Chapter 134: The Seven Archangels

Michael POV

What is that idiot thinking?! Creating an alliance randomly? He better have a good explanation.

"Michael."

"What is it, Cassiel?"

"Gabriel has to have some kind of reason."

"Why?"

"Because he's an even bigger stickler of the rules than you are."

I glared at her but didn't say anything. Gabriel was incredibly by the books. For him to do something like that meant that something was happening.

"Hello, I've come to deliver my report."

"Gabriel, you better have a good explanation!"

Like normal, Uriel snapped at the angel immediately. She was brutal.

"I actually do."

"Then explain."

"An administrator threatened Haven into declaring war on Garden."

"And you believed that stupid excuse?"

"I didn't quite until he accidentally summoned his card."

"How do you accidentally do that?"

"Rose asked the incantation to the one she identified as the imposter, and, playing his role, it slipped his mind."

"Did you see the card?"

"No, he hid it before I could identify it."

"Any clues on who it could have been?"

"One of the stronger of us."

That interested me.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because whoever it was brushed off my and Rose's attack."

That was interesting. Gabriel may be one of the weaker ones, but it was still a rare feat to brush off an attack from him.

"But why align with Rose?"

Uriel asked a good question.

"Because she and Haven already had a hidden alliance. So I entered it to dissuade this admin from taking action against them."

"They were at war, I heard no mention of an alliance."

"They utilized a method to make sure that there was no announcement to keep it from the admin as long as possible."

That irritated me.

"Impossible, the system automatically announces everything."

Cassiel shook her head.

"The system may have, but Luma may be more selective."

"I will not call her the name that the infernal beast gave her."

"It is now her name whether we like it or not."

Gabriel spoke in defense of Rose, shockingly.

"Please Gabriel, I don't know why you like the beast, but the only reason we haven't killed her is because we don't want to anger the system."

"She is an administrator you know, you should at least call her by name."

"I don't know how she became one, and I don't care, she is unordained, therefore I don't need to do anything. You would defend her if she used the system to kill everything."

"Of course not, I already made sure that she knew that if she abuses Luma's power, I would kill her where she stood."

Then he muttered something confusing.

"Not that I could, anyways."

"What?"

"That's the second part of my report. I decided to investigate her ultimate, FEAR."

"What did you find?"

"She isn't a deity."

"What?"

"She was partially named by the Shadow Commander, Damien."

"Who?"

"God Slayers strongest deity."

"I see."

"She also has an alternate mind that enables when she discovers something."

"What?"

"I don't know much, but whatever it was that she figured out terrified Luma."

"Terrified?"

I raised my eyes. Nothing should terrify the system.

"Yes, I asked her to check her stats in divine form, but she just keeled over and began murmuring… in past tense."

"In past tense?"

"Yes, it was the oddest thing, but she was speaking in past tense. Referring to current events."

"How did that scare Luma?"

"I don't know, but she was screaming that we had to wake her up… but then."

Gabriel shivered.

"Something else woke up before her."

"This alternate mind?"

"Yes, the only thing we could tell was that it wasn't Rose. It was foreign. When it looked at me… it was like I was in the crosshairs of a predator… despite her smile, there was no emotion on that face."

"How did you subdue it?"

"… We didn't, it just went poof."

"Poof?"

"Yes, it… it was laughing, and Luma attempted to delete it, but she failed. Then… Rose just went back to normal, finishing a line that she already spoke."

"Like she was reverted to the past."

"Exactly like that… but then she saw something that she called the cradle. Luma helped her touch it, then she was able to sponsor herself."

That got all of our attention.

"Did you just say that she sponsored herself?"

"Yes."

"That- that's impossible."

"Both me and Luma had the same reaction. Whatever is happening to her… it's something that we have never seen before."

I thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion.

"She could be a threat."

"So, what do you suggest."

"Destroy her so her ability can't hurt anyone else."

"NO!"

Gabriel snapped, making us jump.

"And why not, this alternate mind scared both you and Luma. Besides, you still haven't explained why you can't kill her."

"I don't know why, but I had an idea of what was happening, so I followed her string."

"And?"

"My blade snapped on the end."

"Don't make jokes."

Raphael snapped.

"I have not made any."

I raised my brow.

"Those blades are invincible, how could it break on the end of a deities string."

"First, I already told you that she isn't a deity. Second, its clear that someone strong wants her alive."

"The rogue administrator?"

"Possibly."

I looked around. Which one of us was the rogue? If it was one of the stronger, that eliminated Raphael, Uriel, and Thessiel.

Gabriel was out for obvious reasons. And it's not me. That leaves Cassiel or Juedel.

"Michael?"

"I'm trying to figure out who the rogue is."

"Who are you thinking?"

"It's between Cassiel and Juedel."

"Why us two?"

"Well, I took out the weak ones, Gabriel and me, and the two of you are the only ones left."

"Hey!"

Juedel looked around.

"It isn't me; I can tell you that, but I'm not entirely sure it's Cassiel either… could it be a different administrator entirely?"

"Impossible… wait. Gabriel, didn't you say, he?"

"Yes, yes I did."

"You don't actually suspect me. Do you?"

"You are the most likely, but we can't point fingers without more evidence."

Gabriel nodded.

"I agree with Michael, but one thing to your benefit is that you didn't try to reverse it onto Michael."

Cassiel had a thought.

"Speaking of, who says it isn't Michael?"

"Why would it be me? Better yet, when would I have had the time to do such a thing?"

"Yeah, that does make sense."

I was by far the busiest of the administrators. Not only did I have to manage my faction, but I also handled most processes in Heaven and the law and order. I even had to cancel a meeting just to make this one.

I was going to handle Brocelio when Gabriel asked me to let his friend do it for her requirements. If I knew it was Rose I would've refused, but it's too late for that.

"Alright, let's put a pin in the potential traitor case and try to figure out what to do about Rose."

"Did the Lord tell you anything?"

"He just said, 'figure it out.'"

"So, we are on our own…"

"Pretty much."

"I'm on board with the destroy her, but if she can't be killed, then that's a problem. Plus, remember that her requirements were far more on board with becoming an 800 then a 200."

Gabriel spoke.

"I'm not on board with destroying her, but even if that's what's decided I would suggest avoiding war. Her army is no joke, and they are innocent."

I nodded in agreement.

"If we do go after Rose, it would be Rose alone, I have no illusions that if it was a full war that the system would be impassive. Oddly enough, it seems to like Rose. If it was a direct confrontation, we could likely take her down before the system can defend her, but in a full war, she would see it as a situation where she could get involved."

Most nodded, but Gabriel shook his head,

"I'd much rather figure out what's happening than fight now."

"Why?"

"Because if it is truly a threat, it may show up again, we can't just eliminate her because she can spook us. We need to be smart and figure out both the problem and solution."

"I see. That makes sense."

Then Gabriel had an epiphany.

"I know how we can identify the traitor, or at least block him, and get close enough to Rose to figure out what's happening at the same time."

"How?!"

Gabriel smiled.

"We all make an alliance with her."

…

""""""WHAT?!""""""

"Listen, whoever the traitor is wants to cause trouble or even kill Rose, so, by making an alliance, it would break if they did something like the Haven stunt again, and with an alliance we would be able to access Pandora easier, allowing us to investigate her."

I put my face in my hands.

"Gabriel, I see the logic, but do you know how that would look to the others?"

"Simple, we clear it with Rose and get Luma to simply not announce it."

That was interesting.

"I think that it may actually be a good idea."

Eventually, all the archangels agreed. It was time for us to visit Pandora.