The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Five (Draft 3) "Supernatural Aid"

A body impacted with his right wing and Morpheus cried out. The books fell. Hands grasped at his arms. He spun. The guitar fell. River's claws cut at his ear. The hands released their grip.

Morpheus saw Remiel—his skin color different than last he'd seen him—fall away from him.

Below, Jibril and Beholder rose to catch Remiel.

Morpheus felt for River and found him in his hair. His lizard body was trembling.

"It's OK now," Morpheus said. He drew River from his head with care, and brought River's small body to rest against the lapel of his coat.

Morpheus descended and alighted on the bank of the Lethe near the three Angels. Remiel was seated in a sprawl on the grass with Jibril stooped to tend to him while Beholder collected the fallen books. Morpheus recognized the Regent of Beauty with mismatched eyes was one who had attended his Introduction.

"...faerie dusted," Remiel said drowsily.

Jibril blew across Remiel's face, clearing a film of sleep from his eyes.

"It naturally forms in my wings," Morpheus said. "Forgive me?"

"Can he call you that?" River pushed against the hand sheltering him.

Morpheus lowered his hand. "What?"

Jibril made a tinkling laugh as he stood. He reached towards Morpheus and pat River's head. "Morpheus is Faerie on account of his mother's service to Queen Maeve of the Sidhe."

Morpheus only nodded.

"Are you well, Morpheus?" Beholder asked.

Morpheus flexed his right wing and shed several bent black feathers. "Fine."

"Stand clear!" Remiel rose. With an audible whoosh and crackle he was wreathed in blue flames interspersed with sparks of orange lightning. "That's better," he said as the fire dissipated.

"You look a little different." Morpheus touched his right index finger to his own cheek.

"Oh." Remiel laughed; it was more organic in sound than Jibril's laughter. "I'm always both colors, it's just you only see one or the other."

"OK." Morpheus just went along with it.

"What about me?" Beholder asked with that tinkling laugh of the Hashmallim.

Morpheus didn't answer, being occupied retrieving his fallen guitar case from the ground, but also because he had no words to adequately describe the Regent of Beauty.

"Later," Jibril said firmly. "Remiel, do you know what is happening?"

"I—" Remiel lifted a hand to his orange hair. "I was going to ask you if you had seen the other Archons."

"So, there is something happening?" Jibril asked. "Beholder says xe saw the residents of the Amber Palace head towards Sleep's house."

"Raphael, Michael, and Uriel took Zerachiel somewhere towards Limbo," Morpheus told them.

"Did they cross the Styx?"

Morpheus shook his head. "I didn't see, but they were in uniform." He nodded towards Remiel who wore a blue jumpsuit with straps and buckles.

"The Cherubim still have a ship in Los Angeles."

"Why would the Archons need a ship?" Jibril pressed.

"Because several Satans have left the Pit for the Empty World." Remiel bowed his head.

"If Lucifer is up to something on Earth," said Beholder, looking towards Jibril, "it probably relates to Tristopher leaving the Amber Palace."