changed the most. Sometimes I could see fascination and envy in her green eyes whenever we were in a Human Paradise, and her compassion for human suffering has only grown stronger with each passing century.

Is this misguided compassion what drove her to disobedience? For Anna was telling the truth. Demons are up to something, and they have indeed... infected dozens of babies, including the newest addition to Cain's direct lineage. Did she know about this? Should we have listened to her?

No. The reason why the hierarchy forbade us to intervene and why we weren't given any information is that we shouldn't be interested in it in the first place. That is not our role. And if there is one thing I learned from the mistakes the soldiers in the Garrison made, it's that we must stay at our place. Soldiers don't need to know every detail of the Lord's strategy and plans.

I look back down at the autistic man's soul.

Things have changed in Heaven over the past two thousand years, as they have on Earth, and everything would be so much easier if all Humans were as pure as this one.

Just like Baradiel had predicted, Camael's message had been poorly interpreted. Although a handful of Humans have understood it, for the vast majority of people it has been twisted, misused for bloodshed or to justify unspeakable acts. Humans have even managed to form several different cults from the same basis, all battling each other over insignificant theological points.

Some of my brethren are pleased that Humans fear and honor God, even if they do so by spilling blood and spreading hypocrisy. I think differently. To me, the result is not worth the sacrifice. Camael died for this, and I watched him die.

All the Garrison soldiers, hop, hurry up, into the Hall of Justice, now!

Zachariah's voice echoes clearly through my head, which makes me uneasy. For millions of years, we have been summoned by Anna's voice. And to think that never again...

I need to stay focused. I spread my wings and fly away in a fluid movement, extracting myself from this Paradise's peacefulness.

Zachariah is calling us, probably because we still haven't found Anna. But how are we supposed to carry out any kind of mission without a leader to guide us?

oOo

"On your feet, get in line!"

Zachariah's voice sounds louder in the empty space of the Hall of Justice.

I fold my wings as I land with a clacking sound of claws, then line up in the row between Hester and Ephra. Facing us, Zachariah is sitting at the solid wood desk up on the dais. He is alone, and the auditorium stands behind us are empty. The auditorium hasn't changed since I have last seen it, quite a while ago, before the Apocalypse even happened. On the two occasions that brought me here, the three Archangels stood where Zachariah now stands. Compared to them, he looks very small.

The place hasn't changed a bit. Circumstances have. And so have we.

Gabriel had not given a sign of life since Jesus Christ's death, and Michael and Raphael have not once shown themselves to us since. Hierarchical ranks are stricter now, and it would be out of question today for soldiers of our rank to speak directly to an Archangel. Everything has to go through our immediate superior. Which we no longer have.

Even just talking to Zachariah is a breach of regulation, but the situation requires it.

Miz and Pmox join us together, closely followed by Zedekiel, always the latecomer. He smooths down his ruffled feathers and lines up as well.

Zachariah rises and clasps his hands behind his back, giving us a smug look.

"Well, it has been a while since the last time we met! Time really flies by... But the past is the past, and the present is all that matters. Now, we've got a lot of boring formalities to deal with and I've got a schedule to keep to. Let's get started!"

His dark blue eyes are scrutinizing us slyly.

"It's been a week since Anna rebelled and slipped through your fingers. But that's not important, you'll catch her sooner or later. The reason I have summoned you is that the Council has decided, in view of your complete failure that we must put you under the authority of a new General without delay."

I share a look with Hester. Replace Anna? It does make sense. Well, it won't be easy for me to get used to another General. But the Council has a point. We cannot function without a leader to direct our actions.

Balthazar impertinently raises a finger.

"And who shall take on the chore - oh sorry, I meant the honor - my dear Zach? Please tell me it's not one of those uptight slackers from the administration."

"Nah," Zachariah brushes the question aside. "We won't be wasting staff to manage your team of aspiring rebels, not with the current reforms and upcoming shifts in functions. Nah. The hierarchy had foreseen this happening quite some time ago, considering Anna's potential for trouble. A rehabilitation session on her file was bad enough for them to think ahead of a replacement. One of you has been chosen to take over..."

"If that's me, I'm afraid I'll have to decline," Balthazar huffs.

The entire Garrison is listening attentively and I can hear Uriel snickering quietly. Zachariah seems offended for a second, then resumes assertively:

"… the hierarchy has selected the most suitable profile to fulfill the position and responsibilities. An Angel who has many times proven his devotion and reliability, his bravery in the battlefield, his respect for rules and hierarchy, his sense of sacrifice and initiative, his stoicism in the most critical situations... Anyway! The list goes on and on: skills, reliability, experience, yadda yadda yadda. Add every praising words you can think of, it will save me the trouble."

