An Archangel's Ache

by Leo E. Ndelle

  “Twice, madam,” Mazel replied.

  Eliel almost snickered but used his better judgment.

  “The first time, it was just a deep, powerful voice,” Mazel continued. “I was so confused and afraid that I said nothing. Then, the second time it called my name, a bolt of lightning struck in front of me! The bolt of lightning wrote my name on the ground, but it disappeared almost as soon as it appeared. That was when I answered!”

  Mazel’s confidence grew with every lying word she uttered.

  “And what was your answer?” Uriel asked.

  “I said, ‘Here I am, Father!’” Mazel replied.

  “Did you do anything else after that?” Uriel asked.

  Mazel seemed confused by Uriel’s statement.

  “No, I did not, madam,” Mazel replied.

  Her reply was heavy with self-doubt as she wondered if she had just given Uriel the right answer.

  “Did anything else happen after that?” Uriel asked.

  “No, madam,” Mazel replied.

  A streak of light danced around her left index finger as Uriel scribbled some notes on the tablet pad in front of her. As she wrote, Beliel walked in and waited by the door.

  “Thank you, Mazel,” Uriel said flatly, without taking her eyes off the tablet pad. “Beliel will see you out.”

  “Thank you, madam,” Mazel replied. “Is everything alright, madam?” she asked as she stood up.

  “Yes, Mazel,” Uriel replied and turned an expressionless face towards Mazel. “Everything is perfect.”

  Mazel grinned happily as she turned around and headed for the door. She misunderstood Uriel’s answer for a compliment. But Beliel had been with Uriel too long to know that Mazel would not even gain admission into Uriel’s school of stewardship. Uriel walked over to Eliel and Eliel rose to his feet. She extended her hand and Eliel shook it. She studied him briefly, still holding his hand in hers and nodded.

  “What do you think?” Uriel asked as she released his hand.

  “About what, madam?” Eliel asked.

  “Mazel’s story,” Uriel replied.

  “She made it up,” Eliel answered bluntly.

  “I agree. Come!” Uriel said and walked away from Eliel.

  Eliel followed her. She walked towards the wall with all the angelic tablets and walked right through it. Eliel smiled at the realization that the wall was just an optical illusion. He followed Uriel. They stepped into another part of the domain and Eliel could tell instantly that this was Uriel’s private quarters. A throne-like seat was visible on the far left-hand corner of the domain and, on the other walls, were several ancient, encrypted angelic glyphs that were impossible for Eliel to translate. Eliel let his eyes feast freely.

  “You must love your research, madam,” Eliel said.

  “I wonder what gave it away,” Uriel replied wryly.

  “May I ask what motivates you thus, madam?”

  Uriel was silent. Then suddenly, her wristband glowed brightly. She floated up in the air, opened her arms and spread her wings as they manifested on her shoulder blades. Many glyphs of light suddenly shone brightly on all four walls of the chamber, activated by the unique signature of Uriel’s manifested wings. These glyphs of light peeled off the walls and coalesced in front of her. She then breathed on to the coalesced glyphs and an angelic tablet formed from the air. The coalesced glyphs hovered above the tablet before disappearing in it. Uriel then retracted her wings, took the tablet in her hands and gently floated back to the ground as her wristband dimmed to regular radiance. When her feet touched the floor, she walked towards Eliel, clutching the tablet lightly on her chest, as her wings disappeared from her shoulder blades.

  “This is why I have been doing so much research,” Uriel said and handed the tablet over to Eliel.

  Eliel hesitated before taking the tablet from Uriel. He did not read the glyphs, though.

  “It’s alright, Eliel,” she encouraged him. “You’re allowed to read it. You’re special.”

  “I’ve heard this so many times now and I still don’t know why,” Eliel said with frustration.

  “Maybe if you read the tablet, then you would understand why,” Uriel replied kindly.

  Eliel started reading. Suddenly, his head snapped upwards and he stared at Uriel in shock.

  “Is this The Prophecy?” Eliel asked.

  “The third one, yes,” Uriel replied calmly. “The fact that you can even read it speaks to how special you are. Only Michael’s inner circle have learned the language in which this prophecy was written. Yet, YOU can read it, Eliel, even without being taught this secret language.”

