“Was it good for you?” I asked.
She shoved me away and stood up, making an ugly face. The moment ruined, I sat up and looked to the warehouse.
It was gone.
All that was left was smoldering ruin. Like a miniature Nagasaki, the place had been nuked into non- existence. Twisted metal and pieces of smoking concrete lay scattered about the perimeter. The asphalt surrounding the warehouse was slagged into a black soup that glistened with tiny sputtering firelights. The destruction was impressive. I glanced behind me to see who’d pulled the trigger.
Rahim Alakha stood rigid with his hands extended toward the warehouse, wisps of white smoke emanating from his dark fingers. The whirling glow of his eyes faded as I watched, then disappeared. He drew in a deep breath and relaxed, his arms dropping to his side. He walked over to us, shaking his arms out as I climbed to my feet and stood beside Scarlett. Katon joined us a moment later as I put my guns away.
“Way to go, Oppenheimer.” My voice sounded wet and thick, thanks to the blood draining down my throat. “So much for low profile.”
Rahim shook his head. “I think the appropriate response would be to say thanks.”
“I was doing all right.”
He looked at my face and smirked. “I can tell.”
Scarlett drew my attention. Her eyes were wet.
“An angel died here. What happened?”
“You saw them when you got here.” I tried to look sympathetic, but I’m sure you can figure out how well that worked. “I showed up and Asmoday was waiting with a sales pitch. I told him to take a hike and the next thing I know four of your brothers pop in and start coming after me. I did what I had to.” The death had hit her hard, but she didn’t say anything about it. I think she was starting to understand it was a sign of things to come in our new age. It didn’t help to dwell on it.
Katon went to examine the wreckage as Rahim turned to me. “Asmoday has angelic assistance.” It was more of a statement than a question. I think he was disappointed more than surprised.“It looks that way. It’s too much of a coincidence for it to be otherwise. He threatened me and bailed just as the winged goon squad arrived.”
Katon shouted from the remains of the warehouse. “There’s a body.”
“Only one?” I asked back. I’d figured the other three fled when Rahim blasted the warehouse based off of Scarlett’s comments, but it didn’t hurt to be sure. I was hoping Rahim had gotten the rest. I didn’t want to run into them again.
Katon nodded as Scarlett raced to the downed angel’s side. Rahim went after her. I took a deep breath and followed behind. As we reached the dead angel, Katon turned to me.
“Three in the chest.” He nodded in silent approval. “Guess our forgers need a pay raise too.”
Scarlett growled at him and knelt down beside the body. She cradled the fallen angel’s head in her lap, her tears flowing freely. Katon took a step back to give her room, realizing he’d upset her. After a moment, she looked up at me, anger flashing in her eyes.
“This is Israfil.” As if telling me who he was changed anything.
I recognized the name, though. He was the angel destined to sound the horn that ushered in Armageddon.
“That blows.” I couldn’t help myself. Furious, she bared her teeth, the green of her eyes whirling.
I raised my hands to ward her off. “They came after me, Scarlett. It’s not like I wanted this.” The lie tasted bitter. Yeah, I admit I lost a little control after the first soul transfer, but it wasn’t like I sought them out to kill them. They attacked me. “Besides, they’re working for Asmoday. I’m sorry if I hurt someone you know, but if he’s pro-Armageddon, he’s an enemy, plain and simple. That applies to all of them. That’s just the way it is.” I tried my best to look apologetic. I never realized how hard it could be.
She sighed deeply, her expression softening as she put it all into perspective. Her anger at the angel’s death made way for sadness. She gave a shallow nod. Rahim, who’d stayed out of our philosophical debate, stood surveying the scene when he suddenly went rigid. He looked up with seeking eyes. Scarlett turned to the sky as well, her face slack with surprise. Page 114
“Move away from the body,” Rahim shouted, his voice filled with reedy tension.
I was gone in a flash. Anything that could spook Rahim was something I didn’t want to play with. Even Scarlett abandoned Israfil’s body and retreated with us. I watched the dark sky to see if I could determine what was coming our way. I didn’t have long to wait. Brilliant sparkles of light illuminated the night, washing the stars away. I shielded my eyes from the brunt of the glare and kept watching as thousands of glowing beams struck the ground at once, then dissipated. A nebulous cloud of swirling energy floated toward us, the air crackling. A chill settled around us as I heard what sounded like singing. It was amorphous, yet beautiful. I realized who it was. Gabriel.
He appeared in all his glory as I thought his name. The cloud reached the ground and broke apart, drifting away to reveal the archangel. Like the stories of old, he looked every bit the archetypical angel; flowing long hair, bronzed skin, and perfect chiseled features. Dressed in an ivory white breastplate emblazoned with a gold cross, a bejeweled sword at his side, he smiled at us. It was the smile of a predator. I saw no hint of God’s mercy in it.
His majestic wings, made of shimmering golden light, folded behind his back and faded away as he knelt beside the downed angel, his face going blank. He set his hand upon Israfil’s chest and bowed his head, muttering a quiet prayer. To whom, I had no idea. It wasn’t as if God was listening. A moment later, he stood and returned his attention to us. There was no longer even the pretense of kindness, the smile gone from his face.
“You have struck down one of the Lord’s faithful.” His eyes settled on me.
Not willing to be bullied, I stood my ground. “I can’t imagine God would be real happy to know your angel was cavorting with demons.”
Gabriel didn’t look surprised. “God is forgiving. And in these difficult times, I have no doubt He would reward those who serve His desires so fervently, be they angel, man, or demon.”
“The end justifies the means, huh?” I could feel my anger getting the better of me.
Scarlett stepped in. “We know not God’s will, Gabriel.” That had to hurt for her to admit. The archangel laughed. “No, you do not know His will. You whose bloodline is tainted by the Devil’s seed could never understand His holy plan.” He sneered at her. “Do not speak to me, for your very voice curdles the blood in my veins. You are a demon in all but name.”
That wounded Scarlett deeper than any blade ever could. In one sentence, Gabriel had taken her pride from her, wounded her to her very core. Despite how much of a pain in the ass Scarlett could be, Gabriel had no right to speak to her like that. It made me angry.
“Your God is gone, His relevance with Him.” I stepped toward Gabriel. “His plans and desires don’t mean shit anymore. Had He cared, He would have told us what He wanted instead of leaving us to figure it out. So don’t go being all self-righteous like you have a clue, some secret insight into what God wants. We all know damn well know you don’t. You’re as much in the dark as everyone else.”
Gabriel matched my forward step with one of his own. His hand settled on the pommel of his sword.
“Spawn of Lucifer. Do not presume to speak of that which you cannot understand. God shall be a part of the faithful forever. It will be in His name I carve the tongue from your blasphemous mouth.”
Rahim stepped between us. I could tell that was the last place he wanted to be. I had to give the guy credit for stepping up though. “Had you intended to strike us down, it would have already been so.” He gestured to Katon, who grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. I didn’t resist much. “So saying, why have you come?”
“You are wise, wizard.” Gabriel’s hand slid away from his sword. The smile crept back to his lips.
“Armageddon is a foregone conclusion. God has seen fit to bring it about and so it shall be. After which, there is to be a new Genesis, a rebirth of all which is good, righteous, and pious. I would rather not be forced to destroy the misguided among you because of a misunderstanding. You and your people, with but a few exceptions-” He turned and looked at me. “-are good people. You do what you believe to be right, but unintentionally, you work against God. I am but His servant, yet I know His will as if it were my own. He would be merciful to you, and as He would be, so will I.”
“And God desires the end of world?”
“It has long since become obsolete. The humans wage war under the guise of false gods, false beliefs. They