"How exciting. And who would be this paragon of perfection?"

The oversized room fills with the silky rustling of wings nervously brushing against each other as we glance at each other.

The wisest choice to replace Anna would certainly be Baradiel, given his experience, his wisdom, his...

"Castiel. Step forward."

I look up sharply at Zachariah in astonishment. All eyes are on me, and silence falls heavily. I take two steps forward stiffly, and the clattering sound of my claws on the marble floor echoes loudly.

Me... replacing Anna?

Zachariah slams his hands on the desk, leaning forward.

"Congratulations, Castiel! You are now officially the General of the Garrison."

Snapping his fingers, he motions at me to look up. I do as I'm instructed, standing still while a fountain of vibrating light pours down from the ceiling and falls upon me, engulfing me and melting into my Grace. I can feel it brightening and growing stronger, and suddenly, there is a steady stream of information rushing into me, like I've always been aware of all this. New connections are opening up, unlocking communication ports, detailed maps of Heaven, spells and sigils I never knew existed, and…

Empty charts? Diagrams?

In a blink of an eye, the light is gone and the Hall of Justice looks quite dim. My wings are open wide and my Grace is simmering with all this new knowledge.

"And now, here's your first order to give to your soldiers: that they should get lost, shoo. There are a few things I need to tell you about your duties before you assume the position, and it's highly confidential."

I look back down, folding my wings tightly behind my back. I glance over my shoulder at my brothers – my soldiers. Pmox seems impressed, Balthazar amused, while Hester nods to me excitedly.

"Soldiers, you are dismissed."

My voice sounds commanding, but the words I speak echo Anna's like ashes. The Garrison flies off in a rustle of feathers, leaving me alone with Zachariah. When I turn back to him, he is staring at me intently, his head tilted to the side with a mocking gleam in his eyes.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Well, how does it feel to give orders?"

"Strange."

Shaking his head with a snigger, he comes down from the dais, joining me in just a few steps.

"You'll get used to it soon enough."

Once he stands in front of me, he pats me on the back with his wing in a somewhat forced familiarity.

"You're one of the big shots now, Castiel. Welcome to the upper class! Of course you begin with the lowest rank and at the 133rd grade, but if you fulfill specific objectives you can rise up very quickly in the hierarchy. With your clean history, you could even manage a proper division and join the Council in a few centuries, if you don't do anything stupid."

"Why me? Why have I been chosen? Baradiel has more experience, Ephra is a better strategist, Uriel is more powerful, Htmorda plays by the rules more than I do, Rachel…"

Zachariah blinks, then lifts a finger to interrupt me.

"Yes yes I know, they're all brilliant, no need to praise them so much. Why you? I'd think it's obvious. Your fondness for the Neanderthals had been noticed, at the time, and the fact that you didn't rebel against their extinction as I had the stupidity to do myself for the dinosaurs was noted and appreciated. You've been tested since then and you've met all the requirements. Remember the Humans on their boat during the Flood? Well, that was actually a trial meant for you! How do you think they survived so long on that piece of wood without some kind of celestial help?"

So these poor Humans have been used as bait to test my loyalty? Shock silences me and I stare at him unblinkingly, forcing back the raw anger rising deep inside of me. I try to push back the memory of this family, this crying father, this innocent child.

I need to stay focused. I am the leader of the Garrison now. I have responsibilities, and I must prove that I am able to carry out the Will of God no matter what it is. Without question.

"More stupid questions? No? Good, now come with me so I can show you your office and explain your new functions."

He spreads his wings and I am quick to follow him when he flies out. We end up in a white corridor lined with white doors on both sides as far as the eye can see. Angels walk about busily without paying any attention to us.

I remember this endless corridor. This is where Joshua had gathered us all, on the day Heaven was created.

"And this is Anna's office, which is yours now."

He opens a door on the left, leading us into a room just as bright, white and cold. The only difference with the corridor is that the desk is littered with parchments, tablets and other items.

"I will let you get settled in and do some tidying up. One of your first tasks will be to archive this mess and update it. Parchment and rocks are nice but outdated, and you need to keep up with the other sections."

I nod, gently touching a stack of scrolls with my fingertips. There are some scattered words that catch my eye.

-Apocalypse-

-Cage-

-Lucifer-

-Armageddon-

-66 seals-

Zachariah lets out a frustrated grunt.

"They just scheduled a meeting and they want both of us to be there. I'm going to have to shorten your formation. You must have gotten some empty schedules shoved into your head, haven't you?"

