The Starmaker & The Raven

Prologue

In the beginning, there was a garden. At the eastern gate of this garden stood an angel. This angel was originally assigned to create and watch over the stars, but recently there was a huge layoff and some angels had to be reassigned. Guard duty was no fun at all, the starmaker soon realized, except at night when he could see the beautiful stars they created. While they did love being among the stars, the view of them from Earth was incredible. After some time, the starmaker got used to his new position as Guardian of the Eastern Gate...as long as they could view their stars, he had no complaints.

On this particular afternoon, though, they looked somberly to the sky, watching dark clouds roll in. It looked like it was about to rain, which would be a first for Earth. The starmaker turned guardian wondered if all this business with Adam and Eve eating the fruit and getting kicked out of the garden was his fault. Surely it can't be all his fault, right? It's not like they're the only angel guarding Eden. If there's a guardian of the eastern gate, mustn't there also be guardians of the north, south, and west as well? If that is the case then why does it feel like he's the one responsible?

To his left, the angel heard the flapping of small wings.

"Well, that was an unfortunate turn of events, wouldn't you agree?" a raven had said after turning human-shaped, with dark black wings spreading out behind his back.

"Hmmm, yes, I suppose so." the angel hummed in agreement.

The angel knew that the being next to them was a demon, and he knew that part of his job was to smite demons. But the starmaker didn't really feel like smiting right now. Who would he have to talk to in this moment if he did so?

"I'm not sure if this is fair." the angel sighed, watching Adam and Eve walk out into an unknown and dangerous new world.

"What's not fair....umm...?" the demon asked, looking to the angel for their name.

"Caelumiel." Caelumiel introduced himself.

"And you?" he asked the demon.

"Aziraphale." Aziraphale introduce himself.

Aziraphale? Something about that seemed familiar to Caelumiel. But they just couldn't get the pieces to click together, so he filed it away for later pondering.

"So, Caelumiel, dear, what is it that you think is unfair?" Aziraphale asked.

"This! Why are they being punished for making one mistake? Can't we just forgive them? Forgiveness is a good thing, isn't it? And why can't they know the difference between right and wrong? How can they avoid doing wrong things if they don't know what the wrong things are?" Caelumiel answered, asking a list of frantic questions.

"Careful, dear. An angel can get into terrible trouble for asking the wrong questions...or any question, really." Aziraphale warned him.

"But...aren't you supposed to encourage rule breaking? You are a demon after all." Caelumiel replied, asking yet another question.

"For humans, yes. I was told to come up here and make some trouble by tempting the humans. And I did. Because I do what I'm told." Aziraphale explained.

When Hell gave him the assignment, he was handed a snake to take with him. Aziraphale used the snake to entice Eve to eat the fruit. While the snake did most of the dirty work, the demon sat, in raven form, perched on a tree branch. The raven watched as Eve did as the snake told her, and watched as she then gave Adam the fruit, condemning them both.

"And you should do the same." Aziraphale firmly told the angel.

"I probably should, yes. But, if I were to do everything I'm told, that would mean that I would have to smite you right now." Caelumiel said, clasping his hands together behind their back.

Aziraphale flinches, suddenly regretting underestimating the angel next to him, and also regretting standing so close.

"Though, if I did smite you, I wouldn't have anyone to talk to right now. And I'm also sure you wouldn't want to be smote, would you?" Caelumiel added, his smile a bit too smug-ish for an angel to be making.

Aziraphale shakes his head 'no', not entirely liking the sound of being smote. Caelumiel smiles triumphantly. Who says you have to smite a demon to thwart them? Why smite when you can just distract them with a conversation? Besides, Caelumiel didn't even have his flaming sword. They had given it to Adam to protect himself and Eve. What else was he supposed to do? Let two vulnerable beings go into a dangerous world without a way to keep themselves safe? What kind of angel would he be if he did that? Angels are meant to protect and so, they did.

A loud thunder clap startles the two supernatural entities. Rain poured heavily from the dark clouds, but before it could drench the starmaker, a black wing streatched over his head. Caelumiel smiles as they stand just a little bit closer to the demon.