Chapter 1 : A Tale Of Two Angels

+ + + = Time skip.

X X X = Flashback

'' '' = Spoken word/ Dialogue/ Monologue.

' ' = Internal thoughts.

* *= Action/ Sound effects

._ _ _= Cut to another scene.

I = Italics means emphasis was put on it.

Heaven. A brilliant, illustrious and magnificent world filled with wonders untold. Created in the shadow of the Almighty, the realm was as infinite in scope as it's creator's glory. A four winged figure clad in white robes could be seen soaring through the golden skies. The figure's blazing red hair, bright blue eyes, white halo and garments formed a brilliant contrast with the sky's golden hue. ''I hope I'm not too late.'' The figure mumbled to himself and quickened his pace. He soon arrived before a pavilion floating in the sky. The pavilion, a marvel of architecture, had a golden roof, pillars carved out of clear crystal which had creeping vines bearing beautiful flowers wrapped around it. The same vines hang from the roof, falling around the pavilion like a head of vine-like hair. In the pavilion stood another angel. This one had long, waist length silver hair, golden eyes and a slightly bulkier, muscular frame. He wore a silver robe with a golden belt and flecks of silver and golden light seemed to emanate from his six wings and his golden halo.

"So, you finally deem me worthy of your presence, eh? Forgive me if I'm wasting your oh so precious time.'' The six winged figure said with a smile. ''Apologies Lumiel my friend, I was caught up in the gorgeous majesty of our Father's creation. I hadn't meant to leave you lonely.'' The four winged one said sheepishly. ''Oh Gabriel, you've spent all of your existence here! Yes, the realm is infinite, but it's not full of surprises. ''What here haven't you seen?'' Lumiel said with playful exasperation. 'What haven't I seen?' He thought to himself. "I've seen it all, and I'll never tire of any of it." Gabriel said while plucking a flower from a hanging vine, staring at it in wonder. Lumiel chuckled and grabbed the flower. "Hey! Lumiel, kindly return that." Gabriel said, reaching for the flower. Lumiel laughed and pinned the flower to Gabriel's chest. "Never change, Gabriel." He said. "Now come along, we have something to attend to." Lumiel said, spreading his six wings and flying off. Gabriel adjusted the flower pinned to his chest and flew off after Lumiel.

Every now and then, all of the millions of angels in Heaven would gather before the throne of the Almighty and sing praises to their celestial Father. 72 angels would be appointed to lead the divine choir. This time, both Lumiel and Gabriel were selected. Lumiel and Gabriel flew past luscious fields, forests, lakes, rivers and finally arrived before the Throne of Grace. At the foot of the throne and all around it were millions of angels, and above the angels but the throne were 72 podiums arranged in a '^' shape. And at the topmost podium was the Almighty's favorite angel, the MorningStar, Lucifer. He was always given the honor of leading the choir, unlike the others, who were regularly changed in order to give everyone a chance at leading the celestial choir. "Ugh, it's him." Lumiel said, to Gabriel's confusion. "What do you mean? The MorningStar? I do not find fault in his behavior, so whatever is the matter?" Gabriel said. "I don't know, it's just...He rubs me off the wrong way. With all his arrogance and...I mean, just look at him!" Lumiel said, raising his voice a bit and gesturing towards Lucifer, drawing the attention of a few angels. Gabriel quickly grabbed Lumiel's hands and put them down. "I've told you on countless occasions that it's rude to do that! And I don't know what grievances you have with the MorningStar, or why he 'rubs you of the wrong way' as you put it, but I believe we should put that aside for now. What say you my friend?" Gabriel said in a calm tone. "Oh, very well. I suppose you're right, as usual. Come, let's get into position. We have a choir to lead.'' Lumiel said as he unfurled his wings. As he took off, Gabriel shook his head and followed after him. Soon, the divine voices of the choir filled the air as they sang praises to the Almighty.

