Relic

Moonlight

I awoke to Archangel Samael watching me. He sat in the wooden chair placed in the corner of the room. Leaning back, I could see the length of his body. His long legs bent at the knee almost touched the corner of the bed I was on. He had one hand on the armrest and the other covering his mouth. The pale light of the moon did not reach him but the gold glow of his eyes told me he was awake and watching me. I dreamt of him and of us. The man that was lying so peacefully on my stomach was him. The sight of his face hovering over mine was what woke me up. Not because it disgusted me, his appearance was him but he was different. Looking at him now as the Archangel I knew him to be the image my mind had conjured up was hard to believe.

"How much did they teach you about angels?" His voice was more textured than normal. I wriggled my torso so that I was lying on side instead of my stomach.

"Everything we could access. Mostly from religious books and artwork,"

"What did you learn about me?"

I sighed and stretched before sitting up in bed. I noticed that I was wearing the barely there pajamas I had on my first night on base. Had he put them on? Stripped me and touched me? "I don't remember half the stuff I'm supposed to have learnt. I was focused on staying alive and finding my family,"

He grunted and watched for a moment. "What do you know of Satan?" The glow in his eyes intensified.

The image of him in my dreams came to mind. His face just as beautiful as it was now with tanned skin a straight nose and full lips. His dark hair was just as luscious but at the crown of his head two black twisting horns protruded from his skull. Black wings that swallowed the light in the room sprung from his back. And his eyes, his blue eyes that shone gold when his emotions stirred, were engulfed in gold with the pupils flickering like flames.

I took a sharp intake of breath at the sudden realization of who Archangel Samael was. "You're Satan,"

A humourless chuckle sounded from him and the two gold orbs disappeared for a moment. "You humans..."

"If you are Satan-"

"I am Samael. The story you have been told was one my jealous brothers created. I am and always have been a proud Archangel of God." Though he didn't shout or raise his voice, his anger was obvious.

"Videns said you would have to do what you have done before. What does that mean?" Silence deafened me. I watched him carefully and he stared back at me. I wondered what was going through his mind now that I had revealed I heard him and Videns speaking though I was passed out. I pulled the duvet so that was over my breasts feeling exposed to his watchful eyes. I then drew up my knees, tucking them under my chin and holding onto my legs.

Samael leaned forward, his strong forearms on his knees, big hands handing between his legs. His face finally illuminated by the light of the moon was as I remembered it. No horns, no flaming pupils. His skin looked so smooth, the light of the moon shining off the planes of his cheek bones, its paleness making his raven black hair look grey. The blue of his eyes was finally in view shocking me with their depth of emotions.

"God was losing control. Man, created in his image, much like we were, was abusing their freewill. False prophets, murderers, liars, cheats, thieves. They were everywhere. He needed to strike fear into them. Give and incentive for man to lead good lives.

So, he chose me. 'Fall for me, my son, rule Hell and strike fear into the hearts of man.' I was the archangel of death, ruler of hell wasn't going to be a big step. Man needed to know justice waited for them after life. I fell for my Father, to help man and in return I was made the ultimate villain." He paused, eyes downcast. The gold was back, evident by the slight yellow glow on his cheeks. "My brothers had forsaken me. God did not speak for me and man despised me and feared me, just as He planned,"