Chapter 15
Marcus stood outside the Arch’s rooms for a moment reflecting on all that had come to pass since his last visit there. Then he felt a great presence bringing him back to the moment and walked through to the conference area. As he entered he froze just inside the doorway taking in the sight before him. He stood stock still as he scanned the Angels that had gathered.
Not since the last battle with evil had there been anything near this kind of gathering. Shock raced over his face and Michael came forward and clasped his forearms in greeting. “Well met Marcus, it is good to see you again. I trust you travelled well?”
Marcus returned the greeting, looking over the Arch’s shoulder in shock as he saw the High Arch Gabriel turn to acknowledge his arrival. Marcus nodded in return and wondered exactly what was going on. He looked to Michael, but before he could speak Gabriel’s voice silenced the room. His voice was deep commanding and projected great strength.
His voice complemented the Arch as it fitted the look of him, standing near seven feet tall and build like a linebacker. He was all solid muscle, but muscle that bespoke of years of work and toil. His hair was a sandy blonde and his eyes a steel grey. There was hardness there; hardness that Marcus knew could be used to do whatever was necessary to save the world from evil.
Gabriel was a big man, tall and strong but even so he moved with the grace of an Angel as he moved towards Marcus and grasped him on his forearms as Michael had done. Marcus was honoured, he had only met the High Arch once but that was so long ago and he had barely had time to speak the official words of greeting when he’d been drawn away to meet with someone else.
Gabriel was as a mountain, unshifting and unswerving in his belief that the peoples of this world should be protected. He may sit at the right hand of God, but he knew hard work and he knew battle and from what Marcus could understand of what he’d seen so far, they were here to talk ‘war’.
“Come,” Gabriel began, “We have been waiting to hear from you. How goes the situation with ‘The Keeper’?” Gabriel led Marcus towards the conference table and those gathered there. He looked at the faces around him then back to Gabriel who waited expectantly for Marcus to reply.
“All is going well with ‘The Keeper’ Gabriel, she is so much more than anyone anticipated.” Marcus shook his head slightly at the situation. He should not be here; he should be with his Charge, ensuring her safety.
Gabriel sensed his thoughts and rested his hand on the Guardians shoulder in support. “I know you wish to be with your Charge my friend, but there are matters that must be discussed and your input is vital.”
Some of the tension disappeared from his face and Marcus nodded and took a seat with the other. As he sat down he saw that Michael sat at Gabriel’s right and he suddenly realised that Gabriel had placed him at his left. This was an honour that Marcus did not feel he deserved and as he tried to stand Gabriel pushed him back down.
“There are few that have earned to right to sit in this seat Marcus, you have been a strong Warrior, and a loyal Guardian to all your Charges. What you have experienced throughout your existence and what will soon come to pass gives you the right to sit beside me.” Gabriel looked closely at Marcus and knew that a great deal more had happened than he had first thought. “Come, my friend, get us up to speed.”
Marcus sighed and looked around the room once more, there were other Arch’s there which made Marcus think that things were escalating a lot quicker than he’d thought. He looked across the table and Raphael nodded to him, an expectant expression on his face. Ariel too was there as was Haniel and Uriel. He knew most of the Arch’s, had spent time with or worked with them at one time or another. They trusted his strength, his knowledge and his judgement in allowing him to be Brindle’s Guardian and if they had questions, he would answer them.
“Brindle… ‘The Keeper’ is an unexpected treasure. She has been known to Mother Earth for some time and she has accepted her as her own. Brindle will be free to take strength and nourishment where she will… The Mother has given her blessing and sent word forth that not only has ‘The Keeper’ awakened, but she is under her protection.”
Marcus paused for a moment letting his words sink in. There was surprise and even astonishment on some of their faces but, before they all began to talk at once he continued. “She is a quick learner; I need only show her or tell her once. She has felt the need to prove herself, not to me or to the Shadow Man, but to herself. Her greatest fear is that she will not be strong enough or good enough to carry the title of Keeper.”
