When Angels Weep

Bound by Rebellion

Crickets spoke in harmony with the birds, singing their song. Sera was walking along the promenade, enjoying the glorious weather, as always, while she headed to her office for another tiring day of work. While she's admiring the view, out of the corner of her eye she notices her daughter with St. Peter. Sera doesn't think about stopping, believing that work is much too important, however, she sees how upset Emily looks and stops just to listen in to the conversation. She wanted to find out what was upsetting her daughter but she did not wish to intrude on her private conversation. It was the only way for the older seraphim to find out what was bothering her daughter as she felt Emily had pulled away, withholding such information from her.

"But, Peter! Don't the rules of heaven seem a little unfair? It's not fair at all!" Emily declared, flapping her wings behind her as the two walked. A faint sigh could be heard from St. Peter as he stopped walking and looked at Emily.

Sera could feel her concern grow for her daughter. If Emily kept questioning the rules of heaven, she would end up just like Lucifer—a fallen angel. She'd have her halo taken away—her pride, and her honour all because Sera failed to keep her safe from the truth.

"I can see where you're coming from, Emily..." St. Peter begins, sounding unsure of himself as he forces a cough. "Ahem, but, Heaven has rules for a reason." the angel awkwardly gestured to all of Heaven. "It's so that this can all be real."

Sera listened in to the conversation, wondering if she should intervene before Emily started outwardly doubting Heaven. She could hear her daughter ranting about the wrongings within Heaven itself, she could see the predetermined fate that awaited her daughter–but yet, she still wanted to stop it. She can't bear seeing her daughter challenging the very fundamentals of Heaven, she couldn't allow her daughter to walk the same path Lucifer did. Regardless of what Sera wanted, she found herself holding back, continuing to eavesdrop on the conversation St. Peter and Emily were having.

"St. Peter, I know that! Heaven is... it's supposed to be a place free of judgment, a paradise where people reside after death! It's supposed to be free... yet- it doesn't feel free," the young seraphim claimed. She shook her head and looked at St. Peter. The angel just nervously chuckled as he shook his head.

"Emily, Heaven is all those things you just said. I know it's- how do I put this," he awkwardly shifted his posture, standing straighter than before, "Heaven does what it does to protect everyone here, it's not a bad way of living." St. Peter began walking again. Emily followed behind him with a frustrated groan. Her wings flapped behind her. Sera watched the two. "Rules are... implemented for reasons; they keep us, and everyone else here safe," he looked at Emily.

"Peter, but what about those poor human souls getting killed again!? How can Heaven allow such a thing to even happen!?" Sera could hear the frustration in Emily's voice grow as her daughter groaned in annoyance. Sera knew her daughter was bound to start questioning heaven, she'd started doing it the day she found out about the extermination. Sera, despite having been upset about such a revelation in front of her daughter, didn't regret making the order and supporting it. She would always do what heaven needed of her; she would always protect heaven. However, in doing so, she endangered her daughter, and that was something she could never forgive herself for.

The two had finally left Sera's line of vision, she could no longer hear what the two talked about. Despite that, she knew of the conversation they were having. She had been there before, she had seen it happen before—it's all just replaying.

Sera knew history was bound to repeat, she just chose to ignore it. It wasn't like she believed anyone close to her could ever fall; and after the one previous exterminator—Vaggie—had become a fallen angel, Sera thought that history had finally played its course. That she didn't need to worry about it happening again for a long time. However, she was wrong. She did admit that to herself, but her unconscious mind already knew. Maybe some angels are far too gone to be saved.