mekachu04 | Entries tagged with verse: first princes

most of the time, gabril has no proof of the itenty of the last angel to senter the Rom. The brutality of most visites leaves him unsertain as to if it could have been an angel at all. Hec lings to that, does his best not to try and work out the clues. better to play ignorant thatn to reliase that any of his olleges coould be capibbaly of this.

that he's ment to be capabale of this.

non the less, there's something about the mess made to the traitor that sets his nearves on edge. his robe's been remove comepltely, some either showing off, or just wanting to see hwat they've done. and what hey've doone is a beaten azripahle black and blue. his face is battered, but most of the brising is to his torso and thighs. theirs clear heel marks where someone has stomped down on him repeatedly, mostly across his gut and groin, but the worse of it looks liek it has shattered the corperation's hip.

gabriel has to force his mind blank, becuase it wants to fill in the pieces for him. some part of him knows who did this, and Gabriel cannot let the ida form. he's saved from that dilama by something even more horrifing.

when he places a hand on azirpahels gut - he was attmepted to look a te hip - he's horrifed by how... solid.. it is. not that he goes around feleing up chubby angels, but that is not how that area is supposted to feel. even muscle doesn't feel liek that. and azirpahle, face bashed in, eyes barely able to opne, makes a wet wheezing sound at the pressure, tears flowing easily.

Gabriels not sure he's ever seen an angel cry before.

he rushes to micheal, worred - and it turns out rightfully so. internal bleeding liek that will kill the body, renering all this pointless. micheal still refuses to let azirpahle out - but has a few of her more discreet angels deal wit h it. gabriel doesn't mean to spy, but he finds himself unable to let it go. he wastched the minions gather the fluffy filiment that lingers around heaven, by products of creation. the humans convuse them with clouds, and no angel has bothred to correct them. but they are the raw elemnts of eveything,a nd also linger with traces of the Almgihtly herself.

they easy pass intot he Room, and unlike angfels who are trapped within their mortal limitations, the filiment remains as holy as it was utside. they forse it though the flesh to the ruptures under the skin - aziphale scremaing each time. they don't however, let it near his face. they don't let it heal his beaten features, amputated tonge or torn raw throat.

just enough to heal what would be fatal.

just enough to keep the body for dying, but not enough for nay comfort for the one ocuping it.

the only this worse is that micheal lightly chasized him for letting it get that far. at first, gabril doens't realise what she's implying. not until she waves off the complaint with thanking him for owning up to going overbaord and not trying to hide it case it worsesnted.

she thoguht He'd done this. and why wouldn't she? he'd been just as ready to exicute aziphle after the humilation on the airfield. he'd been more than ready to end another angels existance with hellfire. even the Almightly had never unamde an angel - just... kicked them out.

he can't help bu t marvel at the turn around on heavens most embrassing angel. Azirpahle had never been the most outstanding angel, but at least befor ehis betryal, he was decorated for being one of heaven's most relaiable angel onteh ground.

Granted, now everthing they thaought they knew about the deon crowly was being reivauated, but azriaphle had thawted over demons, and at present there was no sign of deception with azirpahle's reports on those encounters. infact - the difference was night and day - leaidng htem all to feel rather foolish in not raliing something was ammise. any repost dealing with crowly was almost complimentary if yu stopped to scrutinize it, whle the varios smittings and thrawting azirpahe had fdoled out to other demons where swift and effective. he was a proper pricipalitly in ever since.

as long as it wasn't crolwey.

all of that was gone now.

there wasno warrior guardian kneeling befor ehim now. htere was no handwinging buffon trying to talk his way aorund the truth.

just a blank face, vacant expression. the Room had reduced azriahele to a doll, incaplable of indepentant thought, and not a smidge of free will.

well.. almost.

there was still one order he refused, even if gabriel wasn't even sure he knew why he was anymore. he still refused to vacate the corperation he was inhabating. and someone else had gotten fed up with him first and carve dout his tounge, making it so gabriel couldn't even ask him why anymore. well, he could. it was the only thing to bring any life to his eyes - a dull, flickering thing, easy gone. gabreil had memmried that face azirpahel mad when asked, not a face an angel should make, but one a human might. he reaseached it when he was sure he was unabsereved..

forlorn. a sadness that could not be conquered, but must instead be endured. unfortuatly, the humans he asked couldn't explain to him why an angel would even make sure a face. he learned the faces they ave him when he asked hwere often faces of pity. he didn't like those faces either.

it got him no closer to understanding why azirpahle would hold so stubborn to this. if helped, a little, when he realised that while azirpahle had never really been headstong against him, and archanagel, this angel also did that the hand of a child and then hold a sword again the devil himself.

