Protective Wings

Prologue

The dark night sky was dusted with stars as the light of the crescent moon bathed the ground of the Mojave Desert. The humid air of mid-winter clung to the Joshua trees that were scattered around the desert. 

A hundred miles outside of Las Vegas there was a faint glow of a light under the shade of a large Joshua tree. The glow seemed to emanate from the tall, young-looking man standing underneath it. His skin appeared flawless and showed no sign of being affected by the humid air. 

He stood under the shade of the tree listening to the night sounds of the desert with his eyes closed. The howling of coyotes, screeches of barn owls and songs of crickets reached his ears and seemed to sing a song that only he could understand. 

Before long the arrival of another dim light approached the tree caused the young man to open his storm blue-grey eyes. Another man had appeared and stood with the same faint glow coming off him. The two men appeared normal to any mortal who might happen by but they were far from any mortals. Their faint glow and their large wings that arched out of their backs said they were from the Heavenly plane. The two men nodded at each other as their white feathered wings seemed to hum in the quiet. 

Slowly, more and more Angels began to show. The hum of their wings seemed to grow to a deafening roar, and yet, was completely silent as they conversed amongst each other. The young man stayed beneath the shade of the tree listening to his brothers and sisters talk in their melodic voices. 

For so many of the Archangels to be called upon was rare and even rarer for those of such importance to be called, such as Uriel, guardian of the Eternal Flame, or Sariel, guardian of the waters or even Abaddon, who guarded the Pit of Darkness. But they had all been summoned by their eldest brother and their general, Michael. 

As the conversations continued, the Arch under the shade of the tree watched the edges of the group waiting for the arrival of their eldest brother. Finally with a slight flash of light Michael appeared right beside him under the shade of the Joshua tree. 

“Good evening, Gabriel.” Michael greeted, nodding to the Arch next to him. Gabriel nodded back and watched as Michael stepped out from under the Joshua tree. 

An immediate silence fell upon the gathered Arch’s. Even the humming of their wings seemed to be silenced as Michael ran his gaze over them. All eyes fell upon him and waited for him to speak. 

“I understand that all of you must be wondering why I have asked you all here.” Michael’s voice was melodic like the voices of all angels, but it held a kind of strength within it only a general’s voice held. It captivated all who heard it. Even the Archangel Raphael, who was often considered the jokester among the Arch’s, listened intently to Michaels words. 

“I have called many of you away from important jobs that cannot be left unattended long and for that reason I will make this swift and brief.” Michael continued, “Lucifer has discovered how to escape from his cage in Hell.” 

A sudden roar of exclamations exploded from the gathered Arch’s. All, except for Gabriel that is. The carrier of the Word of God remained silent and only allowed a momentary expression of shock cross his face before he returned to his calm demeanor and waited for Michael to continue. He knew their brother wouldn’t have announced such a thing unless he had a plan to stop Lucifer from succeeding in his escape. 

Michael waited for silence once more before he carried on with what he had to say, “However, we can stop him. I need two Arch’s willing to stay with me here on Earth and protect the key to Lucifer’s cage.” 

“Stay on Earth? But brother that will leave you and your fellow Arch’s completely open to harm from anything in the world of Man.” Uriel spoke up. 

“Yes it would. That is why I am leaving it completely up to you my brothers and sisters to choose whether you wish to help me with this. Staying here on Earth, would mean leaving behind the Eternal Life we have in Heaven and losing the holy connection we have with our Father.” Michael replied. 

Many of the Arch’s began to converse amongst themselves. All were scared of losing such things, especially the connection with their Heavenly Father. Some even argued that their jobs were too important for them to leave behind for such an assignment. As Gabriel listened to the excuses and arguments as to why none of the Arch’s could go, he heard one voice speak above the others, “I shall join you, brother.” 

A hush fellow over them as Raphael stepped forward with a crooked grin to stand before Michael. 

“I shall help you my brother, after all I have often traveled with man and I have seen their different ways and cultures. I can be of use for the transition.” Raphael spoke confidently. 

Michael nodded to his brother and turned his attention to the rest, who had continued their small arguments and excuses. 

Gabriel watched in silence for a moment, listening once more to them, before he stepped out from the shade of the Joshua tree and moved to stand before his brother. 

“I shall come as well brother.” Gabriel spoke loudly and made another silence fall upon his fellow Arch’s. 

Michael met Gabriel’s gaze and nodded. 

“Then it is settled,” Michael spoke, “Gabriel and Raphael shall accompany me on this mission to protect the Key. All other Arch’s may return to their assignments elsewhere.” 

Slowly the other Arch’s began to disappear in bright flashes of brilliant light, until all that remained were Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Silence stretched between the three for some time before finally Raphael spoke, “Brother, what exactly is the Key?” 

Gabriel watched his brother as he silently waited for his brother’s response. 

“It’s not a ‘what’, little brother, but a who.” Michael replied. Raphael and Gabriel stared in shock at their brother’s response. 

It seemed this mission would be far more difficult than I either Gabriel or Raphael had anticipated. 

“Have you already discovered who it is?” Gabriel asked, his sweet melodic voice breaking the silence. 

“Yes.” Michael replied, “And She will be difficult to keep an eye on, so we must be ever vigilant and careful not to reveal who and what we are to her.” Gabriel and Raphael nodded in approval. 

“Let us return to Heaven now my brothers, we must prepare for this.” Michael suggested. Raphael nodded and in flashes of brilliant light both Arch’s were gone. 

Gabriel stood alone under the pale glow of the crescent moon and as he looked up at the sky he could feel that a war was rising on the winds. This mission would not be simple, but he had a feeling that it would be more then he originally bargained for.