+ + +

Heaven, the glorious, wonderous realm of the divine, is in chaos. Its golden skies are dyed red with the blood of millions of angels, and the once serene environment was now filled with bloodlust. The MorningStar, Heaven's favorite angel, has rebelled against his father and waged war on him and his creation. No one really knows why, and none except he knows how he managed to convince so many angels to join his ranks. The war has reached its climax, and the mightiest angels on both sides, the Seraphim Michael and Lucifer, were engaged in an intense battle that sent shockwaves across Heaven. And, elsewhere on the battlefield, Archangel Gabriel, was leading a few lower rank angels, Powers, to safety. ''Do not worry my brethren, we almost at the sanctuary! And as long as I draw breath, no harm will come to you!'' Gabriel said reassuringly. Just then, Angels clad in armor as dark as the night sky and masks that seemed to drain all light around them surrounded Gabriel and his crew. These angels wielded weapons that were ablaze with dark angelic fire. They readied their weapons and charged at Gabriel, who was long since ready for their assault.

As the dark angels charged at him, Gabriel brought his arms together and formed a ring of fire between them, then he outstretched his hands, causing a massive ring of golden flame to spread out. Before the dark angels could react, they incinerated by the flames. "We forge on my brethren! I see the sanctuary!" said Gabriel. As he and his crew approached the sanctuary, flying around other angels engaged battle, they were constantly assaulted by the dark angels. Fortunately, the barrier Gabriel created around them held strong, and Gabriel smote the would be assailants by fire and lightning. Soon, they arrived before the gates of the sanctuary, and Gabriel ushered his crew inside.

But as the final angel entered the sanctuary, it was besieged by massive balls of dark fire. These bundles of flame were larger than most angels, and they crashed into the sanctuary, breaking through the barrier that surrounded it and scorching the weapons mounted on it. The angels atop the sanctuary readied their weapons, but before they could blink, a streak of light had passed through them all, bisecting them. Gabriel watched in horror as the slain angels crumbled to dust. "Wha-" before he could finish his sentence, a horrible sense of danger stuck him. He had barely formed a complete barrier around himself when suddenly all he could feel was horrible, horrible pain, then the world seemed to blur around him and he flew, but not by will, then a thud as he fell. Then everything went dark for a brief moment before he finally caught his bearings.

He felt a terrible pain in his chest. He glanced down and saw a massive wound on his chest, only a few inches from his heart. The barrier barely redirected the injury away from his heart. He lay in a crater, in a pool of his own blood. He then realized that he had been attacked and almost pierced through the heart, and though his barrier shifted the blow, the impact had launched him miles away from the sanctuary. He barely survived. As he struggled to get up on his feet, the area around him was suddenly set ablaze by dark fire. The fire circled around him in a ring, then became a barrier that enclosed the area from all sides, that's when he saw him, his assailant. He wore a dark armor and a black full face mask like the rest of the dark angels but unlike the rest of them, he had six wings. "A... a... S-Seraph? He *cough* managed to get one of you too? Even one of you would betray us?" Gabriel said, getting back up to feet. His wound already partially healed. He reached out his hand and set it ablaze, and out of the fire came a flaming sword. "You were part of the privileged few that where closest to our Father, yet you still had, had...the AUDACITY to betray him, to turn your back-" His assailant materialized a spear and attacked him, but he managed block the attack with his sword. Sparks flew at the impact as blazing sword struck spear. His foe applied more pressure and Gabriel's knees trembled but he stood his ground.

