“How dare you show your face here!” Michael screamed in outrage as Uriel struggled to hold his brother back from making a terrible mistake. Michael’s powerful arms wrestled against Uriel as he held them bound behind his brothers back.
Maniacal laughter reverberated around the hall of the Father, mocking Michael’s anger and tempting Uriel to let his brother free.
“Is this not the hall I created with you my brother, all those millennia ago? Why am I now so unwelcome?” Satanael asked, strolling ever closer to office of God.
“You are not my brother!” Michael spat as he ripped himself free from Uriel’s grasp and lunged forward to meet the evil one. Uriel’s cry was lost against Michael’s scream as he watched helplessly while Michael drew back his first to crack against the evil ones face.
Satanael waited for the blow and caught Michael’s fist in his palm as a dark shadow fell across the hall. Satanael snarled as his divine human like features blurred between his human guise, and his true form. His hair disappeared, and his once white skin now changed to smoky black scales. Ten sets of blood red eyes glared down at Michael as his face stretched to mirror a draconic human, his fangs long and sharp threatened as he snarled and flicked out a forked tongue. His angry growl was filled with pure malice and sent an evil foreboding across the room like a thick blanket of mist.
“You, do not know your place brother.” Satanael snarled as he twisted Michael’s fist, crushing it with such force that Michael cried out in pain.
“I am free to walk these halls until the fifth seal, as it is written. I am here on good terms, touch me again and I will kill you, and your pretty little choir boy of a god now, instead of giving you all a chance to survive.” The beast picked Michael up by his fist and threw him across the table to land besides Uriel.
“Nice to see you brother Uriel” He greeted. His image reverted back to the flawlessly beautiful human that had appeared moments earlier. Uriel shivered under his gaze but nodded his head in greeting.
“Welcome,” The soft spoken voice calmed Uriel’s spirit as he turned to his left to see the Son of God standing just outside the Office door with palms upturned invitingly. He slowly walked past the sacred scroll that had been placed back under protective seals by Raphael and the Ophanim stopping only briefly before walking past the Thrones seated at the end of the table. Uriel noticed Ophanim, Dominions and other angels begin to fill the halls as he moved closer to the fallen one, who seemed to shrink back ever so slowly at the Son of God’s approach.
“What is it that you are after father of lies?” The Son asked as he stopped an arms-length away. The whispers of angels flooded the hall, bouncing between the massive marbled pillars that towered over them.
“I come offering help with your struggle to survive, human.”Satanael smiled as he spat the word human out like an insult.
“I am God, we are one along with the Holy spirit, your insults show your true colours, toothless snake. Be gone, now.” The son turned his back and began to leave.
“Oh, but you are merely a man, I am far more powerful than all of you. Soon I shall become God, and you shall bow down before me human. I am merciful though, I come giving you an offering. Thousands of your followers are about to be slain across my world. I know the numbers taken in your little escape plan, you have far too little souls for the battle ahead. Wouldn’t it be beneficial to break him free? You know who I’m talking about. How many resources must he be taking up right now?” The devious glare in his eyes was enough warning to Uriel, he knew not to listen to his twisted ideas, however, at the same time, he did make a lot of sense. Perhaps he miscalculated exactly how useful that would be to them.
“You would try to control him? Your path for power will destroy you unfaithful one.” The Son replied.
“Well perhaps I should be the judge of that. Free Azazel, he will break free himself after the fifth seal. Let him leave peacefully, now, with me.” Satanael serene, controlled face revealed nothing of what he was thinking, yet it was clear to them all. With the leader of the Se’irim and the second leader of the Grigori on his side, he would have a way to control the most unruly groups of demons.
“Lord God, don’t listen to him, we can contain that beast. If he breaks free, I shall destroy him.” Michael interjected, now thankfully calmed down.
“It will come to that.” Raphael declared as he shimmered into the room. Uriel sighed in relief. If there were anyone who’d be able to calculate the best action to take, it would be Raphael.
“Syramidian will crumble. Azazel can sense the barriers weakening. I do not have the strength to maintain that along with a whole new city of souls. The gates are to be closed soon too, if he breaks free once they are closed we will have a war inside our own walls.” The Son of God pondered for a moment on what was said. Raphael always knew exactly how to say things the Son of God, he stated facts without giving opinion. It was both annoying and incredibly helpful.
“Okay, release him to Satanael Rapahael, oh and fallen one, ensure he leaves peacefully, or I shall have Michael drive you both out. You will need your energy if you still want to play these deluded games of yours.”Satanael produced a flowery, mocking bow as the Lord left. The other angels began leaving as well now the show was over.
“Nice to see you again brother” Satanael greeted Rapahael with his palms upturned, imitating the Son of God. It burned Uriel that he was so disrespectful, yet he found comfort in the knowledge of what was to come to him. He almost felt pity for the devious snake.
