From Heaven To Earth (The Faith of the Fallen) (8 page)

“No, none of the archangels have received any instructions regarding
this.” Gabriel looked back upon the two armies. Drean did the same. “Yet, we
are charged with defending this realm from anyone who draws a sword against
it.”

“He would expect no less,” Drean said.

“The complication in this case is the fact that we are being attacked by
our own kind,” Gabriel continued.

Drean turned to the archangel. Gabriel’s despair made the seraph uneasy,
and he could not maintain eye contact with him.

“Hence our inaction,” Gabriel said to him. “You know that killing our
brethren is a mortal transgression. It makes me sad, angel. I have never felt
emotion yet I know what it is called when these tears fall from my eyes. We
were not meant to feel such things. I wonder what will happen now. It seems
that so much is going to change. And are we to judge these blasphemers? What
would our judgment be if we did so without His direction?”

“Our Lord will decide when it is time for their judgment. To act on
emotion would be sinful,” Drean stated.

Gabriel did not answer him. Drean thought nothing of it and assumed the
archangel’s silence was one of agreement.

“If our Lord did not inform you how did you come to know about this
treachery?” Drean asked. “You were able to prepare for it before it happened.”

“I was doing a routine check-in with Lucifer,” he said. “That’s how I
discovered what was about to unfold.”

I wondered why Lucifer was nowhere to be seen when Heaven was being
assaulted,
the seraph thought.
Usually he would be on the front lines
dispensing justice to interlopers. Now that I think of it, Leoran is also
missing in action.
Drean searched the battlefield for the archangel but
could not find him.

“Lucifer should be leading this defense. Where is he?” Drean asked.

Gabriel opened his mouth to reply but found it difficult to articulate as
the Morning Star swooped into the fray. Lucifer’s wings snapped out and shone.
All of the angels stopped fighting to gaze at him.

I knew it,
Drean thought, relieved at the sight of the archangel.
Our
Lord was merely consulting with him to decide on the proper course of action.

Lucifer’s brilliant corona vanished and Drean could see he had shaved his
long silver hair from his head. His smooth skin had wrinkled. Dark circles were
beneath his blue eyes. He drew a celestinite broadsword from a sheath strapped
to the back of his plate armor and raised it into the air.

 
“I salute you, Lord, though
you deny us our freedom and give it to lesser creations,” he yelled. “Why are
they so important to you that you would overlook us, your first born? I do not
abhor you but this must be done!”

“I don’t understand. What does he mean?” Drean asked.

“He is the one that organized this attack, seraph,” Gabriel said. “I must
go. Be prepared to initiate the emergency defenses.”

“Of course. May the light be with you.”

The archangel saluted him and took flight before the seraph could return
it.

Lucifer lashed out at the virtue nearest to him with his sword. The
virtue parried, but the force of the impact tore his weapon from his hands.

Gabriel flew to intercept their former leader with Michael by his
side.
 

Lucifer spoke to the virtue. Drean could not hear him, but the angel’s
terrified face gave away Lucifer’s intentions.

Lucifer lifted his weapon above his head and struck. Two celestinite
longswords filled the gap between him and the defenseless angel.

Lucifer’s face remained determined. Gabriel and Michael struggled to bar
Lucifer’s blade.

They will stop him,
Drean thought.
The Lord is on our side.
Lucifer
stared straight through the intertwined celestinite. His lips moved again as he
spoke to his former comrades. He put his other hand on his hilt and broke the
hold on his sword.

He lopped one of Gabriel’s wings off at the tendon. Gabriel shrieked in
agony.

All of the angels on the battlefield were baffled. Drean could not help
but cry at the sight.

In desperation Gabriel lashed out at Lucifer. He avoided the attack and
lopped Gabriel’s other wing off. Gabriel’s body shook violently. Lines of blue
flame danced across his figure, and he disintegrated. Only tufts of white
feathers remained.

Lucifer’s wings darkened from white to gray. His feathers hardened.

Michael, why do you hesitate!
Drean yelled at the archangel in his
mind.

Lucifer turned to Michael and saluted. Before Michael lifted his sword,
Lucifer carved his wings off. Blue flame billowed out of the stumps on
Michael’s back and consumed him.

The seraph fought the urge to leave his post and fly into battle himself.

“Follow my lead, brothers!” Lucifer shouted to his troops. “Attack!”

Lucifer’s followers resumed their assault with renewed fervor. Flame,
feathers and screams of the dying polluted Heaven as angel murdered angel.

