Disappear: Into Shadow

- CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR -

From the heights of paradise's skies, the light of the golden pyramid's eye streamed through the clouds. Breaking across the rolling green plains of the Heavens, the light caressed the spires of the silver city. The reflected glory of the Angelic constructions made the Styx's black waters glisten as they lapped against white sandy beaches. Every prism-like grain of sand twinkled and danced like diamonds. This land of light held an entrancing, awing brilliance.

Sitting high atop one of the city's grand towers of mirrored silver, the Archangel Uriel, Choirmaster of the Angels of Wrath, kept his residence. He could care less for the magnificence of the view from the open air, pillared windows or the golden light of the Heavens that broke through it. The tall Angel fumed. Drifting through his marble pillared study, every circle of the lavish room spoke of nervous energy.

Ariel, floated in a corner of the room, waiting. Uriel's broad hands were balled into white knuckled fists. Lashing out at one pillar, the white marble crumbled from the force of his punch. Uriel floated away, leaving a thick gap in the pillar. It was not the first of its sort in the residence. Many similar holes were scattered throughout the rooms at the Malakite Tower's pinnacle.

"How many?" Uriel snapped at Ariel.

The smaller Angel read from a parchment, "Two thousand more have disappeared."

"Two thousand? How can two thousand souls vanish from Heaven? Why do we have Cherubs guarding the gates? Damn it!" Uriel yelled, burying his fist in another bare patch of wall.

"The Cherubs have seen nothing suspicious."

"Apart from two thousand souls unaccounted for? What else might be suspicious?"

"They saw nothing out of place." Ariel said in their defence.

"Of course not! This is how she works, that sneaky Watcher bitch."

"We have no proof Azrael is responsible." Ariel protested.

"Who else would be responsible? She steals souls from Hell."

"That is a rumour."

"Wrong. If she steals from them, why not steal from us?"

"Why would she steal our souls? I can understand stealing from Hell."

Uriel's rage directed itself solely at Ariel. "Do you? What do you understand about Hell? Would you cheat souls out of their deserved eternal punishment? Is that it?" Uriel screamed. "Are you with Azrael and her outcasts?!"

Ariel would not bend under Uriel's temper. "I am no Outcast"

"You are prone to question what you see and what I decree."

"I base my observations on evidence, not emotion."

He saw Ariel wanted to say more, but had stopped himself. Uriel smirked. "Continue. You obviously have something to say."

Ariel's voice was hesitant, but he said, "My anger does not colour everything I see."

"Go on," Uriel prodded. He wanted to hear where this was going. He floated to the large windows overlooking the Silver City. Waiting for Ariel to continue, he sighed at the glorious view of Heaven. It was beautiful, but it never changed. He searched it every day but never saw any difference in its sublime majesty. All he wanted to see was some manner of change, no matter how subtle.