“I can’t say the same” Raphael replied. “Where’s Gabriel?”He asked, noticing it was just the three of them.
“He has been busy sending God’s voice to the few left on Earth.” Michael replied.
“Ahhh yes, such a futile waste of effort, they are all going to die anyway.” Michael’s glare would have made Uriel tremble, yet the father of lies simply smiled.
“Die they will, and earn a place in our kingdom.” Uriel said proudly.
“I wonder. I think they shall all curse the name of God in their hearts before their impending death. Humans are a vengeful breed. It’s why I enjoy them so much.” His snicker made Uriel sick, he couldn’t stand the creature, how they had once been so close he would never recall. He drew his fist back, trying to bottle his anger as he felt another arm hold his back. He watched Michael shake his head as he held back the fist that wanted to crash against the snakes face.
“My Son tells me Death ran into an Angel on earth a few days ago, an Angel that had a host. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I was sure our glorious Father had banned all of heaven from any visitations on Earth. I wonder who would have broken such an instruction.” The devious creature seemed to be eyeing them all, one by one as if he could read their minds.
Uriel dismissed the evil ones lie. No one would have interfered with anyone on earth. There was nothing worth interfering with. The only thing they needed to do is find the child, and they could do that without any presence on earth. Satanael’s gaze lingered on Raphael and to Uriel’s curiosity, it seemed to make his face darken, Uriel had never seen Raphael react such a way before, he was always the composed one.
“No one here would betray Fathers commands. Neither will we believe anything that comes from you, or your son Hades.” Uriel replied dismissing the accusation before it went any further; he would have to talk to Raphael later.
“Follow me to Syramidian, I shall release your precious Azazel, leader of the Se’irim.” Raphael declared before shimmering away to the Mountain on the edge of Dudael that served as a cage for one of the oldest Demons in existence.
***
Raphael could taste the sulphur on the dusty wind whistling past like a terrifying, never ending scream. The purpled haze that covered the land in a never ending dust storm blocked out most of the light from heaven until it became just a dim glow. Raphael recalled before he had created Syramidian, this had all once been beautiful countryside filled with rivers and creeks, green gardens blooming against the backdrop of the mountains. Azazel had twisted this place.
He felt his brothers shimmer in behind him, along with a devoid presence that could only be Satanael. His sense of him was eerie, it was as if he knew there should be something there when there wasn’t, a nothingness that he knew was something.
“So this is Syramidian, I hope you plan on building a bigger cage for me Raphael.” He heard the filthy one address him.
“Your cage will be of Fathers design, and it will never be broken.” Raphael replied as he turned to look at them all. As he looked at Michael he immediately knew his brother was planning to end it here. The knowledge dawned on him like an anvil smashing against his heart. No, he couldn’t do this, it would ruin everything.
“Michael, you helped me secure Azazel here, I will need your help on the south point of the Mountain. Uriel, you take the west. Since Gabriel isn’t here, the toothless one will have to take the east point.”
“Ahhh just like good old days, hey brothers.” No-one replied as they moved into position around the towering mountain sitting above the true cage of Azazel. Raphael knew why they hadn’t called for Gabriel, Michael wanted Satanael busy and drained of energy before they attacked.
Raphael felt the resonating pulse of barriers thousands of years old. Barriers he had erected to imprison the ancient demon for eternity. They were weaker than the last time he had been here to check on them. Soon it would be possible to destroy them from the inside out. He felt his brothers settle as they found their places. The sands swirling around him suddenly gushed out as a wave of power struck against the mountain with a mighty roar as if an invisible implosion thundered through the mountain. A wave of dirt and lifted dust flowed out from the centre of the Mountain spewing sulphur all around them. He could hear the screams of his brothers as they opened their souls and sent more of their strength towards the centre of Syramidian for him to direct.
Raphael opened his soul and travelled the length of his power to the centre of the cage. He felt Azazel pounding against the barriers with such brute strength that they bent against the impact crumbling stone and compacted clay around him. Raphael began his dance, weaving strands of energy through the mountain between the flowing veins of the earth to reach the sanctified links that held the barriers tightly around the demon.
It was proving far more challenging with Satanael’s energy, it burned his soul at the touch, and he couldn’t direct it to flow into any of the sanctified locks lest it set off the traps that would cast his soul inside the cage. He did however use the energy to help brutally weaken the barriers through sheer force. He was surprised by his power, the more he used the more Satanael delivered, it was if it were never ending supply of raw strength, it frightened him.
He considered for a moment, helping Michael in his plans to end it all now while the filth was distracted. Then Le’theril entered his thoughts, her beautiful flowing red hair cascading down her back, her golden brown eyes glancing at him with a smile. No, he couldn’t turn his back on her.
His soul was flowing with power. He was drowning in all the glory of four powerful beings. Raphael danced faster and faster, weaving energy at a speed he could barely maintain, he could feel Azazel growing more and more intense until finally he realised he could hear the Goat demon screaming in triumph.
