~~Young~~

Chapter Twenty Three

   “And why do you think he used that sentiment?” now Josephine was ganging up on him too.

   And Gage didn’t like it, “how the hell should I know! And what does the turnaround rate even have to do with the war anyway?”

   “Everything,” Josephine muttered and wandered away with her head hung low.

   “He’s building an army,” Sera thought out loud, her gaze finding Gage’s in that next moment, “That’s why he doesn’t want any of the halfway good souls, they won’t fight for him.”

   “Believe me beauty, Lucifer has the gift for persuasion, they would fight for him.”

   “And you can believe me when I tell you they might fight, but it’d be half assed. I know souls better than all of you and you can be sure if it came down to it, after seeing what Lucifer was capable of the souls would most likely rather die forever then live on eternally in hell.”

   Death did have a point…

   “But it’s not like you’ll take the damned,” Gage pointed at God, “So that only leaves him, and unlike you he’s willing to take what he wants too. You can’t take the innocent from the earth like he sends his demons for. Killing them would kind of defeat your purpose now wouldn’t it?” Gage shook his head, “you’re not going to catch up to his numbers with the earth in the state it’s in.”

   Hmm…he didn’t mean for that to sound so much like he was defending Lucifer but it was the truth. God was losing the numbers game big time.

   “I realize this,” God hefted a heavy breath, “and that is entirely my fault. In the years after you left I resented the mortals, that you would abandon the life I had given you for their squalor. I neglected them, focusing instead on my own desires to be the single ruler of the heavens I left them to their own wiles. That was my reasons for the Crusades, when I finally could bring myself to be concerned over their affairs I saw what they had become and I feared it. I saw then what would become of the earth, what it is now.” His gaze met Gage’s and he actually winced seeing the hurt there, “you may have thought it was for my own selfish wants but the truth was I was trying to…to erase the mistake I had made by ignoring them.”

   “You know he got excited when you came back that day,” Death continued on when it was apparent God would say no more of it, “When you showed up rip-shit pissed over what was going on. He thought you were coming home finally, that’s the only reason you were able to get that close to him.”

   And he had often wondered about that. It wasn’t just any old place Gage could show up in Heaven. Like in Lucifer’s chambers Gage couldn’t get into God’s palace either unless he walked in. But to do that he had to walk through several check points, past all sorts of guards…no one stopped him though. They just let him stomp straight up to God fully armed. The Seraphim weren’t even by his side, only Gabriel was there. He was the one who hauled Gage back after sucker punched God in the face.

   “So what do you plan on doing about the mess you made?” yes Gage was rubbing it in. How often did you hear God admit he had made a mistake? He wasn’t letting this chance go by.

   “I can do nothing I’m afraid. But you…” God trailed off.

   “Me. What?” Gage asked while silently fuming. He had a feeling he knew what was coming. The gall he had to ask Gage a favor after he had just owned up to being responsible for all the shit he caused Gage. “When I go back to hell it is to get Jeremiah out and nothing else. I will not play double agent for you.”

   “Oh Jerry,” Death sighed.

   Gage offered her a smile of apology for bringing that up but it was a promise he fully intended on keeping to Jerry.  And judging by her reaction she had already figured out what had happened. Death had the capabilities of traveling to hell just as easily as Gage did, but she knew better then to step foot in its depths by herself. Otherwise Gage was sure Jerry would already be free.

   “You really think I would send you inside my brother’s walls again?” God sneered, “And take the chances of losing you again? Absolutely not!” he huffed, “I meant to earth. I’ve decided to send the lot of you back to earth to find those who will fight for me. Find the just, find the pure, find those worthy of wings.”

   Well, that wasn’t nearly as bad as he thought it was going to be. But go figure God was passing the work off to another.

   “Decided huh?” Death crossed her arms over her chest and glared at God.

   “Fine,” he said through his teeth, “I urgently request you return to earth.”

   Her posture relaxed as she lifted her chin ever so much, “that’s better.”

   But he hadn’t won yet, it was Sera’s turn to contest God, “how would that work? Won’t they have to die to earn wings?”

   “In circumstances as dire as this, I am willing to make that exception. I put my faith in the four of you to judge and weigh those mortals. When it has been deemed they are worthy then I will gift them the power of the heavens, but only if it is a unanimous decision.”

   “Dire?” Sera cringed, “how…how long do you think we have?”

   “I cannot see the future child, but I fear it is not nearly long enough,” God sighed, “which is why I must urge you to begin as soon as possible.”

   Gage clenched and unclenched his teeth as he looked about the room, for once in his immortal years he was not looking forward to a fight. Not this one. The only being that looked forward to Armageddon was Lucifer. A battle of that magnitude would not be fought in just one realm, when the time came Gage knew the lines would blur for mortal and immortal alike. It was going to be fought across all worlds, all realms, winner takes all.

   More importantly he hated the thought of Sera having to see that kind of battle, one that would insure nothing but destruction on the fields it was fought. It was silly really when you considered somewhere inside that mind of hers were fighting skills he was sure could match his own…oh…so then that’s how she fought off those men in that alley so proficiently. At least now he knew she was capable of tapping into that knowledge.

   Josephine was the one break the silence between them, “so then it’s fight or fall?” she asked, “those are our choices?”

   “I’m afraid so child,” God said solemnly.

   “Then we fight,” Sera said with conviction, emotion of a whole other nature then love filling Gage’s heart. She was a Better Angel, better than him at least because she was completely selfless, “till we save them all.”