"I have."

"Perfect. Just activate them by focusing your Grace on the list next to it, so you can add your name to the group of commanders of divisions. You will then be automatically notified of all scheduled meetings."

I close my eyes and focus, and suddenly the chart is filled with scheduled meetings, room number, hours and participants.

My timetable is already busy for the next two decades.

"It's done."

"Good. The room 3609 that Anna used will remain at your disposal for now, but other divisions might need it occasionally. So it would be safer to schedule your meetings ahead of time to make sure you get it."

I follow his advice by booking the meeting room for tonight.

"You're a fast learner. Good, very good. Chop-chop, let's go, follow me!"

We leave Anna's office – my office – and walk down the corridor. Zachariah keeps talking as we walk and I do my best to organize the information in my head – a notification informs me that we have to be in room 324 in less than five minutes.

"It's a lot to absorb all at once, but you'll get used to it. If there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's to take care of your reputation. Reputations tend to stick, especially bad ones. You have no idea how hard it is to collect credentials and responsibilities when you've gone through rehabilitation in your past - oh but I guess you know this already: Anna experienced this as well. You've got a fairly decent record, so don't mess it up. Because then you suffer the consequences for the rest of eternity. Ah! This is the administration, the office of forms and reports. This is where you'll deliver your mission reports and everything related."

I glance into the office where hundreds of Angels are working on files in a deafening silence, each one sitting at a desk, head down. Zachariah's hand clasps on my shoulder.

"One last thing: as you already know, except to deal with a few inside details, we haven't been receiving orders directly for millennia. You will be required to receive Revelations to stay up to date on the Will of Heaven - you will be notified whenever necessary."

"I understand."

He squints, tilting his head to watch me more closely.

"You're not the chatty type. That's good. I expect you to be a much better General than Anna - hard to do worse, if you ask me. Don't disappoint me, I vouched for you. I will see you at the meeting!"

He lets go of my shoulder and goes away, leaving me alone with my thoughts tumbling around in my head.

oOo

"Let's start with the news. As you know, Anael is still on the run since he rebelled, and the Council has just assigned one of his former soldiers, Castiel - also known as the Angel of Thursday over the past millennium - to take over as General of the Garrison. He will be attending our meetings from now on."

The Angel chairing the meeting pauses and makes a hand gesture in my direction. There are eyes sizing me up and whispers being exchanged. The meeting room is large, with more than a hundred Angels sitting as I do around the spotlessly white oval table. Except for Zachariah and Brap I don't know anyone.

"Why bother remembering his name? He's from the Garrison, so he's bound to rebel sooner or later. That's what they do."

There's a few hushed sneers.

"We only ever hear about the Garrison to keep track of who's dead and who's rebelling."

"Don't forget about the goats!"

"There isn't a millennium going by without them messing things up!"

"It's like they're doing it on purpose."

"Hey! We should place bets on this one, too! I was right about Anael, only just a couple of years earlier!"

"You got it three centuries wrong, Brap. Ecanus won, he's the one who guessed the closest date right by 34 years."

"I would be in favor of having the Garrison decommissioned. We are no longer involved with Humans, so we have no use for the soldiers of the Garrison anymore, all they do is rebel at any occasion."

"And don't let me started on the mess Anael's left behind when he took off…"

Narrowing my eyes, I silently look at the Angels chattering as if I were not right there.

Is this the kind of meeting Anna has been attending for millions of years, vainly begging for support? Surrounded by Angels calling her by the name she no longer wanted, using masculine pronouns to address her? Now I understand why she used to be so angry and frustrated every time she would come back from a meeting... She mentioned it a few times, but I didn't realize how little the Garrison is valued in the higher spheres.

"Well, there's no point in debating on this trivial information," says the Angel chairing the meeting. "Let's move on to the important issues, unless we aim to be as productive as the administration's records department officers."

I'm the only one in the room who doesn't chuckle pretentiously at those words. I don't understand what's so funny.

"Now, about the attribution of credits to the divisions and the promotion of..."

I've stopped listening already. Numbers and charts are mentioned, there are heated debates on administrative details, and everyone seems very invested.

I'm a warrior. I was made to obey efficiently and without a second thought. Not for this.

But I will prove myself worthy of my new responsibilities. I will reform the Garrison, I will make it get the respect it deserves. I will show them that I am a better General than Anna, and that I will never disobey like she did.

oOo

This is the first time I find myself alone in room 3609. This room has hosted so many of our meetings since Heaven was created... It is strange to be here, standing in front of the table in complete silence and solitude. Anna's glaring absence makes me uncomfortable.

