The Awakener

by Amanda Strong

  Micah cleared his throat. “Let me begin by telling you a little more about angels. Not all angels are guardians. There are different hierarchies, or ranks, within angels, with different powers. In the highest ranking, or first hierarchy, of angels there are Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. These angels have specific jobs to do for the Captain and are granted power and knowledge to do it. Sage is Seraphim. They’re the closest angels to God. Eden’s guardian is Cherubim. He’s actually the leader of the Cherubim. He called down the angels with the flaming swords earlier to protect us.” Eden glanced around, wishing Gabriel were visible.

  “Demons have an order too. Astaroth was a Prince of Thrones. I don’t want to spend too much time there, other than to point out that the Devil isn’t that creative, and uses the same titles for his leaders, or princes. So that gives you a little understanding of the position Astaroth held. He was one of the more powerful demons. The other black demons you saw are what they call their pawns, minions, or just plain demons. They aren’t that lethal.” Micah paused, hearing the sounds of disagreement. “Unless there are a lot of them, like there were today. If there’s no end to their supply, even the most powerful of angels can fail. You all saw the hooded demons, right? Those were Astaroth’s Elite guard. Only princes of the first hierarchy have them. Anyways, enough on that, let’s get back to angels. So, we have the first level with Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones. Then there’s a second and third level; most of your guardians are angels from the third level. Some are ranked higher, like Sage and Gabriel.”

  “What’s a Throne?” Andrew asked. “You talked about Seraphim and Cherubim, but not Thrones.”

  “To tell you the truth, Andrew, I’m not one-hundred percent sure exactly who or what they are. In the Book of Enoch, he referred to them as the ‘many eyed-ones’. They’re portrayed as wheels conjoined, covered in eyes, in the Bible. Their primary purpose is to carry the Captain’s chariot. They see everything and they move the Captain’s plan forward. I’m not sure how exactly.”

  “Wheels with eyes… sorry I asked,” Andrew mumbled.

  Micah chuckled. “Well, it may be figurative. Cherubim are said to be part man, ox, lion, and eagle. Looking at Eden’s guardian, I can picture how his feet are like an ox, totally immovable, his body’s a lion, fierce in battle, and his eyes are eagles, missing nothing.”

  “That’s really cool,” Willow said, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. Eden wondered if she was cold or just got goose bumps.

  “I want to tell you about another group of angels. They’re angels from the second hierarchy. They’re the Watchers.” For some reason, now Eden’s body was covered in goose bumps too. “The Watchers are a group of angels given heavenly knowledge and power. During Enoch’s dad’s time, a group of these Watchers decided they wanted to be with mortal women. Angels are forbidden from having,” he hesitated, “human relationships with mortals, let’s just say. The Watchers knew they’d be cast out of heaven forever, if they did, but Semjaza convinced them to swear an oath to each other that they’d go down together and do whatever they wanted. So Semjaza, and two hundred other Watchers, made the pact, and came to earth, marrying mortal women and having children.

  “Now this isn’t like in the books where an angel falls from heaven for a hot girl. These angels knew they were banned from Heaven, and they wanted man to be miserable like they were. They used their power for evil. They taught mortals forbidden arts of enchantments and divination, sorcery and astrology, and one of the leaders, Azazel, taught them the art of war. He showed them how to forge weapons: swords, knives, breastplates, and shields.

  “The angel’s offspring grew to be giants that consumed everything. When the food and wildlife was gone, the giants began hunting down men, eating their flesh and drinking their blood.” Micah paused, peering at the group. “This is what Enoch was born into. When he was old enough, he went into hiding to stay safe, from not only the giants, but also the fallen Watchers. Enoch was lifted up to speak with holy angels a lot. As you can probably guess, people were praying pretty hard to be spared from the monsters. Well, another group of angels heard their cries. They’re known as the Holies. They’re angels from the first hierarchy. They’re basically next in command after the Captain. In this room, on these pillars, are the names of the seven Holies.” Micah turned to Trent. “Want to read them now?”

  “Yeah.” Trent pointed to the granite column in the point of the heptagon. “This one says Michael; he’s over the best part of mankind and over chaos.”

  Chaos? Eden didn’t have time to ask what that meant, for Trent was moving to the next pillar. “Raphael, over the spirits of men.” Trent moved swiftly to the next. “Raguel, who takes vengeance on the world of luminaries. Remiel, the holy angel who’s set over those who rise. Saraqael, over spirits who sin in the spirit.”

  They were looping back around the room as Andrew muttered under his breath, “Are we supposed to remember any of this?”

  Caitlyn shrugged. “Let’s hope there’s not a pop quiz when he’s done.”

  Andrew laughed quietly as Trent continued, “Uriel, the holy angel who was set over the earth and Tartarus.”

  “Tartarus?” Damon cut in.

  “The lowest level of Hell. The place prepared for the vilest and most evil of sinners,” Micah answered, peering at Damon. Eden was pretty sure Damon’s brow was permanently bent down by now.

  I wonder if he’ll have a new wrinkle between his eyes when we leave this place, she mused.

  Trent interrupted her thoughts. “And finally, the last one’s Gabriel.” She did a one-eighty, facing Trent. Gabriel? My Gabriel? “He’s over Paradise, the serpents, and the Cherubim,” he finished.

  She felt a subtle, warm breeze behind her and turned to see Gabriel’s blue gray eyes gazing back at her.

  “You’re one of the Holies?” she gasped.

  He nodded once.

  “I had no idea—all this time. Why didn’t you tell me? Oh wait, I mean, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to—”

  “Eden,” Gabriel interrupted. “Calm down. It wasn’t necessary for you to know about me, who I am. Personally, I would’ve told you from the beginning. It’s not that important.”

  “Not important? You’re one of the Holies! Your name’s on a pillar!”

  Gabriel’s lips twitched.

  “What?” she asked. “Why do you look like you’re about to laugh at me?”

  “You’re right. My name is on a pillar.” Gabriel’s tone was bemused.

  Having his name on an ancient pillar’s probably the last thing Gabriel cares about. With a suck in of air, she covered her mouth with her hand. Memories flooded in. All the times she called him weird nicknames, trying to nettle him into saying his name. The times she complained to him about schoolwork, or a thousand other stupid, little things, and all the nights she cried to him about Micah not liking her. Her cheeks burned with shame.

  I even called him a cheater for not climbing through the tunnel with me! She was mortified. She glanced at him, meeting his steady gaze.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, his faint accent sounding more pronounced for some reason.

  She shook her head, aware her friends were gawking now, all except for Willow, who only had eyes for Damon.

  Gabriel stepped closer. “I’m sorry I laughed.”

  Taken back by his apology, she sputtered, “No, it’s not that at all. I’m the one that’s sorry. I’ve treated you like my own personal diary for the past year. I’m so embarrassed.”

  Gabriel’s shoulders relaxed. “Oh that. Don’t worry, Eden. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

  “Really?”

  He grinned. “Guarding you has been some of my most enjoyable and entertaining years. You shouldn’t be ashamed of who you are.”

  Her heart squeezed. “Thank you.”

  His smile reached his eyes. It didn’t help her pathetic attempt to control her emotions; her eyes welled. Not wanting to
make a scene, she took a deep breath.

  Trent cut in, “Don’t want to interrupt anything here, but are we ready to move on? I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to get to vault nine.”

  Micah glanced at Eden and she nodded back at him. “I’m good. Sorry.”

  Damon went to work revealing the next hatch. When Gabriel took a step forward, Eden grabbed his arm. “Do you have to leave again?”

  He turned and gazed down at her. “I’ll stay for the rest. Now catch up.”