  She paused for a moment to let Eliel appreciate the implications. Eliel’s shoulders slumped in resignation. Denial was pointless.

  A chair formed from the floor to accommodate him, summoned by Uriel. As Eliel continued reading, Uriel took a seat directly opposite from him in a chair she also summoned out of the floor. She observed him keenly as he read the tablet. She noticed the changes around him; like the brief flashes of the wristbands that appeared and disappeared on not just one, but both his wrists; just like the flames in his eyes, flaming garment and two flaming swords revolving around him. But Eliel did not notice them. The most undeniable confirmation came in the form of two glassy eyes that formed above the crown of his head. When Uriel saw this, she gasped, causing Eliel to jerk his head upward and look at her. He saw the expression of shock and awe on Uriel’s face and was concerned.

  “What is it, madam?” Eliel asked.

  “You ARE The One!” Uriel exclaimed, lowering her hand from her mouth. “By the entire angelic host, you truly are The One!”

  Uriel sprang from her chair and paced back and forth. Eliel looked at her and said nothing at first. Finally, to break the silence and to not seem too impolite to ask her to sit down because her constant pacing was starting to irritate him, Eliel asked her a question instead. She picked up his intent and returned to her seat and flexed her shoulders.

  “So, madam,” Eliel began, “I know you did not write this prophecy and that you’re taking serious precautions to hide it. My first question is, how did you come to be in possession of this prophecy and my second question is who wrote it?”

  “The answer to your first question is that Michael gave me the prophecy to keep it safe and to eliminate any conflict of interest as you may have seen why,” Uriel replied. “The answer to your second question is that it was transcribed by Malichiel, who was an inner circle member.”

  “Was?” Eliel asked.

  “Yes, was,” Uriel replied. “He was a major part of the rebellion and now lives in Hell Realm..”

  “That means Hell also knows about this prophecy,” Eliel said. “I might as well be labeled ‘most wanted’.”

  “You’re too important to be killed, Eliel,” Uriel assured him. “Their best bet is to hope you turn because if you turn, you will make everything so much easier for them.”

  “Excellent!” Eliel replied with mock excitement. “They may as well just give up because there is no way in Celestia I’m turning!”

  “That’s very reassuring, Eliel,” Uriel said, barely able to contain her relief at Eliel’s resolve. “However, there’s no telling what can happen during a fall.”

  “I see,” Eliel replied and heaved his shoulders.

  “That’s also one of the reasons why you’re here,” Uriel explained. “Michael sent you here so that I can prep you for your fall. Firstly, I had to confirm, beyond a doubt, that you’re The One. Secondly, I had to help you understand that you are indeed The One. Thirdly, you had to accept this status of your own free will. Only then can I get you ready for your fall. And finally, you have to fall. Unfortunately, there’s no escaping that. It is what it is. Whatever happens after your fall will solely be up to you. But know this, whatever decisions you make will be a defining moment for our realm. Do you understand, Eliel?”

  “Yes, I do, madam,” Eliel replied, almost to himself.

  “Does th
at mean you accept the mantle of The One?” Uriel asked.

  “Yes, I do,” he replied, again almost to himself. “And I accept of my own free will.”

  “Thank you, Eliel!” Uriel said heaving her shoulders in relief.

  Eliel started to realize just how important the situation was for Uriel to be this relieved.

  “Now, on to the next phase!” Uriel said and adjusted her form in her seat. “What do you know about falling?”

  “Nothing, really,” Eliel replied, trying to remember what Gahel told him. “Only that when angels fall, they suffer from amnesia.”

  “Yes, amnesia is one of the side-effects,” Uriel confirmed. “But even though there’s amnesia, there’s a part of us that never forgets. It just gets buried in one’s subconscious and sometimes, they manifest as instincts, strong inclinations among other things. For example, if you had a strong desire for singing in your present state, then, when you fall, even though you would have amnesia, you would have a strong affinity for music, and certain types of music could help trigger certain memories for you.”

  Eliel nodded as Uriel spoke.

  “So, I should hold on to something?” Eliel asked.

