Gabriel
I land on the ground and fold up my six wings to avoid holding them in the face of one of the countless angel warriors. Unfortunately, as I'm already wearing my armor, I can't retract them completely and so they graze one or two soldiers on my way to the general. The general is surrounded by several 2nd order informants, but they fly away just before I reach them. With only two wings, they can take off in this crowd without any problems, which I envy them from time to time. The general turns to me and salutes. I nod at him. "Once the battle begins, every minute counts, so save the salutes, Abdiel. What's the situation?" The man I'm talking to tells me straight away: "The first demons of the next wave have just been spotted. As suspected, they are weak creatures of a lower order. The commanders have received their instructions. As Army Commander Michael wanted, angels of the 2nd order are being sent out." I nod. "We archangels are gathering our forces for the final battle. Maybe we'll win without the prophesied child. In the first wave, we already lost Jophiel, her husband, Zadkiel and a few other angels. Thanks to you, we defeated the first wave, but we want to avoid as many casualties as possible." General Abdiel nods and salutes. I spread my wings and push a few soldiers aside. With powerful wing beats, I take off, facing the ever-growing enemy on the horizon, to report to Michael and hope that Father has a plan for us to survive this catastrophe.
500 years later
I have been flying back and forth as an ambassador for 500 years now and yet the distance is not getting any shorter. The sounds of battle, shouting and the distinct smell of blood in the air tell me that I have reached my destination. The actual battlefield is still a few kilometers away, but I have reached the camp where Raphael, together with other healers, is tirelessly patching up the wounded and the reason why I am here. As soon as I land, I ask a soldier about the whereabouts of this particular angel. I head straight for the tent in question and burst inside. The sleeping archangel is lying on a blood-spattered cot and Raphael is standing next to him, also covered in blood, fixing the last bandage. He turns his blue eyes on me and begins to speak: "Without Cassiel, many angels of the first order would have lost their lives unnecessarily in the battle against the demon prince." No hello, no other unnecessary phrases. Archangel Raphael as he lives and breathes. I just nod and look at the injured archangel, then back at Raphael and raise an eyebrow. A silent question. But Raphael understands immediately and answers. "He is doing well under the circumstances. Since he has hardly used any magic and has continued to save his energy, the demon lord has hit him hard. In time, all his wounds will heal. He will be bedridden for the rest of the war. That alone will be punishment enough for our bundle of energy for breaking an order." I nod again. "Michael sent me here to kick his ass for it, but I don't think I need to do that. You, brother, should take a break, though. You look terrible." He snorts in amusement. "I don't have time for that. There are plenty of injured people here and if the caravan from the city doesn't arrive today, both food and bandages will be in short supply. You didn't just come here to punish Cassian, did you?" I shake my head. "Flying back and forth takes too much time. Michael told me to send a fire into the sky as soon as the catastrophic wave breaks. Then all the archangels will be on their way." Shouts sound from outside. "The general is back." "More wounded are coming in!" "The wave is defeated. Finally a short break." I grab Raphael by the shoulder and give him some of my excess energy. "Go, make sure as many survive as possible." He pats me gratefully on the shoulder and nods before stepping out of the tent into the warm sunlight and disappearing. With circular movements, I try to loosen my tense shoulders and take another look at the sleeping Cassian. Convinced that he is fine, I follow Raphael out of the tent. I squint against the glaring sunlight and take off into the air to get an overview. After spotting General Abdiel, as well as the rest of our once so large and radiant army, all flying towards the camp, I also start moving and land next to an injured but alive general, who is being tended to by a healer and grinning broadly as he chats with his counterpart. On closer inspection, I recognize the angel as Logos, the oldest of all angels. As an angel of the 1st order, he has fought on the front line. Logos is also being cared for by a healer. Apparently, he has managed to injure every single one of his four wings. He probably owes his return to the camp to the strong arms of Abdiel, who must have carried him the whole flight. It would undoubtedly have been a funny sight if the situation hadn't been so serious. Still in the air, I recognize a caravan of wagons reaching the camp. After landing, I draw the attention of a few soldiers who don't look quite so battered. The angels buzzing around immediately set off to receive them. When the general notices me, he interrupts his conversation and sends the healer away with a wave of his hand. "Let's go to my tent!" He goes ahead and I follow him. With a wave of my hand, I gesture for the healer to follow us and finish his work.
