Heaven is For Real Part 16

Mike followed the rogue angel into the vault's archival room, where the Council stored their data records. They ranged from disc drives, datapads, and books. All were accounted for documenting their world's lengthy history, including the great war between the demons.

The Archangel of Justice cautiously walked through the chamber with slow steps. His sword readied at all times. Once in a while he check behind his back to make sure the Fallen leader didn't sneak up on him. The archival chamber room was designed like a maze, much like the collection chamber. So many stacks and shelves of history all made it confusing to where someone was going. But it made it easy for someone trying to hide when they wanted to loose someone else.

"You cannot imagine what joy it gives," Abbodon's voice echoed inside chamber. "to be walking in this once-great temple. Limbo was so empty."

Mike had a hard time pinpointing where it came from. "That's the point of it," he answered, still searching. "It's obvious you didn't escape alone. How many of you are there?"

Mike waited until she finally responded. "Just enough." Was she close or far? Still too hard to tell. "And more. Our numbers grow each new day, and so does my master's power."

"And who is this master you speak of?" Abbodon had a hard time determining Mike's location too. His voiced bounced around the chamber as her did. "I know you have no loyalty to Baracrus. He is long dead. So you must serve another. Does that mean you serve him?

"He helped us, yes. You cannot comprehend what the master has in store for Heaven when he too returns."

"And all he asked in return was your loyalty."

"Yes. Something you discarded long ago when you betrayed your own brother."

"You have it backwards, Abbodon. It was he who betrayed us. And you followed him."

"You are so naive, Michael. Naive and blind to the true intentions."

The archangel continued to search through the maze-like chambers, unaware that the dark angel wasn't too far off. Abbodon waited for the archangel to walk by so she could make her move. She snuck through the chamber quietly as a mouse escaping a cat. Her footsteps made no sound. She moved towards a large opening where light projected out. Hopefully it looked like an exit.

The dark angel found herself in a large open space full of nothing but grass and a gargantuan, luminating tree with bluish-silver bark and leaves made of glowing lights. At long last, she had found it. Deep in the heart of the citadel was the blessed Tree of Life, one of the last remaining remnents of a universe gone and its nearly extinct inhabitants. From the top to its bus-sized roots it looked as though its height nearly matched the citadel's. Unlike any other tree this tree continued to grow and never aged. More branches grew along with billions of leaves that covered every inch. Not a single one decayed or dropped to the sacred ground below. It did not require any water or fresh soil. It was alive all on its own. The luminescence on the leaves were not from the result of spark ants picking nectar. It came from the leaves themselves. It was as if stars grew from the tree branches. Etched into its ancient bark were depictions of every known creature, living and extinct, that ever roamed the universe. Most of which consisted of fauna from the earthly realm that separated the plain of existence between Heaven and Hell.

The glittering tree's lights made Abbodon smile. Not of greed or for darkly intentions, but of wonder and grace. She had always wanted to see the great tree up close since she was a little girl. She reminisced on how she would dream that she would become an archangel and join the Council. Or how her beloved Commander from the war would become an archangel, and they would share a glorious wedding in front of it. But those dreams were dashed the day she believed what the Archangel Council truly was. Corrupt, arrogant, dishonorable, and power-hungry, just as her Commander once described them long ago that led her to turn from her home like he did. Her master saw the truth of the Countil too centuries after she was freed and requested that she'd join him to establish a new world order that would spread across the universe.

The dark angel slowly approached the great tree, believing that she was truly alone in this part of the citadel. Placed inside a hollow carving of its great trunk was a stairway that led up to a small hollow opening. Inside was a large book with its cover and pages were made of the same bark as the tree itself. This was God's greatest treasure, the Book of Life. Once belonged to His fair queen, it contained every detailed named of all those born in this universe. The list of names would always grow more and more with each new soul born into the universe. Added automatically by the book's divine magic. What would happen to the names, and the souls of those names, when their time passed was the greatest secret that the angels of Heaven kept from outside their world.

Abbodon's personal quest was almost complete. This was not a mission her master sent for, but for herself. Her heart pounded with each step closer up the wooden stairs. Her hands could almost touch its cover.

Suddenly the large book levitated on its own. Abbodon paused when she noticed it. What divine power is this, she wondered. Was it about to add another name to its expansive pages? No, it was still levitating from its spot.

Then the book flew right toward her, smacking her right across her face. The impact almost forced her to tumble back down the stairs, but she luckily caught her balance. She swung behind to see where her prize was headed. Where it landed made the fallen angel growl in aggravation: right into Michael's free hand.

"If my sister was here," the archangel said. "I'm sure she would say if you wanted a book so badly, you should've gone to the library." he observed the textural details of his Father's prized book. "This was what you were after all this time? My mother's book?"

Mike watched as Abbodon unsheathed both her swords. Even from a distance he could tell that she was unhappy with his intrusion. In fact, she was rather pissed off. "You're looking for him, aren't you?" Michael let out a small chuckle that insulted the dark angel.

"You've imprisoned him somewhere else!" Abbodon angrily spat back. Rage boiled inside her, ready to explode like a volcano. "And with it, I will find your brother and we will continue what we started long ago."

Mike laughed louder. "And you call me naive. It's sadly pathetic. It's been so long that he is no longer the man you remember."

"You're wrong!"

"No, he is not a prisoner. Your master has failed to brief you on some history. He was banished. Banished to our enemy, where he became one of them. A demon. A devil now."

"You lie!" Abbodon's voice was shaking.