He smiled to himself, “She has nothing to fear, she is truly ‘The Keeper’ and she has more than proved herself to be so. When she first connected with the earth, she sensed darkness nearby, she pulled back, but the demon had already gotten a fix on where she was. A couple of days later she was visited by Anton Kendrick.”
Marcus watched as everyone reacted to this information. Kendrick was well known and that he had found ‘The Keeper’ so soon after her awakening did not bode with any of them. Marcus put out his hand palm outward to quiet everyone and continued. “We no longer need concern ourselves with Kendrick. He will never walk the earth again.”
Michael spoke up then, “She killed him? ‘The Keeper’ destroyed him?” Then others started throwing questions at him wanting to know what had happened and how this had affected his Charge. “Brindle did not destroy him, to be honest she didn’t really harm him at all… well not what we would consider harm.”
First Marcus looked at Michael, then turned to Gabriel watching for any reaction as he spoke, “She invoked the help of both Mother Earth and Father Sky and then she banished Kendrick from ever setting foot on the earth again,”
Gabriel’s eyes went wide shocked, surprise and awed at what one so young, so untried had accomplished. “Praise be!” he said, “What else took place Marcus?”
“We were at the church where her uncle Father Adrian is assigned. He had organised for him and his niece to meet Kendrick there to discuss an insurance policy. Kendrick told her that he didn’t want to kill her, that his master wanted her to join them. For a moment terror took hold of me, but I had faith in my Charge. I waited for her to respond and she refused him, told him there was no way that she would or could turn to evil.”
Marcus took a breath before going on, “Once she realised he wouldn’t hurt her, she knew he would try to hurt her uncle. I have to tell you that I have never seen such power in someone so inexperienced, so unaccustomed to the gifts she has been given.”
He looked at each silent face and smiled, “She transported her uncle to safety before Kendrick could harm him. She did so with little thought or effort and she had never done this before. She had only transported small inanimate objects. I stood close by in case she needed help, but knowing she needed to prove herself.
She struggled to hold him at first, but it seemed that the more she tried, the more she utilized her gift the stronger it became. In the end he was unable to move any part of his body but his face. I believe she learnt a great many curses from Kendrick before she sent him back to the pit he crawled from. His master will not be pleased, he was expecting Kendrick to change Brindle’s mind and have her join with them willingly or take her with him for his master to do so.”
Everyone started speaking at once, asking questions and wanting to know more about ‘The Keeper’ and for a minute or so Marcus sat quietly watching and trying to take in what they were all saying. Gabriel stood and raised his hand, he didn’t need to speak to hush or quiet these beings, there was no need. He had a presence that demanded obedience whether he was forcing his will on someone or not.
“We all have questions and I’m sure in time we will have answers. But for now Marcus must shield her… even from us.” There were murmurs from a few people but all seemed to realise that ‘yes’ ‘The Keeper did need to be protected or shielded and not just from her enemies. To bring her into a gathering such as this would be overwhelming for her and they needed her to focus on other things.
“I would speak with you,” Gabriel said as he stood and walked towards the Library just off the conference room. Marcus rose from his seat and followed the High Arch, a little unsure as to why he wished to speak to him alone.
The Library was empty, perhaps due to the gathering and Gabriel used this to his advantage. He nodded to the door as Marcus entered and he closed it behind him. Marcus looked at the High Arch with curiosity but also with wariness, he had a feeling that whatever the Arch had to say to him involved his Charge and no matter what he would protect her. Even if it meant standing against his own.
Gabriel smiled at Marcus seemingly knowing what his thoughts were. “You have been given a great responsibility Marcus. Your Charge will determine what our future shall be.” Gabriel walked over to one of the bookshelves and looked over the tomes there. “Will you tell her what her part me be in the end?” He remained looking over the tomes and waited for Marcus to answer him.
