Caught in the Fire

Chapter XXX: Living in the Shadows

"Michael wasn't the only angel who fell that morning," Amenadiel had declared, and the room had fallen silent for what felt like an interminably long moment.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, worried about what Amenadiel was telling her about her friend, "Michael's a fallen angel?"

"Michael's fall was more of a metaphorical fall from grace. He once stood the tallest among all the angels in Heaven—taller than even me, God's firstborn, and His favorite son. And when you're that high up, you can imagine how hard a fall can be. I know, I was there."

***

Amenadiel was wandering around The Silver City, looking for Michael. It hadn't been that long since Samael's banishment and Michael's injury. Samael was gone, doomed to rule over the souls of the damned for the rest of eternity. The Flaming Sword had been destroyed, as well as the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life. The siblings who had joined Samael would not be punished, but they had a long road ahead of them to earn their Father's forgiveness. And Michael, who hadn't been the same since stopping his twin's rebellion, had just effectively banished Sandalphon—a staunch supporter of Samael's—from Heaven.

Amenadiel found Michael in one of the training rooms, trying to wield a steel sword left-handed as he sparred with one of their siblings, Uriel. "Michael, what happened with Sandalphon?"

"He assured me that if Samael had not stabbed me, he would have speared me himself. I told him that if he truly believes in Samael's cause, that I would be happy to break his wings and throw him out of Heaven so that he could burn in the lake of fire. He has flown off to some pocket dimension, never to return. Good riddance to that traitor." Uriel thrust his blade at him, and he tried to block his advance, but he ended up missing and getting hit in his injured shoulder. He cried out in agony and dropped the sword on the ground, then he grabbed at his shoulder, gritting his teeth in pain.

Uriel went to steady Michael before he fell over, but Michael rejected him. "You need to stop. You are still healing from..."

"I am fine!" he cried out, still clutching his shoulder in pain.

"First you punch me in the face, and now you have forced Sandalphon out of Heaven," Amenadiel said, "You are spiraling, brother."

"How do you expect me to react? My own twin brother stabbed me. I loved him, Amenadiel, and he stabbed me. Every time I look in the mirror, I see his face, and I remember what he did all over again. My siblings look at me, and all they see is the rebel who tried to set The Silver City ablaze and seat himself on the Throne of God. I have to share a face with him, Amenadiel!"

"You are not fine, Michael."

"I am fine." He picked up his sword, left-handed, and adopted a battle stance, still flinching from the shoulder pain. "Again." Uriel, however, hesitated. "Again!"

"Amenadiel." It was the voice of God, and the three angels knelt before His presence. "Cain has killed his brother. You will place My mark on him, dooming him to walk the Earth alone for a tortured eternity as punishment for killing his brother."

Michael looked at Amenadiel, then toward the voice of God. "Father, why are you sending Amenadiel and not me?" he asked, desperately, "I am Your Sword! It should be me punishing the wicked in Your name, not Amenadiel! Father, I have trained all my life for this!"

"Do not argue with Father," Amenadiel said.

"Stay out of this!" he roared at Amenadiel, and then he pushed himself back to his feet. "You cannot send Amenadiel!" he cried out, on the verge of tears, as Amenadiel tried to get him to stop, "You cannot allow Samael to take this from me! Father, please, I have worked too hard for too long only for You to cast me away!"