Abdiel reports on the course of the battle while the healer finishes his work and leaves the tent. In the last 500 years we have lost about half of our army. Now our army consists only of the 1st order angels gathered here and the archangels who are waiting for their turn behind the mountains and stand as the last barricade between the flatlands of the battle, the surrounding mountains and the city behind them. All the 2nd order angels who survived the battle are now taking care of the fighters and will evacuate the city if the worst comes to the worst. "We now have time until the next dawn, then the next wave will come, the catastrophic one with which the Titan will appear at the same time. Once we have defeated it, the war will be over." That is a fact that everyone knows. "Tomorrow morning, when the Titan appears, I will give Michael a signal. The archangels will then teleport here immediately and attack the titan. Everyone in the camp who can still fight should take care of the remaining demons. Since Lucifer won't help us and the prophesied child hasn't shown up, we'll have to do it alone. Azrael will cast a great magic as a last resort. Anyone who still has energy in them should contribute it. It's already clear that he has to use it, but the soldiers should concentrate on fighting and not on saving energy. Pass it on to every soldier. I'll stay here in the camp and take command for emergency plans. If the Grand Magic fails to extinguish the Titan, the soldiers are to withdraw immediately." The general nods and whistles once. An angel enters, four wings pressed tightly against his back. The angel salutes and whispers something to the general, then disappears again. "In addition to food and bandages, the caravan has also brought a little surprise. We should hurry and say hello to the people." Abdiel, who has kept a deadpan expression in the tent the whole time, is now grinning happily all over his face again. "What could be so special that you have such a happy expression? The general runs out of the tent, beaming with joy, and I follow him. "It turns out that the second-order angels who accompanied the caravan here are all women and not the grumpy men we're used to. In addition, there are two particularly pretty, well-known specimens among the women. Baroa and Eneki, the twins who are even prettier than their mother Jophiel." I just snort in amusement. Jophiel was the most beautiful of all the angels and it's a shame that she and her husband fell 500 years ago. I can't imagine anyone being prettier than her, not even her own children. We approach a whole cluster of angels gathered around the carts. When we spot the first female angel, it feels like the sun is rising in a place where it is always dark. Although there are also female fighters among the angels, they also wear armor and can no longer be distinguished from the male angels. I haven't seen a woman in a dress for 500 years either and I make sure my clothes are clean. I also think about the last time I washed myself and can answer the question without worrying. Abdiel next to me is plucking a loose feather from his wing and running it through his short, black hair. I run my fingers through my short brown hair again and follow the general into the hustle and bustle. He heads for the car with the largest crowd of angels around it. Some even rise into the air to catch a glimpse of the women. Curious, I fight my way through the tangle of wings, arms and bodies. Those who give me a dirty look because I push forward recognize me and voluntarily step aside. The advantage of being a well-known, powerful archangel. As I finally stagger through the last row of angels, I realize what Abdiel meant. The two female angels in front of me are the spitting image of Jophiel. Their skin is whiter than snow, their bodies curvy and elegant. The smile on their lips enchants you, just like their mother always did. The only thing that distinguishes mother and daughters is the number of wings. While Jophiel had six, both have four on their backs. The two stand next to each other and look exactly alike. But it is their charisma that makes them both even more beautiful. Abdiel has now also fought his way through the crowd and approaches the two. They already seem to know each other, because they greet each other with a hug, which the bystanders comment on in various ways. Abdiel sees me and waves me over. I walk slightly nervously towards the three of them. "Baroa, Eneki may I introduce you to the Archangel Gabriel?" The general introduces me. "We are pleased to meet you, Archangel Gabriel," they both greet me at the same time. "Me too. Feel free to call me Gabriel. Is there by any chance a trick to tell you two apart?" Both deny it. Even when Abdiel asks, he only replies: "As I can't tell them apart even after 75 years of lessons, I always address them both at the same time." Since I don't expect to master something that he can't even after 75 years, I leave it at that. "We heard that you even asked Lucifer for help to win the war. What happened then?" one of them says to me. Since she asked the question without any undertone, I answer it: "That's right. It was prophesied that the angel with eight wings, the bringer of light, would defeat the Titan. That clearly sounds like Lucifer, who was the only one born with eight wings. However, he demanded a living angel soul as a prize, with which he can do whatever he wants. So we said we'd rather try it ourselves than sacrifice one of our own. Tomorrow we will learn the result of our stubbornness. However, we have a secret weapon." I try to answer the girls honestly and still give them hope for victory. At some point, the angels spread out and go to sleep to be fit for tomorrow. The women still fly back to the city today as soon as they have unloaded everything.
