The Devil Within

I Don't Want to Flirt With the Dead Guy Either

"Raphael, my Brother, what has gotten you so worked up?"

"I see you've finally noticed, Michael," Raphael said, annoyance in his tone.

"Do not use that tone with me."

"Careful, Michael," Raphael said, glancing up from the gathering of books surrounding him, "you're starting to sound like Father."

"Is it so wrong to run Heaven as he did all those years ago?" Michael asked, flying next to Raphael.

"It is when you fail to realize how it negatively affects your siblings," Raphael huffed as he shut all his books. "You have failed to notice that I've been on edge for the better two months."

You told Raphael about Chuck's Prophecy a month ago. During that month, Raphael spent most of his little free time buried in all of his books about the Prophets and the small percentage of people and creatures that escaped their fates. Raphael mentioned the two months were technically split up into two separated worried states. The first month was before you told Raphael about Chuck's Prophecy when he was practically worried sick about your mental health. Now, Raphael was worried about your physical health and wanted to change your future. Raphael was so paranoid that he would fly down to Chuck whenever he had a vision to see if he had seen you in his Prophecy again. I got to the point of Chuck immediately saying no the second Raphael appeared in his near vicinity. Yet, with all his knowledge and Grace, Michael failed to notice his brother's grievances when Raphael needed him.

"You could have contacted me," Michael sighed, partially scolding Raphael.

"I did," Raphael snapped, waving his books away. "All you care about is the Apocalypse and a battle that isn't guaranteed to bring Father or Gabriel back."

"Raphael," Michael started but Raphael didn't let him finish.

"You've lost sight of who and what you are," Raphael huffed, crossing his many sets of arms. "You aren't just Heaven's superior, Michael, you are also our brother and the Protector of the Innocent." Raphael paused and lowered his head. "You hate change yet you've changed so much in the last few months alone. What happened to you?"

"It's been Prophesized that I have to kill our brother," Michael explained after some hesitation. "I fear I'm going to freeze when the time comes and be unsuccessful."

"That Prophecy was told eons ago," Raphael said, summoning two very old scrolls. One was from a time before their Father left while the other was written by the very first Prophet, Adam after he and Eve were sent out of Eden. It was messy and in an old and very much dead language, but Raphael and Michael could easily decipher Adam's words. It roughly translated to The Great Protector shall vanquish the Snake of Eden once the Righteous Man is risen from Death. Not the most poetic Prophecy, but it was easy to understand. Lucifer was the Sanke of Eden all those years ago that got Adam and Eve banished from Eden and Michael was the Great Protector, though, his title has since changed to the Protector of the Innocent. Raphael opened both scrolls for the Archangels to investigate. "Fate can be changed, my Brother."

Michael recoiled at the sight of the second scroll and kept his eyes away from it. "Raphael, Father gave you that to guard. You can't show me the Secrets of the Prophets."

"Maybe I couldn't back then," Raphael said, carefully running his fingers along the delicate parchment. "But I need you to see it now."

"Why? What is so important?"

"Prophecies aren't set in stone when told over a week prior to the events," Raphael answered. "Fate can be changed if one tries to early enough."

"And what of the Fates?" Michael asked, glancing at Raphael. "Surely they don't agree with this."