* * *

Riell broke her connection with Drean’s mind and felt tears on her
cheeks. She saw sympathy in Drean’s eyes. Her face burned from embarrassment.
She wiped it with a napkin.

“I... can only handle so much at a time,” she said.

“Do you believe me now?” Drean asked.

“Believe what?” she asked.

“That you can trust me,” he said.

She picked her mug up with a shaking hand to take a drink, frowned at its
emptiness and looked at Drean. She looked into his sky blue eyes and her heart
palpitated. In that moment she knew she wanted to trust him, to understand him,
to be closer to him.

She continued to gaze at him, and her trembling body relaxed.

Why am I so tempted to let him in? Why am I feeling so conflicted now?

“No?”

She shook her head.

“I see.”

She could hear disappointment in his voice.

“Is there more?” she asked.

“Yes there is.”

Riell looked around for the skia. One was still near the table and two
were at the door. They seemed to be waiting. She could not find the other
three. That unnerved her. They could have left for reinforcements.

“Ok. We need some privacy.”

She craned her head to look past customers and smiled when she saw Keep
at the bar.

Drean’s heart warmed at the sight of her smile
.

Why am I so excited by her? I’ve admired her beauty since the first
time I saw her, but my feelings seem to be changing, evolving.

Drean smiled at her before he could stop himself.

She looked at him and saw his blatant attraction for her.

I don’t understand why I’m taking a chance like this. Even though he
appears to be innocent...

She looked away from him and took his smile with her averted gaze.

“What are you so worried about?” he asked.

“I just don’t want anyone to find us here together.”

It’s been years since I’ve had a man in my apartment.

“Do you... have a name?” Drean asked.

“Names don’t matter right now. We need to get out of here.”

“Why don’t names matter? What do you mean?”

“Let’s talk about these things after we can ensure security.” Riell stood
and motioned for Drean to follow her.

Drean and Riell made their way to the bar. Riell beckoned to him with a
long finger.

Drean walked close to her.

“Let me do all the talking. Just play along,” Riell said.

“Play along?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Riell said. She grabbed Drean’s hand and walked to
Keep. Riell pulled Drean close and caressed his face.

“Keep?” Riell batted her eyelashes at the bartender. “Can I use your bathroom?”

“Of course.” Keep searched underneath the counter and retrieved a small
silver key. “Just leave it above the door when you’re done.”

“Thanks!” Riell smiled at him.

Riell put her arm around Drean, and they walked down a hall behind the
counter. When they were out of sight Riell removed her arm and walked ahead.

“So you feel different about me now?”

Riell shook her head.

“It was just a signal to let Keep know you were safe. He knows me and the
people I work for.”

“Oh.”

They passed the restrooms, turned the corner and came to a shoddy wooden
door that had no knob or handle with a circular silver lock.

Riell saw Drean’s crestfallen face and felt guilty.

“But,” Riell said as she placed the key into the lock, “I haven’t had a
man in my apartment for years. You should feel privileged.”

“Thanks.”

Drean smiled, and Riell smiled despite herself. She had lied. She did
feel different about him. Since entering his consciousness it had taken every
ounce of willpower she had to remain cautious and callous. The overwhelming
euphoria had made her look at Drean differently, not as prey but as an
attractive man: a man she wanted.

She was only doing what she had to: the skia would bring reinforcements
soon. Her apartment was a secure place to glean what information she could from
him while he was demure, information that could be used by the Duo to nullify
him and imprison him properly. The Duo would surely reward her for any vital
discoveries. Her reasoning assuaged her: it was all part of the job, nothing more.

I have to remain vigilant,
she thought.

She inserted the key and bent down to the lock to whisper the incantation
that would take her home. She glanced up at Drean, who stared at her curiously.

“Press your hands against your ears please,” she said.

Drean complied.

She put her lips by the lock.

“The sun has set. The day is done. Now the wicked rest till tomorrow
comes.”

Riell turned the key and threads of light ran across the door and soon
replaced the weathered wood with a rectangle of soft glowing white. Riell
motioned for Drean to go in first.

Who knows what he’s really capable of?

She placed the key above the door and stepped through. A chill passed
through her as she entered. The light door seeped back into the key gradually.
She turned back and saw the skia had followed them. They watched each other
until the portal closed.

