My brothers and sisters will be here any minute. I don’t know how to tell them about last night’s events. Some guardian I am. Everything happened so quickly. Why didn’t I take her down the second she walked out? Her demon followed shortly after but she was defenseless! It should have been easy.
The heat was so intense, although that could be attributed to all of the lost souls partying in the building below. Heat does rise. Uriel said the demon was bringing her here tonight but I must have just missed them.
I leaned up against the building, trying to decide what to do next. That’s when the door flew open. I couldn’t believe it was her. She looked to be running from someone but I couldn’t see anything from here. She turned around and I was stunned. How could all these years have passed and she still look so beautiful? She was frightened. I could feel her powers pushing against me. It's a good thing I've got practice with her kind of magic."
“So I hear Sybil met Adam last night, yes? It is interesting that nothing more happened. Perhaps she will only continue to gain power at this point. It seems doubtful that her memories will come back on their own.” Raphael had dragged me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t heard the rest of them come in.
“She doesn’t remember anything, but it won’t be long until she figures the rest out.”
“You don’t know that. It could be like Raphael said; She’ll need help to remember. But what if she does receive all of her power back before then? You know as well as I, that would be disastrous. Although, I suppose it would be beneficial for you considering you don’t want to kill her; She’ll end up destroying herself.” Chamiel was right as always. If Sybil gained all she was meant to possess in power, as a fully grown adult with no knowledge of how to harness it, she would destroy herself.
“What I want is not what matters.”
“Please Michael, you can hide many things from us, but when it comes to matters of the heart there is nothing you can keep from me. You’re lucky Lucifer fought back last time, otherwise she’d be dead and you’d hate yourself.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it,” Uriel snarled. “This has only prolonged the prophecy. Lucifer is a constant pain in our sides. Now his spawn is out there and even more dangerous than before. At least the first time around she had sense enough to control herself.”
I turned away from them all. The conversation was always the same. The prophecy was thwarted by Lucifer but it didn’t mean it had been prevented. Now we spend our time arguing about when it will all happen. We’ve been divided as to how she would now complete her part in the prophecy; how once more, she will face me. And this time I cannot fail.
Gabriel put his hand on my shoulder. “Oh Michael, please cheer up. You’re only upset because she doesn’t remember you.”
And there it was; the truth.
“How am I supposed to cheer up? She doesn’t know me.” I pushed his hand off of me.
“She doesn’t remember you. That is completely different.” Jophiel turned me.
“She doesn’t know who I am. She looked into Adam last night and Saw. She could feel the connection but nothing more.”
“You let her use the sight? Why?” Uriel was rarely surprised.
“I wasn’t thinking. She was just there and I hadn’t been that close to her since the night she was taken. I was slow and off my guard. It won’t happen again.”
Cham was laughing at me now.
“And what is so funny?”
“Michael, you are in love with the girl. Love makes you a fool. You will never kill her, brother. You should make peace with that now and let someone else handle her before everything gets out of hand.” Again hung in the air unsaid.
“Your word is not over Father’s and you shall not presume to know my actions.” I drew my sword, ready for a fight. My emotions were getting out of control. They all knew I was overreacting. But Uriel was cautious in these situations. He was great at predictions but only because he took every possibility into account, and there was at least one possibility that I would lose it one day and slaughter them all.
“Brother, do not forget that we all fit into his prophecy. If Cham says you do not slay her then you know it’s true. She sees the heart clearer than any of us”
“Father said I would slay her and begin The End. There is no getting around that!”
Zadkiel whispered, “Father didn’t say exactly those words and you know it. He always leaves a loophole of some sort. The loophole allows for free will, Michael. The prophecy will fulfill itself but it is never so black and white.” The higher the stakes, the more soft spoken he would become. I’ve learned to gauge the graveness of a situation based on his volume alone over the years.
“Perhaps. But until then we must prepare. The time will be upon us soon.”
“You really don’t see it do you? I cannot help you until you’re ready to help yourself. I must go back to my post now.” Jophiel left us.
They all departed shortly after her but, of course, Chamiel had waited behind.
“Michael, do not hate yourself for loving her. You know father enjoys his trials and it is silly to think we would be spared. Follow your heart and the rest will come easy.”
“How do I know that is the right thing to do Cham? Everything is at risk.”
“Because I am the Angel of Love and Peace, you nitwit. Now go before Gabe comes back and gets you worked up again. He loves to tease you, you know.” She winked at me. Chamiel had a way of lightening the mood.
“I know he does. Thank you.”