  “Right,” she confirmed. “But let it be linked to something about your identity as an angel; and better yet, your role as The One. It may be very hard, but if you follow your instincts, they will never lead you astray.”

  “I shall try, madam,” Eliel’s replied and heaved his shoulders.

  He was emotionally and mentally exhausted.

  “There’s something else you should know,” Uriel said and stood up.

  She floated to the wall on the right and wrote on it with her left index finger. Golden glyphs traced the path where her finger touched the wall. These glyphs then converged to a tiny dot on the wall, which in turn spread to a thin line. A tablet slid outwards from this thin line, and Uriel took the tablet in her hands. She floated back to her seat and swapped it for the other tablet in Eliel’s hands. Eliel read the tablet over and over and shook his head in dismay and despair.

  “Keeps getting better, doesn’t it?” Eliel asked rhetorically.

  “I’m sorry, Eliel,” Uriel said sympathetically. “I mean, I know it’s not my fault, but I feel your burden regardless. We call the tablet in your hand ‘The Book for the Fallen.’ I transcribed it after the Great Rebellion.”

  “Wait!” Eliel snapped. “YOU transcribed this?”

  “I did,” Uriel affirmed. “I took over Malichiel’s duty as transcriber to The Logos after the Great Rebellion. Hence why Michael entrusted me with the prophecy. After the rebellion, it was concluded that certain rules ought to be put in place concerning falling.”

  Uriel gestured at the tablet in Eliel’s hand. Eliel nodded weakly. He read and re-read The Book for the Fallen before swapping tablets again. He read and re-read the prophecy as if he was trying to engrave it in his conscious memory. As he read, he kept repeating the phrase ‘I am The One’ in his mind over and over. Suddenly, three glyphs lit up and floated from the tablet. They raced towards his face and buried themselves into his vision. He jerked his head backward and looked at Uriel. Eliel wondered if she saw what just happened. But the look on her face was one of surprise at his sudden reaction.

  “What is it, Eliel?” she asked.

  “Uh, nothing, madam,” Eliel said. “I just thought… It’s nothing.”

  “No, tell me, please,” Uriel insisted.

  Eliel told her and brushed it off once again as nothing.

  “You’re right, it’s probably nothing,” Uriel agreed.

  Uriel let him stare at the tablet some more. She was grateful that Eliel did not pick up on the fact that she said “… it was concluded…”, when she was referring to The Book for the Fallen. Finally, she asked him the question he was almost hoping she would never ask.

  “Are you ready, Eliel?”

  “As ready as I can be, madam,” Eliel replied with resignation.

  Uriel extended her hand, and he returned the tablet to her. She then floated in the air towards the right wall and wrote some glyphs with her index finger on the wall. The glyphs glowed, fused to a single dot and spread into a thin line. She placed The Book for the Fallen along the line. Then, Uriel floated to the middle of the room and summoned her wings. She opened her arms and spread out her manifested wings as her wristband started glowing. The Book for the Fallen disappeared into the thin line in the wall and the golden glyphs on the tablet spread everywhere and blended with the many encrypted glyphs on the walls. Uriel then folded her wings and let her arms fall to her sides. She then floated back to the floor as her wristband dimmed to its regular glow and her wings dematerialized.

  “Do you have any friends you’d like to say goodbye to before we head out?” Uriel asked.

  “I don’t think it would be necessary,” Eliel replied. “I’m hoping to be back real soon.”

  “I do admire your strength of mind and spirit, Eliel,” she said and gestured towards the door. “Your fall awaits!”

  Uriel smiled, and he returned her smile as they both teleported to where every angel and archangel went to fall: The Edge.

  Beliel waited for a moment before she switched to sub-angelic frequency. The Scribe had taught them well. Raphael’s sniff test had not yet detected that she was a mole for Hell Realm. Score one for her. She had to hand it to Raphael, though. He was head of counter-intelligence for a reason, and it was not solely because he was ruthless. Anyway, back to the task at hand, she reminded herself.

  “I hope you have some good news for me, Beliel,” Kazuk’s voice came to her, flat and annoyed, as if he was already resigned to hear about another dead end.

