Pleiades Saints

Chapter Seven: What We Fight For

Chapter Seven: What we Fight For

Tabris stood perched atop the summit of the Core, gazing upon his legion of loyal followers that had gathered below. The jungle gym-esque setup of twisted iron bars, rings, and platforms allowed the Nephilim to perch or sit in their own special spots while their large wings kept them balanced above the immense heart-shaped azure crystal below. The blue-haired leader of the Nephilim cleared his throat and spoke in a booming voice.

"Hear me, my fellow children of God! My name, as I appear to you today, is Tabris, Hand of God. I have gathered you all here today for a special announcement that will be broadcast to all of our comrades across the Earth as well. This world of ours is a crude one. Because of its innate incompleteness, it will always be a struggle to survive. We Nephilim, along with the human beings cowering upon the face of the Earth below us, are likewise imperfect and incomplete. From the day our two species were created by the Angels, our spirits were split in half- the Seed of Life, and the Seed of Wisdom. Because of that, neither of us can ever be spiritually perfect, and due to the fact that we are all so lacking, we fight, we maim, we kill and slaughter, partake in the carnal pleasures of flesh and rage rather than spend one more second thinking about our choices. We have strayed from God, and that is why He allowed the humans to triumph over us, and banish us to the depths of space."

"But no more! The world should be complete! The world must change! And who will change it, you ask? I, Tabris. And all of us, here, gathered in these chambers, and our allies scattered across the Earth. Together, we built a mighty civilization, created incredible technology, traversed the darkness of space, and descended upon the Earth to reclaim what is rightfully ours. And now, we have obtained the power to change the world and make it our own! Understand it, my fellow Nephilim! Our dreams are on the verge of becoming reality!"

"To every ship stationed in every city around the planet, at the stroke of midnight three days from now, we shall descend once again, and capture every human in sight! It is there that our final plan will be put into motion! We will prove to them that we are truly God's children, and make them regret ever banishing us away! All those headed down to Earth, and those who remain here- though our missions differ, our hearts beat as one. Good luck, and may the glory of God shine upon all Nephilim on this night!"

An eruption of wild cheers and battle cries echoed among the giants as they ate, drank, and celebrated in preparation for their final descent. But perched upon the highest rafters, a few Nephilim weren't quite so eager to join the festivities. Sachiel slumped over, his wings sagging as he rested his chin in his palms. "I...I don't understand," he muttered, trying to hold back tears. "How can they all be so cheerful after Lilith was just killed? Master Tabris didn't even mention her name...poor Lily..."

"Because those who lose are of no value to Master Tabris," Zeruel said. "They are not worthy of being remembered in Nephilim history." He tipped back the glass in his fingers and took a sip of wine. "Lilith died because she was weak. That's all there is to it."

Sachiel ruffled his feathers in anger. "How can you say that?! It's just cruel!"

The clink of heeled boots against steel echoed as Samael strolled across a high rafter, his labcoat flowing out behind him like a cape. "Cruelty is relative. Who decides what is cruel anyway? Us? Humanity? God? To a man of science like myself, such vague terms carry no meaning. If it can't be observed, measured, or calculated, then it does not exist, simple as that. Would you consider what we have done to the humans as cruel? All species have a sense of self-preservation, it is only natural for them to fight back when they are attacked."

"So what, are you siding with the humans now?!" Sachiel spat. "They're nothing more than food!"

"I am siding with common sense," Samael retorted. "What happened to Lilith was tragic, but it was the risk she took when she accepted her orders. If you're going to pick a fight with someone, you can't complain when they fight back. Only the strong survive- that is how nature works, and whether you like it or not, Lilith's death was a natural outcome. By the way, Master Tabris has issued your latest orders. Lilith's sacrifice was not completely in vain- thanks to her efforts, we have pinpointed the Seraphim's current location, an aviation facility where a large number of humans, including the Seraphim and her allies, have taken refuge. We also believe Ramiel is hiding there as well. Because of that, we've decided that having a single agent attempt a recapture is far too risky. Master Tabris has ordered you and Zeruel to launch our attack during the descent at the stroke of midnight. Sachiel, you'll be running the main operation, and Zeruel will act as backup. The Seraphim is our priority, but the capture of as many humans as possible during the attack is also necessary."