Phantom Pain (trilogy)

News From the Front

Chapter 14: News From the Front

The first thing I saw was our drowning world, through the window of the cill on which we currently sat.

The second was Dariel's face, as he took it all in. There was nothing I could say. After so many years of watching over this sphere, seeing it like this could not be fixed with words.

“There is much I do not know brother.” I began.

“I have heard many stories of angels like you,” he mused. “I am amazed you even knew my name.”

I nodded. So the archangel's projection had told me. “What I do and do not know does not matter. The important thing, is the current situation. I have been a bit out of the loop.”

Dariel nodded gravely. “It's not looking good. We haven't lost yet, but it never should have been allowed to go this far. But there are just so many of them. They spawn in that pit, and a new angel hasn't been created since the beginning of time...” He took a deep breath. “Six of the legions are on earth. Six! So many of us has not been needed to deal with a problem since, well... you know when?”

I nodded to confirm that I did remember the darkest part of our history.

“Only Cassiel's legion remains as reserve in heaven, and if the rumors are true Penemue has been sent down to join Gabriel.”

“That is surprising.” Talking about these things came strangely easily to me. “He is the same as his arch in that he does not like to meddle.”

Penemue had been my close friend, I sensed. When Dariel had said his name, so much had been there for me to access, and I also found a degree of worry in thinking of him in battle. He was a scribe as well as a warrior, as so many in Cassiel's legion were. I knew my friend was just as strong as me, but then again I wasn't currently in the best shape.

“You don't understand how desperate things are,” Dariel said. “They are considering calling Cassiel down from heaven.”

I froze. If the distant archangel and his troops left heaven, that meant there was no one left. Every single angel was—in theory—a warrior, but I'd never paused to think that we would all be needed.

“Do they know of the demon stronghold?” I asked. “A few days back I had the opportunity to interrogate one of them.”

Dariel shook his head. “We know nothing. The majority of our forces surround the storm.”

“Why is that?” I asked. “More than half of Hell's forces are in the interior.”

“We can not enter.” he admitted.

I was confused. The power difference between angels and demons was massive. Even a normal warrior like Dariel could take out dozens on his own. Even twenty legions of demons couldn't have held one of ours for as long as they had, not to mention six.