The Heaven Affair

A Lost Paradise

"I'm telling you!" Zuriel exclaimed for the fifth time. "I saw it! It was real!" 

"Don't speak of things you don't know about" Coriel said dismissively. The older angel was starting to get annoyed with the fledgling."

"We need to tell the father they got out." Zuriel said, spreading his wings. He needs to know about this now-" 

Coriel yanked the fledgling back from the edge of the building they were standing on. "You're speaking nonsense. You have no way of knowing that you've seen an ancient one, and it is impossible for one to escape. Luciana created the Lazaruses herself. They died in captivity." 

"I don't know if you've noticed but Luciana's gone off the reserve lately." Zuriel muttered.

"Do not speak of her that way!" Coriel yelled. Zuriel stepped back. 

"I didn't mean any disrespect, I'm just saying that since she's kind of deteriorating, her work might be deteriorating as well?" 

"Impossible." Coriel said, shaking his head. "Nothing could escape from the Lazarus. You will tell no one of what you think you saw. Lying is a sin."

Sin. The one thing Angels dreaded more then usual. A sinner made you ungodly, and to be ungodly was the worst thing imaginable for an angel. 

Older angels like Coriel held the ten commandments as close as possible to their hearts. To even talk about violating them was an act of pure evil. 

And people wondered why fledglings snuck out. 

Coriel wasn't a bad guy, he was just a little overbearing. Some angels said he was like a protective mother. Zuriel usually saw him as a drill sergeant. 

"We should be getting back." Coriel said. "Where is Azrael?"

"He was with me." Zuriel said quickly. 

"Was?" 

"He said he wanted to....attempt to win the human lottery." 

Coriel made an incoherent growling noise. "So where did he go?" 

"....somewhere." 

Coriel made the growling noise again. "Well we need to find him. Now." 

It didn't make sense. How did humans get money from this tiny piece of paper? It was stupid, Azrael thought. 

Most things about humans made no sense. It was what made them fun. 

The first time Azrael had assumed a vessel he was ecstatic. He liked the way the human form worked. He was constantly telling Zuriel how much hotter his vessel was. Sandy curls beat straight dark hair any day. 

While Zuriel's vessel was shorter with a more gothic fashion (his grey eyes were a little unnerving) Azrael's had more of a celebrity look with blue eyes and messy blond curls. 

As much as Azrael enjoyed Zuriel's company, the other angel was worthless when it came to fighting. Zuriel was far too passive and sensitive for any kind of bloodshed. 

They were like two halves of a whole. Azrael sometimes had trouble turning off his bloodlust while Zuriel cried over eggs in a human grocery store. 

"This is so weird." Azrael said softly, flexing the fingers of his vessel."

"You'll get used to it" Coriel said. His vessel was a tall carmel haired figure who's hair swept back like bird's wings.