And will be done (Fields of the Nephilim: Volume 4)

Chapter 23

Gabriel headed straight towards St. Luke's chapel as he decided to just leave Amber Kojima alone. He wanted to talk to her and try to get her out of trouble as she has been his responsibility all along but he knew it would be tough. And Stellar too was there. He knew that Stellar wouldn't want her sister to be involved. He had already spoken with Stellar. The girl knew about things, she had confessed. She had told him about Lune though her memory of him seemed vague and she herself seemed unconvinced of the facts.

When Stellar told him about seeing the Silver Lights, Gabriel stopped. He knew then of what is going on. He is sure now that it isn't true that Angels has already given up in pursuing and getting in the way of those who have Fallen. He just couldn't see why it has to be Astarael. Maybe everything had just been out of their hands that the Cherubim or the Ophanim has already turned their backs on the situation. Besides, there has been so much blood then and they in fact don't see much fun in that as has been their true nature. With Astarael, it is safe to say that blood can be out of the question.

It wasn't long until he felt the sudden shaking of the ground. Then for some reason it was like he is being sucked up by something which is forcing him out of that dimension. The air itself appears to be coiling up against him, swallowing him whole. For a moment, Gabriel felt detached from the physical realm as the shaking continued. An earthquake?

Gabriel fell down to his knees as he tried to grope for the wall with shaking hands. These hands too seemed almost invisible though Gabriel knows they're still there. His eyes too has already started to dim until the whole interior of the chapel has become a swirl of gray and black.

Samael!

That name came to mind automatically as Gabriel was about to faint. Gabriel gritted his teeth by the thought of it as his life seemed to start becoming squeezed out of him.

Don't do this to me Samael!

He felt his madness surging. Since when has he thought of defying him? Since he had been devoted to Lune maybe? And yet he had been devoted to Samael and still feels the same way even as he curses his name.

Gabriel. Gabriel....

Gabriel was surprised. It has been so long since he had heard that voice. And for a while, his anger has vanished and what replaced it was the long time adoration he had felt for the owner of the voice.

Painfully, he tried to clear his head and fight back the darkness that continues to pull him under. He concentrated on his form once more as he tried to put himself back in the physical realm. To think that he'd be sucked up like this, then it is possible that Samael is not in control of himself, and yet he had finally awoken!

Samael, where are you?!

Finally, the swirl of gray and black has turned back into walls and ceiling and pew and altar. The interior of the chapel has become clear to him once more. The shaking of the ground still continues though it wasn't that strong anymore. As he regained his composure, Gabriel started to dash out of the chapel and back into the main halls of the hospital. It was then he realized that he could find no one around!

The halls were all quiet except for some beeping of equipments and machineries. The intercom too where announcements were being heard most of the time only gives out that static noise in the air. Gabriel couldn't hear any voices and he couldn't see a single person anywhere!

A barrier? But who? It can't be Samael!

Then he heard footsteps echoing. Light footsteps which seemed to be running in haste along the corridors. For a moment, he thought he saw a familiar gray skirt flaring then it was gone. Gabriel frowned. Hastily, he followed it until he reached the end of the left wing where he finally saw Stellar hunched in the corner. Her eyes looked blank and even as he tried to call her name she seemed not to listen.