For reasons of space, I share the tent with the general. "Tell me Abdiel, you trained the twins, since they are clearly 1st order angels, why don't they fight?" Not that I want to, but I'm interested. "I'll make it short and then we'll sleep clearly? I don't want to die tomorrow just because I didn't sleep enough." I growl in agreement. "The two may look beautiful, be smart and have a certain talent, but the two have never learned magic. They also have weak bodies. As soon as they are just a little injured and lose blood, they faint. This may still work well in class, but not on the battlefield. They may have something on their minds, but they are physically weak. Therefore, they are considered more like angels of the 2nd order. What is quite funny is that they always speak of themselves in the plural, which confuses many of their comrades who become inattentive. And now we're going to sleep." The wave came earlier than expected. And with it the Titan. Bigger than any skyscraper, in the dimension of the people. Accompanied by thousands of demon princes. Stronger than the prince Cassiel defeated. On the whole, there is only one thing to say. "We are delivered." Abdiel takes the words out of my mouth. The last wave is worse than all the others combined. "Let's do our best." However, I say this with little hope. The horizon of the flat plain, soaked in blood and flooded with corpses, fills more and more with demonic figures. I gather a little of my energy and release a great flame into the sky. "Is there a chance to get Lucifer's help after all? I would also sacrifice myself as a price." Hearing Abdiel say this, who is at war with Lucifer, makes me really understand the seriousness of the situation. . "It's not so much the problem who we give him as an award, but that we have no way to bring him here. The dimensional fissures are closed to him and none of us can summon him, or anything demonic." The dark voice that hit the nail on the head belongs to none other than the commander, the Archangel Michael, who has suddenly appeared between us and with him the rest of the group of archangels. Azrael puts a tanned arm around my shoulder. "Now don't see black right away. You still have me." It may be ridiculous, but it calms me down to see him. "You're right. I wish you good luck." I nod to Michael. "The plan is known. If everything goes wrong, I initiate the evacuation of the city and close the dimensional fissures." Michael nods at me and says goodbye to me with a shoulder squeeze before he rises into the air. The others follow him, say goodbye to me with a gesture or a touch. No one says a word, only Abdiel whispers: "When the going gets tough, you have to open a crack for the twins." With that, he also rises into the air and the last soldiers follow him.
The fight begins. The Titan hasn't moved a single step, but the demons have. Numerous fly or jump, run or crawl towards the camp. The angels are divided into two groups. The smaller group flies undeterred towards the giant titan, the weapons flash in the light and occasionally magic lights up. The larger group pounces on the endless sea of demons and the magic lights up like in a thunderstorm. Michael wants to defeat the titan today. The longer the fight lasts, the more angels die and he wants to prevent that. Raphael stands next to me. All healers have stayed in the camp so that if they win, the injured can be cared for. "You should rest so that you are fully capable after our victory." "Do you really believe in winning? The demons are twice as many as the rest of our army. They are also significantly stronger. And the Titan? He doesn't even notice the attacks.". I must admit, I don't believe in a victory anymore and sigh. At the same time, I'm thinking about how to contact the city. Behind us there is a rustle. Both Raphael and I turn around and draw a sword. Two figures run towards each other and meet. Soft whispering sounds. The two figures turn to us. "What are you still doing here?" I exclaim in surprise and put the sword away. Raphael follows my example but remains silent. The twins put a stone on the spot where they met and come towards us. "Flying is too exhausting, so we stayed." One of them answers. "We are also closer to the events," answers the other. "You can't stay here, fly home." Raphael says to the two women. They just ignore him and whisper something to each other again, which I don't understand. Nevertheless, Raphael is right. "It's too dangerous for you here, so fly back to the city." Two pairs of eyes flash at me angrily and remind me of her mother. "No, we can't." If women can do one thing, it's being stubborn and since I don't want to look for them later, I say: "Then stay close to me" I turn back to the battlefield without waiting for an answer. "Is it already time?" Raphael asks on my left. . I look at the group of archangels. A single person holds a large ball of energy above their head, which is constantly growing. "That won't work." Says a voice behind me. I whirl around, "Why wouldn't it?" I ask. One of the twins tilts her head, I just decide that it's Eneki. "Because I saw it." she looks into the distance at Azrael, who has activated his great magic. Her eyes are overlaid with a milky shimmer. "He'll eat it and get enough energy to move." She looks at her sister, "We have to start," Baroa nods, "We don't have time." Now both look at me: "Lend us your energy!" Surprised, I answer, "I can't, I still need them." The women look at me uncomprehendingly: "Do you want to win?" I nod "Then trust us and lend us your energy." I look at the events again. The soldiers who are still alive retreat as ordered. Azrael now has a huge ball of energy floating above his head and throws it directly into