Gerald stumbled down the sidewalk outside the bar and braced himself
against the walls of surrounding buildings. His legs gave out. He tried to pull
himself up and fell on his face instead. He crawled into a nearby alleyway and
sat.

That woman Drean liked looked like someone I’ve seen before.

“Someone that I raped, someone that I killed. But I’m different now!”
Gerald sobbed, lost in a mix of alcohol and delirium. He startled a young
couple that had walked by. “Pretty girl you got there,” he said to the young
man. “You better treat her real nice. Otherwise she might get away from you
someday.”

The young man did not know what to think of this and took his remark as a
threat. He lifted a hand to strike Gerald’s face.

“No, honey.” His girlfriend held him back. “Leave him be. He’s drunk off
his ass.”

The couple walked away. Gerald coughed and wheezed. He wiped blood from
his mouth. Sharp pain quaked in his chest. His lungs constricted, and he could
not draw breath.

Gerald looked around the corner and saw the happy couple down the
sidewalk. He focused on the man: tall, athletic and handsome. He had to make a
decision: live or perish forever.

Gerald released his spirit. He penetrated his target and fought against
the human’s soul. Gerald possessed him easily. The human’s body convulsed and
fell to the ground.

Gerald instantly knew everything about the human: his friends, his
favorite places to eat, his fears and his pleasures. He also knew Kristi, the
girl with him.

“Oh my God! Lawrence, are you okay?” His new girlfriend shook him.

“Yes, cutie, I’m fine,” Gerald answered. He stood and dusted himself off.
He turned to his old host, expecting a dead body and instead saw the real
Gerald staring at him with quiet fury in his eyes from where he sat.

The fallen angel knew the human could not rise, but he saw the fight in
his eyes: he respected him for his bravery.

The human known as Gerald drew his last breath and slumped over. The
fallen angel took a moment to pray for his soul. He wished the best for him and
wished he hadn’t brought the worst to his life.

This man’s name is Lawrence? I think I’ll stick with Gerald. I can’t
give the man his life back, but I can try to bring honor to his name. This
kid’s memories of this chick are filled with intense pleasure. She’s a little
thin for my taste, but it will be nice to feel wanted.

“So you put out pretty well, do you?” Gerald looked over her. She wore a
pink tube top and skinny jeans.

 
“Only for you, you know
that...” Kristi pushed back her blond curls from her eyes and scrutinized
Gerald. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, never been better, Kristi. So we were headed back to my place for
a little fun, right?”

“Yeah, are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

“Yes, sweetie. Don’t worry about me. We were having a great night before
now. Let’s just keep it up like nothing happened.”

Gerald searched his body’s memories to see whether or not he owned a car.

A GTI. Never driven one before, but judging from his memories of
speeding tickets I think I’ll enjoy it.

Gerald smiled as they walked up to the recently waxed, white Volkswagen
GTI.

He unlocked the doors remotely and opened the door for his girlfriend.

“Mmm, black leather interior. The wood trim is nice too,” he muttered.

“What did you say, honey?”

“I was just checkin’ you out, babe,” he said. “The fact is, all other
women are inferior.”

“Aww.”

“So we were headed for my place before that drunk ruined our night, huh?”

He tried to imitate his host’s natural behaviors. “Hobo bastard, should
get a job or something.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say he ruined anything. I felt sorry for him actually.”
She glanced back. “I thought I saw blood running down his face.”

“He probably just hit his head when he fell.”

“I think we should go back and help him.”

Gerald did not answer her and seemed calm on the surface as he drove.

Visions of his first possession raked against conscience. His first woman
had been much more beautiful than this one: full figured dark hair, dark eyes
and fair skin.

I can’t do this again.

Gerald slammed on the brakes. He got out of the car, opened the passenger
side door, stood Kristi on the street and drove off while her disbelief held
her in thrall.

Seconds later his host’s cell phone rang. He crushed it and threw it out
the window.

“I won’t let that happen again,” Gerald said. “I’ve changed. Never again.
Time to check out my new place. It shouldn’t be much further away.” Gerald
grinned and accelerated.

The engine roared in response, and his car streaked down the lamp lit
street. Dark clouds had curtained the sky while Gerald had been in the bar.
They obscured the stars and moon.

He slowed down and made a right turn.

“Should be at the end of this street.”

I can’t believe I took this guy’s body. I wonder if God is
disappointed.
Gerald twisted his hands around the leather of the steering
wheel.
God has to know all I want now is to be back in Heaven and redeem
myself. Surely he won’t get pissed just because I stole this guy’s body. I had
to do it. My job wasn’t complete. I have to do what I have to do to survive.
Then again if I died maybe it would just end everything.