Marcus looked at Gabriel a little shocked, although he shouldn’t have been. The High Arch was perhaps the most powerful of the Arch’s, so Marcus should have assumed that he would know more about Brindle and what was destined to take place.
“I have thought of nothing else these past days. Brindle is growing in strength at an extraordinary rate. She has had a great deal to content with since she has awakened and I can’t bring myself to speak of this to her.”
Marcus lowered his face into his palm, wiping it up and through his hair. He looked at Gabriel and sighed a sigh of concern. “She needs to remain focused My Lord. To tell her too much may well un-nerve her and prevent her from reaching her potential.”
He looked up at the Arch then wanting, needing to speak his truth. “I am afraid! Afraid for her and afraid of the loss this would cause.”
Gabriel looked upon Marcus and sorrow showed both on his face and in his eyes. There he had no words to sooth the Guardian, there were none! Time, only time would tell what the outcome would be and he would not give this Guarding, this Angel Warrior false hope.
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Brae looked at Brindle in surprise; he had been looking forward to meeting her. He would treat the priest with reverence, with respect and he in turn would treat him with as the warrior he was. But now? Surely Brindle was jesting with him, there should be no need to fear or be wary of such a holy man.
Brindle looked at Brae and smiled, “It’s okay Brae, he won’t bite.” Brindle got up off the cot and headed for the door leading out to the corridor in the lower levels of the church. She waited for her uncle to open the enough to slip in and close the door behind him quietly.
Brindle pounced on him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. Father Adrian grabbed his niece, having no choice but to do so. He swung her around in a circle holding her just at tightly as she was holding him and when he stopped he gave her a kiss on the forehead and laughed in relief that his niece was safe and in one piece.
As they broke apart Brindle turned to Brae and waited till he stood and approached her and her uncle. “Uncle Adrian, I’d like you to meet Brae.” She turned to Brae, “Brae, this is my Uncle Father Adrian.”
Both men made eye contact and in that way that most men have, they checked each other out. Brae out of curiosity, Father Adrian out of concern for his niece’s safety, both reached out to the other shaking hands in the age old greeting.
Neither spoke for several moments, the Father Adrian began, “Marcus left you to watch over my niece?” Brae nodded but remained silent.
Father Adrian looked at Brindle and she grinned back. He smiled then turned back to Brae all serious again. “I trust Marcus and if he left you to watch over Bree, then I’ll trust you as well.” He turned back to Brindle, “What’s happened, where is Marcus, he wouldn’t have left you unless it something really important?”
He wrapped his arm around Brindle’s shoulder needing to keep her close while waiting for her to answer. “He was called away Uncle Adrian. Michael… the Archangel called him to a meeting.” She waited for that to sink in before continuing. “He said he didn’t know why, but it must be important for Michael to re-call him.”
Shock registered on Father Adrian’s face. “The Archangel… Michael?” he stared at Brindle unable to say any more. She lifted her hand and wrapped it around his neck, pulling him closer to her so she could whisper in his ear. “It’s okay Uncle Adrian, Marcus seems to trust Michael, so I’m not too concerned.”
She smiled up at her uncle and he suddenly burst out laughing. “Bree you never stop cease to amaze me with what you say.” Brindle looked at him all innocent and he laughed even more. “You speak of the Archangel Michael as if he were a casual acquaintance. Do you not remember your scriptures?”
She remembered them alright, but she also knew her uncle and knew that making him laugh would ease the shock he’d felt in her speaking of Michael. She looked from her uncle to Brae and he came to her rescue. “Michael is the ultimate Angel Warrior. Father, it was he would drove the first true evil from the heavens and cast it into the underworld.”
“Yes,” the priest responded and ever since we have been fighting in one way or another to keep him there.” They all stood for a moment just taking in what had been said, they knew that there was importance in Marcus being called away, but they also knew they couldn’t do anything about it. They had to wait it out… wait for his return.