Fallen Angel

Chapter 39.1

The Horsemen's corruption had not yet reached the fair city of Paris, but enough had happened in other parts of France for the Parisiens to understand that it was no time to frolic about. Anyone who remained outside hurried indoors, afraid of the ominous eclipse that blotted out the sun. The streets went quiet. The restaurants, caffées, and shops were closed. And the Musée d'Orsay, usually bustling with tourists, now stood like an eerie crypt for the treasures inside. 

Gabriël, Anne, and Thomas made their way through the silent halls of the museum. When they found the plaster cast of La Porte de l'Enfer, they gave each other a look as if to say, 'last chance to back down.' But neither the Nephilim nor the Archangel intended to abandon their mission.
Equipped with a temporary (hookless) model of Da Vinci's prosthetic, Thomas set to work, reciting the incantation to open the gateway to the Circles. Gabriël saw Anne eyeing Thomas with concern when he grimaced as his magic took effect. The stress and trauma his body endured had taken a heavy toll on him, but the mage had already proven he possessed an immense will-power.
After just a few minutes, the plaster door creaked open, revealing the swirling vortex which would lead them into the heart of the Circles. Thomas trembled on his knees but stayed upright as he caught his breath. He turned to Gabriël.

"Anything?"

The Archangel looked up through the window vault above them and shook his head. If they had any hope of seeing this through, they needed the Circles to be virtually empty. They needed as many demons and beasts to take Lucifer's bait and get transported to Megiddo, where Michael awaited to spring the trap. As soon as the fighting began, Peter would let them know.
Gabriël squinted his eyes, searching the black sky again. Suddenly, he saw a great majestic stork flying overhead. This was it. Peter's sign — the fisherman's blessing.

"Now or never," he said.

Gabriël plunged into the vortex, Anne and Thomas jumping in after him. When their feet touched the ground, they drew their weapons, ready to defend themselves. But the room they'd landed in was empty — and completely wrecked.

"Wow, Tepes wasn't kidding," said Thomas. "Look at this mess. No wonder nobody else found this thing before."

Gabriël glimpsed back at the cracked mirror they had just passed through, seeing the rippling after-wave of the vortex as it closed. No going back then.

Anne moved toward a small window and said, "Your plan worked, Gabriël. There are barely any demons left out here."

"It's not out there that worries me," he spoke grimly. "Portals from the outside can't reach within the palace walls, so we can't tell for sure how many are left in here. Hopefully, we can get to Ariëlle before anyone realises we're here. In and out."

"Sure." Thomas scoffed. "When are we ever that lucky?"

Gabriël made his way to the door and opened it a crack. The corridor outside was empty, faintly lit by torches. They waited a few more seconds before venturing into the hallway, Anne with her bow at the ready, and Gabriël and Thomas with their swords in hand.
Gabriël tried not to be impressed that the palace structure was frozen solid and somehow stayed up despite temperatures being hotter than a volcano in the surrounding area. Lucifer told them where to find the private chambers of those who lived within the palace, including his own, but he had advised them to go to the dungeons first since those were better defensible. The thought of his baby girl lying somewhere in a dreary, murky dungeon made Gabriël's blood boil. But there was no time to act rashly. Too much depended on this.
Further down they climbed, into the lower levels of the palace. But to their consternation, the dungeon was nothing like Lucifer and Tepes had described. The cells were scattered everywhere, embedded in walls, the ceiling, the floor... Some had stairs leading to them; others were practically unreachable. Either Lilith and Samael had decided to redecorate, or... they were expecting someone to drop in unannounced.