"I may not be your match, and I might fall in this battle, but you are NOT leaving without a few scars." Gabriel growled at his attacker. His foe remained silent and engulfed his fist in flame and struck Gabriel in the chest, right on his still healing wound. As Gabriel screamed in pain, his attacker used the opportunity to grab him by the throat and fly forward, slamming Gabriel into the flaming barrier, burning his wings in the process "Argh!" screamed Gabriel. He grit his teeth through the pain and a burst of lightning shot out of his body, briefly stunning his attacker. His foe quickly tried to stab Gabriel with his spear, but Gabriel used the short time his foe was stunned to stab him with his sword. Unfortunately, his foe's armor was enhanced by a barrier, which negated the attack. Gabriel growled under his breath and blasted his foe with flames, and the force of the attack pushed his foe away from him and since the flames engulfed his vision, he was briefly blinded. Gabriel charged at his foe and with a shout, struck his head with his blade, shattering his foe's mask. He was going to continue his attack but the face of his foe made him pause. As the mask crumbled to pieces, Gabriel stared in horror at...

"Lumiel?" Gabriel said in shock. "But, how-'' a shockwave rippled across the battlefield as a flaming fist struck Gabriel in the face, sending him flying. But before he could get far, a spear was thrown at him and pierced him through the stomach, and his foe, Lumiel, tugged on the chain attached to the butt end of the spear and whirled it and it's captive, Gabriel around, smashing him into the flaming walls before throwing upwards. The sheer force caused Gabriel's body to break through the flaming barrier. Lumiel then flapped his wings, leaped up and caught him by the neck before slamming him back down, creating a bigger crater and sending another shockwave through the battlefield.

Lumiel stood above Gabriel, who was broken and bruised. His once warm golden eyes were now cold and pitch black. "Lu-*cough* miel...". Gabriel barely managed to speak as he coughed out blood. Lumiel stared emptily at Gabriel and pulled out the spear from his stomach with a sickening squelch. Blood oozed out of the wound as Lumiel raised the spear, its tip gleaming red with Gabriel's blood. Just as he was about to land a finishing blow he paused and his expression softened. "Gabriel? Is that you?"

But before a confused and barely conscious Gabriel could respond, a glowing white spear pierced Lumiel right through the heart. Lumiel looked at his injury in surprise before losing consciousness. Gabriel watched as Lumiel was lifted of the ground by the spear and cast off the edges of Heaven, and that was when he saw his rescuer, Tahariel, a seraph and one of the seven Heavenly Virtues, the Virtues of Purity. "By Jehovah! Gabriel! Are you alright? We need to get you to Hariel, now!" said Tahariel, as he begun to heal Gabriel's wounds. The sounds of victory cries filled the air as Lucifer was cast out of Heaven. Micheal had barely managed to get the upper hand and seized victory. Soon, all of Lucifer's allies were cast out of Heaven and they all fell, fell out of Heaven and into the embrace of an unknown universe. But Gabriel paid attention to none of that, all he could think of, was the question... "Why?" he said to himself as his last moments with Lumiel ran through his mind.

+ + +

Earth, a brilliant, luscious world, teaming with life. It had been a few millennia since the fall of man, and countless years since the fall of Lucifer. And in a village built on the banks of the River Tigris, a young man could be seen gritting his teeth and glaring hatefully at another man who was not that much older than him and a young woman around his age. The older man was romancing the lady, who giggled at his advances. While the lady was distracted, the young man sneered at the younger man, who scowled and walked away, cursing under his breath. The older man was the younger's elder brother, and the lady was one who both men fancied. That night, the young man, still thinking of the earlier incident, decided to sneak into the lady's house. He did so and seduced her, and they spent that evening in each other's embrace. That morning the elder brother visited the lady only to find that she was in bed with his younger brother who sneered at him when he saw the eldest. Soon, a fight broke out, and blood was spilled that day.

From afar, an invisible and hooded figure watched the scene in amusement. "Humans are such interesting, foolish creatures. He said to no one in particular. This was Asmodeus, of the Seven Deadly Sins of Man, the Sin of Lust. Asmodeus cast his cold, pitch black eyes towards the sky, all sorts of thoughts flashing through his mind. "Gabriel would agree. I wonder if he misses me". Asmodeus then shook his head and vanished. After all, he had things to do, and more unsuspecting humans to tempt.