Raphael shrank back into his body as he gathered up the remaining energy inside himself lest anyone use it against him. His soul returned to his body just in time to see the mountain erupt and sunder. Pieces of stone were hurled across the plains as a mushroom cloud of dirt and dust filled the air, covering the land once again in a murky shadow.
“He’s free!” He heard Uriel cry out what each of them already knew.
“Now!” He heard Michael signal with a mighty roar. This was it, he had to stop him. Raphael felt the multitude of angels that Michael had been preparing. They surrounded the mountain on all sides, covering the land in a sea of angelic warriors. Raphael wasn’t surprised as he estimated Michael had brought his whole choir to battle.
Azazel burst free from the destroyed mountain to land on the eastern side, closest to Satanael. At least the beast had some brains Raphael thought to himself. It was hard to see amongst the dirt cloud that hung in the air, but Raphael could tel Azazel’s powerful body hadn’t diminished, his hooved legs seemed large and thick, equalling his humanoid torso with rippled muscle covered in mangy hair that spilled down his back from his head. Azazel’s horns had grown and curled in vertical spirals a few more times than before. The ends of his horns now towered over his goat shaped head like a giant oversized crown.
“Freedom at last!” He heard the beast cry out as he stretched from one side to the other, ignoring the battle cries of thousands of angelic warriors.
Raphael gathered the energy he had saved from his efforts before and wrapped a shield around the two demons. Sanctified arrows struck against the solid barrier and burnt away, their energy being stripped and added to the shield. He felt Michael’s sword slash through the wall, yet it wasn’t enough to get through as the barrier quickly mended itself.
“Raphael! What are you doing! Let us finish this war now!”Michael’s demands were like a small child’s whisper against the torrent of fire Raphael was trying to maintain. He manipulated every source of energy around him, constantly strengthening the barrier against Michael’s choir of war ready angels.
He could feel his soul burning with the dark energy the two demons had begun to channel into the barrier, realising that this may be their only salvation. Uriel must have noticed the dark energy too as Raphael felt his brother’s unique healing touch against his body. It was just enough to bring some of his conscience back.
“Thank you” he whispered as he felt Uriel’s hand against his heart, spreading his healing soul within his body.
“Do you realise what you’re doing Raphael? Michael will not forgive you for this.” Uriel replied with a deep concern that filled his voice and brought a tear to Raphael’s eye.
“He wouldn’t have succeeded anyway and thousands would die for his impatience.” Raphael clenched in pain as he felt Michael hammer against the barrier with all his might, cracking the shield and nearly shattering it entirely.
“Thousands die? Or one?” Uriel replied, and Raphael’s heart lurched in his chest. His brother knew, when? Was it from what Satanael had said earlier? No, he must have suspected before then, no one would listen to that foul mouthed monster. When Raphael could not reply, Uriel smiled, although his face was filled with sorrow.
Raphael watched as he shimmered to the barrier that still contained the two demonic leaders. He saw Uriel reveal an emerald coloured gem, before shattering it in his fist, a burst of bright green light sparked through the sky and descended upon him. The light flooded his body, his brother let out an ear piercing scream as the golden green light burst forth from every orifice blinding all who had looked to him. A deafening roar filled the skies as Raphael felt his shield penetrated from a strike from Uriel’s right hand, his brother still screaming as everything inside the barrier became flooded with the mysterious emerald light.
Within moments, it was over. Uriel dropped to a crouch, trying to keep himself from passing out. Raphael saw the light disappear and with it, Satanael and Azazel were gone. A flood of pain and fatigue flooded his every fibre as he fell to his knees. He felt a hand rip at his short, dark brown hair as he lifted into the air, suddenly staring into Michael’s furious glare.
“What did you do Raphael? Where are they?” He demanded as he shook him back and forth. Raphael had no strength to fight back, and even if he did, he had no right. He had purposely opposed Michael and his wishes. Perhaps even the wishes of Father as he recalled the Son’s instructions.
“Where are they?” Michael pushed again.
“I don’t know, we wouldn’t have won Michael, you would have lost.” He replied desperately wanting to be let down.
“I never lose! I would never lose to that snake!” He replied as he tossed him to the ground, the earth shuddering around the impact. Uriel suddenly shimmered beside him and helped Rapahel to his feet again.
“Stop it Michael, Raphael might be right. He would know better than us after all that’s happened. I sent them both back to Earth, they’re out of our reach, for now.” Michael glared at Uriel before shimmering away. His choir left too, none willing to bear witness to anything between two troubled Archangels.
“Thank you,” Raphael said again.
“You’re welcome, but brother, don’t make the same mistake as the Grigori, and don’t forget whose side you’re on.” Raphael nodded his agreement, yet in his heart, he knew it was too late.