My sister may have committed the worst crime there is – disobedience – but I can't help feeling sadness. Or is it wistfulness? I experienced the same thing about Siosp and Camael, however wrong they may have been.

I have a lot of work to do to prove my worth as a General, and also to assert my new position of authority over my brothers who have always known me as their equal. I close my eyes and push my voice into the celestial channels.

The Garrison with the addition of Hester and Virgil is summoned to room 3609. Immediately.

I slowly open my eyes again. I inadvertently used the same kind of wording that Anna did, and my voice applied to these familiar words sounds achingly wrong.

Rachel and Ephra are the first to get here, soon to be followed by Miz and Pmox. I motion for them to sit down and they comply. I sense it's going to take me a few years to get used to having the Garrison obey me. Hester arrives too and winks at me.

"Congratulations, Castiel! They couldn't possibly have chosen better than you!"

As his hand pats my shoulder, I squint and signal him to sit down as well.

"So you're the big boss now, Cas," says Uriel as he lands at my left side. "Did you make any new friends up there?"

He is looking at me in amusement as the last of them finally comes in - all of the Garrison soldiers are here now. Should I put an end to such familiarity, now that I am their superior? This promotion caught me completely unprepared, and now I have to deal with many issues that I never thought I would have to face.

"Sit down. We will begin now."

"Aww, Cassy, I get tingly all over when you take a bossy voice, you know."

Balthazar. Of course.

My brothers – my soldiers – settled in their usual seats, chatting and laughing in a relaxed way. Zedekiel is even smoothing down his wings, and Pmox enthusiastically shares an anecdote from his former division with Miz.

Anna has never really sought respect from her soldiers. I won't make the same mistake. The Garrison needs discipline and order. We are soldiers first, not friends.

"Be quiet, or I won't think twice before sending you to rehabilitation."

Laughter ceases and silence falls. Pmox is staring at me wide eyed. Balthazar's composure wavers just for a split second before he pulls himself together and makes what looks like a military salute, most likely inspired by Humans.

"Sir yes sir!"

I stare them down as hard as I can.

"As of today I am the General of the Garrison. You will never act without my clearance and you will follow the rules very strictly. I won't allow any mistake and disrespect will be punished. Balthazar, your little jaunts to Earth are over. Pmox, you will undergo intensive training, I will not tolerate your clumsiness on mission. Zedekiel, it's in your best interest to never be late again. You will present me with a detailed report of your accomplishments since the day you were created by next week, and then I will expect a daily report of your activities and movements. Our priority is still to find Anna and execute her. I'll explain my strategy to you now."

The distant way my brothers are looking at me all of a sudden is hard to stand. I feel like I'm betraying millions of years of mutual understanding. They're now looking at me as an outsider. Almost a traitor.

Did Anna experience that same loneliness? The rejection? Miz rarely included her in our jokes and she never shared the goat story with us.

I already know that they're going to shut me out. I can see it in their eyes.

But this is for the good of the Garrison. There will be no more deaths or rebellions under my command. Never again.

"I'm nothing like Anna. Things are going to change."

The Garrison has never been quieter.

oOo

Even in her true form, Anna is fast. Relentless.

To attack her head on is like attempting to grasp a waterfall.

I know all of her moves and fighting style, and have adjusted my strategy accordingly. My Grace stiffens when she punches me in the face and dodges Levanael's blow. That was intentional. Anna drops her vigilance only a quarter of a second after she hits her target. She never corrected this flaw that I have observed over thousands of years. Instead of fighting back, I ignore the pain spreading and scorching my Grace vividly, to seize her arm and restrain her. So does Baradiel.

No one equals Uriel when it comes to brute strength. He is unquestionably my Garrison's greatest asset. But Uriel is slow, and I was aware that unless I restrained Anna, he would never be able to strike her.

I can see in her eyes the exact moment Anna realizes she's failed.

"Now, Uriel!" I yell.

The punch he throws at her is so powerful it echoes through the night, blasting her away - her arm slipped from my grasp. She stops the movement by snapping her wings open to face us again, in a fighting stance. She is bent over in pain and her Grace is gathered at the point of impact.

Levanael, Baradiel, cut off her retreat.

I send this silent order to my two soldiers, who obey, moving swiftly. Anna looks at us one by one, stealthily, like a tracked animal. She knows that this time, she can no longer flee. She lost her upper hand since we used a seal to expel her from her host, and Balthazar made sure no other vessel would say yes to her. It took us a year and a half, but we finally did it.

"There is nowhere for you to go, Anna," I say in a calm voice.

