The Archangel's Search

Si vis pacem, para bellum - Vegetius

The throne room was quiet, not like a graveyard, peaceful yet depressing, but like moments before an executioner beheads his victims. Only the taps from the Lucifer's boot heels disturbed the stillness in a room filled with Halflings, demons and devils.

Seraphina sat still and rigid on her small throne chair; fearful that a slight breath might give away her secret. She can see her husband's mind working like a machine, rewinding and forwarding events that he had witnessed but missed. His pale blue eyes were rich with quiet anger and his muscles were tensed yet he moved across the dark marble floor with ease and grace.

"Tell me what happened", he commanded the warden for the 13th time. Seraphina stopped a wince in its track for she knew 13 is Lucifer's favourite number; everything happens on the thirteenth of something.

The warden looked sideways at his comrades before he started, "My lord..."

Then his head rolled across the pristine marble; mouth still open and eyes rolling before nothing else moved. Meanwhile, Lucifer had a boot on top of the body as he casually wiped the blood from his sword.

"Prepare the men", Lucifer ordered casually. Demons and devils immediately went to do his bidding, trying to escape the room before Lucifer focused his attention on them.

With strength she didn't know she had, Seraphina pushed herself up from her throne and gilded over to her husband. It was never wise to approach Lucifer while he was in one of his moods but she must.

"Husband", she called out to him and almost whittled away when pale blue eyes glared at her. "Allow me to help," she asked seductively with a tempting smile.

"What can you do, my love?" he asked condescendingly and with an unpleasant sneer. "How could you destroy Michael, the Gloria and their alliance with the gods and goddesses?"

"I can, my love", she whispered seductively into his ears while she stroked his hard chest. "Anything to make you happy."

"How?"

"Michael wants me, does he not?"

Lucifer smiled widely and stroked her cheek tenderly.

"Continue, my love", he whispered seductively into her ear as he pulled her closer. "What will you do for me?"

"Give Michael an opportunity to capture me", Lucifer looked pleased with the idea, so Seraphina continued. "Give me a battalion and I will present you his white wings."

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Michael

He had only been in the Gloria for 24 hours; enough time to wash up, tend to his wounds and raise up enough morale from the small army he had in the Gloria and other district before he received word that the Underworld was emptying and leading the demons and devils were the Halflings.

"I thought they will help us", Gabriel almost shouted when the messenger left. "They said they would help us."

"They are, you dim-witted bird", Aphrodite came to the defence of her child. "Why would they release us and then go through the hustle of trying to capture us again. They are just playing their part."

Raphael neither agreed nor disagreed but Michael saw in brother's eyes that his ex-wife was right. "But what are they playing at?" questioned Raphael.

Michael thought it through and said, "Perhaps they are planning to lead poorly."

"I hope you are right", said Barachiel before quiet engulfed them again.