The Gathering

VII: When We Are Who We Are Called To Be

Michael stood with his back to Jonah. "As should have been an archangel. He could've protected me." Michael spoke, a thousand-yard stare on his face. The room then shifted, yet nothing changed except Michael was now staring directly at Jonah. Michael's eyes were dead white. His mouth dripping blood. "They found me in a gutter, just like Phanuel said... because As wasn't there... he felt so sorry for you that he became a gatherer too just to make you feel better."

"That's not fucking true!" screamed Jonah.

"Now I'm dead too and As hates you for it." Michael's words cut like a bright red knife. Jonah screamed in anger at his mind's version of Michael, as he screamed his throat hoarse, Michael laughed, holy fire beginning to ignite at his feet. Jonah clenched his eyes shut but he could feel the heat against his face, the sweat it produced on his brow mixing with his tears and dripping off his chin.

Jonah opened his eyes, he saw that he was now standing in the middle of the room. Around him were dozens of black cloaked men and women, now some had their faces visible, he saw Muriel, Sera, Phan, Samael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Barachiel. Sat next to Gabriel was a man that Jonah couldn't identify, the space above his neck was a swirling vortex of features, unable to form itself into a face.

"Dad?" Jonah said weakly. He didn't know why he thought this... it just seemed correct in his mind.

"Pathetic." Said the man... "Such a disappointment... a waste."

Jonah began to weep, he didn't know what else to do, he hung his head and wept.

"When we are who we are called to be!" Jonah heard a symphony of voices chant in unison, their voices coalescing into a single roar. He opened his eyes to see the man who might be his father surrounded by men and women wearing blood-red robes, heads bent downwards. "We will set the world ablaze!" Their chorus continued, Jonah looked down to see fire begin to ignite out of the ashes of Metatron, As, and Michael. Jonah snapped his head back to the robed figures, their infernal gazes now directed straight at Jonah, faceless, featureless, crimson hooded monsters encircled him. The empaths began to reach out their vile, inhuman hands as Jonah tried to clench his eyes shut, but couldn't. Jonah screamed as the flames coiled and constricted his body like a cobra. He suddenly felt weightless.

"Fuck!" Jonah screamed. He shot straight up in his bunk, grasping at the sheets and pillow, trying to make sure his surroundings were genuine.

"Jonah?" a familiar voice was like music to Jonah's ears: As. He looked down to see his friend glancing back up at him from the bunk below, confused. "You okay?"

"I-I don't know." Jonah felt his sheets, they were drenched with sweat. "I... had a nightmare..." He was almost ashamed at his outburst, it hadn't been real. He found it hard but Jonah got down from his bunk, his knees weak, still recovering from the horrible dream and the tremors it had left within his body.

"It'll be okay, come on, we've got to get ready for Sera's last lecture." As said, he then slapped Jonah on the back, his scrawny frame drenched in sweat. "Oh, gross, you need to go to the baths."

...

Today was Seraphiel's final lesson before she would begin taking the cadets two at a time on their first gatherings. Jonah felt mentally exhausted from his dream, he just wanted to start gathering and be finished with Sera's harsh 'methods'. He sat, as was usual, next to As.

"You sure you're ok?" whispered As, "You look like shit!"

"Thanks," Jonah chuckled, 'leave it to As and his smartass attitude to make me feel better' he thought. "Yeah, I'm ok... do you want to meet up after drills?"