"I've seen him." Michael continued his taunting." I've spoken with him several times. He's changed so much since then that you won't be able to recognize him."

"I will cut out your tongue!"

"He'll be a complete stranger to you."

"STOP IT!" tears started to rain from Abbodon's eyes.

"He's moved on from everything. His home, his so-called plans, Baracrus' influence, and even you."

"SHUT UP!" Abbodon could take no more of it. Her wings projected out of her back again and she flew for Mike. The archangel dropped the book to the ground and extracted his wings out too. He flew into Abbodon's direction too and skillfully deflected her attacks with ease. Mike's plan was working.

When learning to fight the angels were taught to keep their emotions and feelings away from the battlefield. Otherwise their emotions would distract them and they could potentially be defeated by their foe. He knew her unstable emotions would unbalance her. She will make a mistake and he will be victorious.

They dueled above the ground sword against sword. "It was you who took him away," Abbodon shouted. "Not your Father. YOU! Your brother Lucifer looked up to you and you were the one who betrayed him. You are the true betrayer! You and all the others are blinded by the corruption of the Council's influence. And once I take the book, I'll hunt down the ones you love!"

Anger started to grow deep inside Michael. The thought of her harming anyone he cared for—his siblings, his friends, Carmen, Regan, Rosemary. But the one that came to mind most was his girlfriend, Malaika. To hurt her would be a grave mistake. Yet Michael could not let that distract him. His concentration was set on defeating Abbodon so she can be imprisoned once again and interrogated. More importantly, so she could never harm those he cared about in his life—especially his younger brother and their new family.

The two attacked and blocked one another up in the air until it was finally brought back to the ground. They tried using different battle tactics such as hurtling lightning at each other but to no avail. They charged again, only to lock their swords and wings together. Sword to sword and wing to wing. Neither opponents budged as they struggled to gain the upper hand. The hate in their eyes were also locked on to each other.

During the struggle the Archangel of Justice thought he saw something from a distance. It looked like two short individuals made an appearance from the corner of his eye. His gaze shifted and he saw them. Two human children. Rosemary and Regan.

There they were. Michael thought he may have become delusional but it was them standing by the entrance, watching as the angels fought. His heart skipped a beat. A silent gasp exited under the guise of a breath. He saw the fear and worry on their faces. It was the same fear he that formulated on his face when he first noticed them. So many questions rushed through his thoughts. What were they doing here? How could they possibly be in Heaven? Inside the Citadel?

He watched them closely. Both girls noticed the Book of Life was in front of their feet. The smallest one bent down and picked it up with no knowledge of its importance. They were surprised that a book so large was also so light. It was like picking up a small riverstone.

Abbodon saw them too with the corner of her eye. She remembered them from earlier. The same two girls she met before at one of the shopping platforms. So this is who he cares for, she thought. Mike's gazed back just in time for her grin grew ever so sinister. He knew what her plan was. The dark angel jammed her boot into the archangel's stomach, forcing the two to disengage their duel. Mike fell backward to the ground while Abbodon still stood. With all of her strength the dark angel threw both her swords at the defenseless sisters.

The swords spun in the air so fast that the girls could barely make out what was happening. Mike watched helplessly as Abbodon's swords flew while the Gravely sisters still stood their ground. The world around him suddenly started slowing down. It was at this moment Mike cast aside his sword and ran towards the girls at supersonic speeds. To the mortal children it looked as though Mike disappeared inside a streak of gold lightning. But he was that lightning. His wings that helped control the gravity of the universe were bent to a lateral position, which aided him as he ran at top speeds. It was his duty to stop Abbodon, but his nieces needed to be saved. They were his priority, not Abbodon.

The swords were closing in. He powered on through. The swords were getting closer. He needed to go faster. The sharpened tips were aimed for their hearts. He must go faster.

Faster.

Faster!

Caught just in time. Michael's lightning streak swooped around the sisters—more accurately he picked them both off the ground in his strong arms—just before Abbodon's swords touched them, moved only a several feet awy from the spot they were saved them from. Everything happened so miraculously to the Gravely sisters. One moment they were standing around watching their uncle duel an evil angel. Then the next they were saved by a bolt of lightning and were in the comforts of his arms. They were safe and unharmed. Even the Book of Life was safe tucked under little Regan's arms.

Mike finally released them and knealt down to their eye level. The expression of his eyes and his face did not suggest that he was angry or upset. He looked happy, as if he was glad that to see them, just as Rosemary and Regan were glad to see him too. His soft, warm, and comforting smile made the girls smile too.

SHIKT!

Mike gasped. That sound was all too familiar with him. A sound he heard so many times before. It was the sound of a blade puncturing one's body. He saw the girls turn pale and their hands gone cold. Blood was spilled on their faces. Mike truly feared that Abbodon may have done the worst. But he watched the girls take two small steps back from him. They still didn't have any wounds on their bodies.

He then felt something warm seep out of his back and below his sternum. Mike noticed that it had began to leak through his body. It was very red and warm. When the archangel stroked the leaking spot in his armor his breath stuttered at the horrible realization.

The kids are alright. It was him. This was his blood soaked on his fingers.

Rosemary and Regan watched in horror as Abbodon stood behind the archangel. Her thin sword, the very sword she threw away and retrieved later, punctured into his body. More of the angel of light's blood seeped out as the blade went all the way through.

Regan screamed. Rosemary could only say one word. One dreaded word that echoed throughout the citadel.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #angels #heaven