Anna slowly lowers her arms and squares her shoulders, darting her three eyes right into mine. We are hovering so high in the night sky, nearly reaching the end of the Earth's atmosphere. Seen from here, the planet looks so peaceful…

"I can see you make an excellent General, Cas'. I had no doubt you would."

We've been ordered to kill Anna on sight. And while the thought of taking my sister's life with my own hands pains me, Anna knowingly disobeyed. Orders are orders. I let my blade slide into the palm of my hand.

I don't understand.

Camael rebelled to save Cain. Siosp doubted God. Anna, though?

"Why did you disobey, Anna?"

Anna tilts her head to the side, her eyes filled with sadness and... pity?

"I wanted, for once in my life, to do what I think is right, before I left you. But you stopped me."

"I don't understand."

"I know you don't. And I don't expect you to understand what I'm about to do either."

I widen my eyes when she starts to chant a spell in Enochian I've never heard before. Her eyes blaze with light, the green color fading away – her Grace comes alive in her body and radiates a power that makes the air throb in thick waves. I have no idea what she's trying to do, but it doesn't bode well – she must be stopped at all costs.

"Kill her!"

Blade in hand, my soldiers are trying to reach her, but they can't get close. It seems the energy thickens the air and repels us, while the sounds get heavier. Anna's figure is now blindingly bright and her outlines are fading into a radiant sphere. My Grace freezes as I watch her rip herself in half and utter a chilling scream. The kind of scream I haven't heard since Siosp died.

And suddenly, with a surprisingly silent explosion - as if we were immersed in the depths of the ocean - the sphere splits into two comets that fall separately towards the Earth.

"Levanael, Baradiel, follow this one! Uriel, with me!"

My weapon melts back into my Grace and I dive to the ground to follow one of the comets, my wings lined up along my body. The air I'm slicing through slips between my feathers with a hissing sound. The Earth bathed in moonlight is drawing near at high speed, and I reopen my wings just in time to make a smooth landing in a field with Uriel by my side. Around the comet's impact, the ground is glowing blue. From its center, a majestic tree emerges and grows to a towering height. Within seconds, its roots plunge into the ground and it has grown to an imposing size. The branches are covered with lush foliage glowing with a celestial aura I would recognize anywhere.

"Her Grace..."

I think I understand now. Anna ripped her Grace off to sever it from her holy spirit. Deliberately.

"Traitor," Uriel snarls. "At least Camael never chose to betray his nature..."

With the tip of my finger, I cautiously touch the trunk of the tree to extract the Grace in the form of long filaments of pure light nesting in the palm of my hand into a wavering ball of light, barely larger than a soul. The capacity of a Grace to adjust its size and shrink enough to be contained in a confined space - like a vessel - will always amaze me.

"Levanael, Baradiel," I call to the celestial channels. "Have you located Anna's holy spirit?"

No, the answer echoes into my head. The comet has dissolved above a city. It could be anywhere.

"The mission is a failure," I say as I rise to my feet.

I find myself torn up. I dread having to tell my superiors what happened, but at the same time I'm somehow relieved that I didn't have to kill my sister, no matter how baffled I am by her actions.

"A failure? This is worse than failure!"

I turn my head to Uriel. There is a hard look in his purple eyes as he stares at the tree.

"What do you mean?"

Clenching his fists, he glares at me fiercely.

"Don't you see? Our own General who is supposed to be our guide threw away his nature, his immortality, his power, and turned his back on his family for... for this worthless vermin! Virgil warned me that this would happen, that we would all end up becoming slaves to those hairless apes if nothing was done... He was right!"

As the new General of the Garrison, I should use my authority to command him to calm down, but I choose not to. While I don't share his distaste for the evolution of these fish we've been watching for tens of millions of years, I understand Uriel's ire all too well.

Anna betrayed us. She betrayed, insulted and abandoned us all. She chose mortals over us who have been at her side and at her orders since forever.

I close my fist around our fallen sister's glowing Grace.

"Anna will live and die among mortals. That will be her punishment."

I hold out my hand to Uriel, and in one look we share what words couldn't possibly express.

Anger.

Disarray.

Sorrow.

"You are the most powerful among us, Uriel. Make sure she never gets her Grace back. She no longer deserves it."

Uriel nods, closing his hand on the shining orb.

"Thank you, Castiel."

There are crickets singing and leaves rustling from the trees at our feet. Uriel falls silent, his wings clenched behind his back.

In his hand, Anna's Grace is twirling, leaving our questions unanswered.

oOo

In the next chapter (next sunday, may 10th)

"Oh God Almighty, I haven't laughed this hard since the goat and the Babel Tower!"