  “Indeed, I do, your highness.” There was no hiding the excitement in her voice. Finally, her role in all this had come to fruition. “The One has been identified!”

  There was silence and Beliel was not sure if Kazuk had heard her.

  “Your highness?” Beliel called again.

  “I heard you!” Kazuk’s voice bellowed, but this time Beliel heard something else underneath it. Hope? Fear? “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, your highness,” Beliel affirmed. “He’s with Uriel at The Edge as we speak.”

  “Good job, Beliel! This is great news indeed!”

  Beliel beamed at the compliment.

  “Thank you, your highness! I’ll keep you apprised!”

  Kazuk terminated the sub-angelic link.. Beliel’s news meant the plan had to be completely revised. He smiled mischievously as his mind immediately went to work on a new strategic plan.

  Uriel and Eliel walked along the hallway leading to The Edge. A thousand and one thoughts raced through Eliel’s mind, and when these thoughts were becoming a little too overwhelming, he shut them out. He decided to just focus on his mantra.

  “You really were going to just leave without saying goodbye!” A familiar voice called out.

  Eliel smiled, shook his head before turning around to face the two grinning faces of his colleagues.

  “Hey, you two,” he said in a voice that was heavy with emotion and hugged Gahel and Farel.

  “I was so worried for you, El,” Farel said. “The way you suddenly vanished and a new guy immediately showing up to take your place. I thought something really bad had happened to you.”

  “And that’s when I told her that the coolest thing had just happened to you,” Gahel chimed in with pride. “Look at you, El! Like the creatures of Earth Realm would say, you’re a freaking rock star!” he added, slapping Eliel on the shoulder.

  “I’ll be flapped! What happened to your wings, El?!!” Gahel asked with his eyes bulging at the realization of the Eliel’s new status.

  “Flap me sideways!” Farel exclaimed. “Just like that and you’re a flapping archy? I can’t believe my eyes. Oh, El! I’m so proud, and jealous, of you!”

  Eliel leveled a gaze of gratitude at his friends.

  “I am glad to see you two again,” Eliel said, trying to stay modest but f
ailing woefully. “It really means a lot to me. And how did you two get here in the first place?”

  “Uriel summoned us here,” Farel replied with ecstasy.

  “And you finally get your wish,” Eliel said, patting her on the shoulder.

  Farel flapped her wings several times in excitement.

  “Oh, you have no idea, El,” she started saying and realized what she had just said.

  The three of them burst out laughing.

  “I don’t mean to break up your reunion, younglings,” Uriel said, smiling warmly. “But Eliel has to go now!”

  The three of them embraced one another in a group hug and both Farel and Gahel wished Eliel the best of luck before they returned to their assignments. Uriel and Eliel continued onwards. When they stepped into the platform on The Edge, Eliel was pleasantly surprised to see Michael standing there waiting for him.

  “Sir…” he started saying but could not find more words to say.

  “I thought I’d give you some encouragement before your big moment,” Michael said with a smile.

  The archangel supreme was still as impressive as ever, even though Eliel had just beaten him in one-on-one combat. Eliel wondered how Gahel and Farel would have reacted if they saw Michael. The thought of their reaction made him chuckle.

  “Thank you so much, sir,” Eliel said, and Michael nodded.

  They shook hands, and Eliel turned around to face Uriel. She smiled and squeezed his left shoulder. Then, she took his head in her hands and kissed him on the forehead as a loving mother would to her child. Her gesture gave Eliel great comfort, and the gratitude in his eyes was more than he could express in words. She understood. With all the support he had just received, there was no way he was going to fail his brothers and sisters, he hoped.

  Eliel held on to these last moments with every fiber of his angelic being. He held on to his new status. He held on to the vows he took as an angel. He held on to the fact the Celestia was his home and nowhere else. He held on and held on with each step he took towards The Edge. Then he remembered a poem he had read during one of his assignments. He had wondered then how a creature from such a lowly realm could possess such knowledge of angels in the first place. Maybe that creature was a fallen angel, after all! It was his favorite poem, maybe because it talked about home. He recited the poem from memory as he stood at The Edge.