AZAZEL (DEMONOLOGY II)

VIII

RAVEN

We heard their little plan. It was devious and evil, but we would go along with it. We planned to kill two birds with one stone. We would banish Lucifer, Azazel, and Abaddon back to Hell, and make Finn and his "friends" surrender. To make sure that they did, we left them a little warning. It was extreme, but it needed to be done. Marc - one of Finn's allies - was associated with huntsmen, who had killed angels for centuries. We had found where his wife, daughter, and father were staying and punished them for their sins. We planned to kill Marc next, but not after sending him our warning. Lilith and the officer that had rescued them would be banished to Hell, and Finn would be taken into our custody. He still had potential to be something great. If we left him to rot in Hell, he could turn into a powerful fallen angel, like Azazel and Abaddon.

We dined at a small cafe in Renton. The journey to Israel wouldn't begin for a while, as Marc was still mourning, so we had some time to relax, for once in our lives.

"This is what Earth needs to be like," I said. "People going about their lives the way we tell them to. It's the only way to ensure their safety."

"I know," Wynne sipped her coffee. "I don't understand why they'd want to change anything. We manage this world perfectly. They know nothing about how to keep an entire world in check." I nodded in agreement. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two police officers enter the cafe. They handed a flier to the owner, who looked and pointed at us. Wynne followed my gaze and stood up. When the officers approached her, she blasted them with fire. I followed suit, filling the cafe with my light. I didn't use it at full force, as the innocent didn't deserve to die.

Before any onlookers could spot us, we took off. For days, we had been running into authorities, and for days, we had to deal with them. We didn't want to kill the humans, but anyone who opposed us was deemed a sinner. Sinners were bound to end up in Hell, so we killed them. It was just the way things worked.

"Should we stop by them now, or go back to Heaven for a debriefing?" Wynne asked as she flew above me.

"We need to go back. Sophia and Cerviel were the only ones standing between us and absolute control, and now that they're dead, we need to make some changes to the Council. Whether they like it or not, we're taking over."

Wynne laughed. "There's the Raven I know and love." We soared higher and higher until we broke the barrier between Heaven and Earth. Heaven was the most protected realm of them all. In order to get in, you'd either need to be an angel, a Nephilim, or have a lot of artifacts. Even then, it was a strenuous yet uplifting experience. I'll never forget the feeling of weightlessness of passing through the barrier.

When we made it to the chapel, the rest of the Council watched us expectantly. They knew of the recent deaths, and wanted to know what our next moves would be.

"I-"

"Your son is a sinner!" One of the angels, Abraxos, cut me off. His humanoid vessel was tall and well-built, like that of a strongman competitor. "He has abandoned our guidance for the aid of demons and monsters! He has used his god-given potential to attack us. He led an attack on Heaven, and now he's killed two Council members! If you don't do something about that boy-" Angered, I raised a hand, using my power to force his tongue into his throat.

"You will be silent." I barked. The rest of the Council straightened up and watched me anxiously. "My son has committed many crimes, yes, but he's still young and impressionable. If he can be swayed by the other side so easily, it shouldn't be hard to bring him back. Once we take care of Lilith and the mundane Marc, he'll be vulnerable. Now, since Cerviel and Sophia are dead, Wynne and I now have full control of the Council. Are there any objections?" All of the others shook their heads. Controlling them with fear wasn't good for one's psyche, but it was necessary and effective.