the Titan's face. When the orb hits the titan, it spreads out and envelops the entire form of the titan, at the same time Azrael sinks steadily to the ground. All of a sudden, something slams into a tent to the right of us. When the cloud of dust that now envelops the square settles, I discover Azrael lying unconscious in one of the tents. I look back at the Titan. A hand has come loose from the light and caught the sinking Azrael's full jug and hurled it back into the camp. He took some tents with him. Raphael immediately rushes to the unconscious archangel. I turn to the twins after the hand has reached out a second time and swept the archangels from heaven. It may sound stupid, but the two were right and now I hope they don't disappoint me. Maybe I'm making the biggest mistake I can make, but I'm transferring every drop of energy I have. Raphael stares at me in disbelief, but I just shrug my shoulders and try to keep my balance. The twins smile: "The minimum quantity was met. Thank you for your trust." The two run to the place where they put the stone. The one I thought was Baroa lets energy wander into her legs and kicks hard once on the ground. At the point where it occurs, crevices in the earth spread out in different directions. "The pentagram is drawn." Of course, they can't do magic. Did Abdiel want to fool me? Eneki now drew a knife from the folds of her dress, cut open the palm of her hand, and gave the knife to Baroa, who did the same. Then they pressed their palms together. The air begins to crackle with energy. "Divided by the will of the Father, united by faith and blood," Huge dimensional fissures open over the fissures of the earth and blood runs out. Vast amounts of blood flow into the crevices and form a bloody pentagram. "Blood collected from 600 years," With wide eyes I follow the action. The twins press their free hands to the floor at the same time. "Summon the Lightbringer, the brother, the friend." The blood shoots up everywhere and collects in a ball that doesn't seem to get any bigger. When not a single drop of blood is left, the ball begins to burn with black flames. "Who summoned me?" sounds a deep voice. I glance at Raphael, who is now sitting on the floor just like me. . His eyes wide open, his skin chalky pale. Do I look the same? "It was us!" the twins answer calmly, still holding hands. "What do you want from me?" Ask the voice again. "We want you to destroy the demons, destroy the titan and protect the angels." "You know the price?" If the voice asks, "We know him," the two answer. "There are two of you, though," the flame remarks. "We are only one," say the twins and begin to merge on their hands. The bodies become one, the voice becomes one, and the wings complement each other, fan out, divide until eight white wings protrude behind their backs. "The prophesied child," I breathe. So it was born 600 years ago and nobody noticed it because it was divided, into twins. "Good, good. I will grant your wish. Summon me." The beauty kneels with one leg on the floor and places her slashed hand on the pentagram. "My heart, my body and my soul are yours, Lord Lucifer." The flame laughs as it grows and grows until it takes the form of an angel, an angel with eight wings as well, the form of a well-known and hated angel. "Good, good. So you still remember your words from back then, before you were killed. I'll quickly remove the worm and then we'll find out if you remember your life from back then. Together." Lucifer spreads his eight wings and rises into the air. I follow the prince of hell with excitement. Not able to think anything. With a wave of his hand, he sends a black fire into the ranks of the demons. It eats its way through them, leaving nothing but black ash behind. With the other hand, he sends another flame in the direction of the titan. She envelops him and in a matter of seconds there is nothing left of him. Not even a speck of dust anymore. Shortly afterwards, he ends up back in the camp. As if neither I, nor Raphael or Azrael existed, he marches past us. Since our last meeting, his powers have grown to such an extent that it is frightening. Whether we could stop him if he intends to wipe us out for good. "Let's go." Lucifer says to Beauty, with eight wings, addressing. She looks me in the eyes. I expect to see in it the naivety of a 600-year-old young angel. But I see the knowledge of a being who has lived for eons. The eyes of a very well-known old soul. The being Lucifer gave up everything for, only to lose her. I am frightened. "That can't be. You're dead. Michael killed you thousands of years ago." I expect to see hatred reflected on her face, but she just continues to smile at me sadly. Then they suddenly disappeared, from one moment to the next.
Dead silence lies over the land, no one dares to speak and end the silence. "What do we do now?" asks Raphael and breaks the silence. "We heal the injured, bury the dead and rebuild our civilization." I say after long consideration. "Shall we tell the others that Lucifer saved us? And that she's back?" I'm shrugging my shoulders. "I'd tell Michael first, to the rest we'll tell a messed-up truth about the fact that the prophesied child showed up and saved us after all." I slowly heave myself back onto my wobbly legs. "That would probably be the best thing for everyone." The archangel agrees with my suggestion. "Now let's take care of the injured first. Lucifer has found his happiness again, having lost to his father's orders. He has no reason to attack us anymore." It is a miracle that she was born again in our ranks, just as it was a miracle that we were saved by her. If we had extinguished their existence forever, ours would have passed away now. What a stroke of fate.