Gerald considered this and didn’t bother to slow down for the red light
in front of him. He drove through a gap in traffic.

I would cease to exist. I feel like I’ve lived long enough. Yes. I’ve
hurt too many. I don’t deserve redemption. I was meant to steal this guy’s body
so I could realize that. I can see that now.

Gerald floored it. He was getting close to his apartment now.

110, 120, 140 miles per hour.

As he neared the buildings he thought about Drean. His new, sober, body
recalled the woman from the bar clearly and Gerald remembered where he had seen
her.

That skia from the alley... Drean’s in danger!

Gerald tried the brakes, but it was not enough. He pulled the emergency
brake. His car flipped, bounced and crashed into cars parked along the curb
before smashing through the wall of the apartment building.

Gerald felt his spirit fade: a sense of satisfaction mingled with a
stabbing cold.

Warmth consumed him.

Let me die! I placed him in jeopardy! I can’t help him. I never could,
Gerald thought.

No. You deserve to live with all the suffering you have so selfishly
inflicted. And so you shall,
God said.
You may not believe in yourself,
but I know what you are capable of. Live now with the new life I give to you.
Live, and through Drean you may find yourself worthy of peace.

God’s warmth filled him to the brim and scorched within him like he had
drunk gallons of molten metal. His consciousness wavered and sank into his
memories.

* * *

A battered fallen angel hurtled from the heavens. He groaned and cried
out. The war had wounded his body beyond repair, and his wings were useless. He
could hear his brothers’ woeful cries all around him, and it took great effort
to lift his head so he could see them. Other angels filled the sky around him:
some flew and some fell.

I am glad I am not alone, but we will probably never see Heaven again.
We are on our own.

He covered himself with his arms and legs and tucked his black wings
behind him in an attempt to save himself from the coming impact. He clipped the
corner of a skyscraper. Concrete, metal and glass flew in all directions. He
crashed through several feet of asphalt before halting. Death’s welcoming cold
crept over him.

He removed his body from the physical realm and entered the spiritual. As
an ethereal, he could no longer see buildings or any other physical objects.

Souls of humans could be readily seen. Some were almost white, some were
gray and some were dark with indelible marks of sin. He saw something
fascinating: two souls mingled with one another. For a moment the angel
hesitated but only for a moment.

He attacked one of the souls, purged the consciousness of the former
owner and claimed himself. He felt pleasure then: intense euphoria unlike
anything he had ever felt. The ecstasy ended, and he lay limp, stupefied by the
experience.

“Was it that good, dear?” The woman on him gasped for breath. She kissed
his lips, and his body yearned for more.

The woman looked upon his readiness and smiled.

“Ready for more already, honey?”

She groaned and gripped her stomach.

“What’s happening to me?!” she choked out.

Her skin reddened and bat-like wings protruded from her body. Her stomach
swelled and bulged. She fell backwards onto the bed, shook violently and lay
still.

The angel got up from the bed and looked at the woman.

She changed into a demon. I don’t understand.

Then the angel realized he had a name.

“My name is Gerald.”

He laughed.

“This life is now mine.”

Memories from his former host overwhelmed his thoughts and left intense
emotion in their wake. He felt real love for the woman in front of him, Teri.
Memories of his host’s, no his relationship with her, entered his mind.

They had sacrificed so much to be where they were: the respect of family,
friends, their jobs, their entire pasts and the security it all brought them.
Their life had been meager in comparison but they had each other. He hated
himself for erasing that. He had killed his love and killed himself. It was
like killing an angel. He regretted following Lucifer and cried for the first
time.

“The war was never worth it,” he yelled. “It was never worth it if this
was the goal.”

He heard a whimper. He turned to look. A blood covered baby girl lay
there. Her dark eyes shone in the dark. She had transparent wings on her back.

“What is this?” Gerald searched his memory. “A human child? No, an angel
child? How did this happen? I can’t keep her...”

Gerald picked her up, and she screeched.

A mirror broke behind him and the apartment’s window shattered. He
dropped her and held his ears.

When the child quieted, Gerald tried to find her. She had disappeared.

He wiped his eyes.

I can’t let what I have done stand in the way of what could be. If
this is how I must live to remain alive, so be it.

He walked out the door of the room and into the new world that awaited
him.