what didn't help was the sinking stone in his thraot when he realised that azripahle feared *him* more than he feared an unwinnable fight with their greaterst advisary. when he'd retutned to heaven, enraged, he'd expected to see the wayward angel humilitated and then oblisteread. that anger only festered and grew when it did not happen, but said angel succedded in thawtign them. Micheal - who'd been atteh front lines to lead the charge and listened paitently, before ressuring him that this would be resolved.

they may not get their war today, but gabriel need not linger in his own humilation. he let her use her back channels, and in the morning, sandelphon and uriel delivered him the source of his humilation.

he wondereed if he still would have approved micheals plan, if he's had time to calm down after the airfield. he wondered, if maybe he had been listening to sandlehpne alittle too much over the millinia, as some of hte more cooler headed archagnels suggested. neither capturing of azirpahle had been presented to metatropn, for example. surely, if they where truely just actions, they would have taken the time to seek the council of the voice of God.

and now... now theyhad broken one of their own so thourally, that even though Gabril had never taken advantage - other tahn the one time he'd been so thrown by the actins he'd failed to stop them as soon as they started - azripahel still presented himself like he was ther eto be used nad discarded.

they'd built an imagine in there head - after five thousand years.eric's story of the faile exucusion on solidified that.

To see the real azirpahle, after so long, so different than anything they could imagine….

Zabeva, once the most resentful of them all, wept; they left he building, nearly returnred to hell. the other two solidererd on, with all the care they'd shown their own children in the centures past.

like them, azirpahle was a soilder. like them, heaven had turned again him. unlike them, heaven had taken their time with him. azi was a shell, no two ways around it. crowley might be too close to this - insisting her knew azi was in there somewhere, could be coaxed out again. amromi was less optumistic.

still, tere was something childlike in the wide eyes daze their compationt watched them with. his unease was palitable to the assembled demons, but it disappated immediatly once the angel was givin a task to do, an order to follow. even if hte order was a slimple as, "you can kneel if you want," in crowley's soft tones.

"they tried to Name him again," gadreel concuded a few sessions in, sitting crosslegged infron of azirahle, the two having spend hte last few hours mearly looking at each other. the angel was looking better, earthly food and drink doing (lightyears) to impove hte appearace of his corperation. but the pieces of his that had been hacked away remained gone - a iricle would be needed fo rthose. crowley was confident he could call on one, but he needed azi's spririt to be stonger before he attempted it - to prevent an accidental backlash. until then,a zi eramine dmute before them.

"I don't think a tounge would help anyway," crolwey would admit, moreosly stairing at his cups later, "If he wanted tot alk to us, he would have found a way by now."

they had tried to force a new Name and Purpose ont he angel, the exent of which none of the demonic forces could figure out. the only 'good' news, if such a term could be used, was gadreel was confided that the Almighty had not backed such a measure, hence why it hadn't stuck.

it did lead to the watchers stumbling over hte newer pronucation as they reinfored the last Name that the priciplity had been bestowed, an attempt to drwl the angel out. they had initially bawked at the change - it was Aziraphael to them, as it had been since they'd been statione dtogether at hte garden. but, as crowley poitned out, he'd been Azirpahle for the last five thousand years, a far cry longerthan he had ever been Aziraphael.

in annoyance, armoi had snapped, asking if such a little think mattered. they knew it did, but they chose to be stuppon,trying to ignor htie way their own former named burned when spoken. corwley had nearly thrown them all out for that.

to be fair, even crowley seemed to be tripped up in trying to use the angels Name as much as possible. the watchers - removed from the general demonic circles, failed to appretiate just how powerful knowledge of a name could be. Azierpahle had been an easy thing to say when they hadn't yet been friends, but once it became clear that niether wanted to hurt the other, crolwey tried to use the angel's name less and less. Names where for tempatations. Names where for seducing into sins. Names where for inciting a downfall.

a demon could destoy your soul, with just a name.

ironically, said angel was the first peropn crolwey had told his name to, both on the wall, and later, when he'd settled on one that he wanted for himself. lucifer had Named him crawly, and She had only reinforced that when She cursed him for his actions in Edan. it take him nearly four thousand years to learn that a perk of being a demon is that you have to power to Name yourself, and while he hadn't told a single demon that he'd done so - he'd blurted it out to the angel on their first meeting after.

-

crowley wasn't sur eitt was working though. sure, ariaphle eyes had lost that hazy distant look to them, but htere was still no recognition. he even wondered now, had azriaphle known who he was int he Room, or had crolawy projected that relief durng the rescue? had he simply been doing what he was told, follwoign orders in an effort to protect himself from new horrors?

and then corlwey had gone and shoved him inot a snake body, virtual blind after the Room, and handed him off to gabreil to discard whereever the archangel pleesed. it had worke dint heri favour - it was a last second plan, soley based on gabreil percieved remourse. a safer bet would of been to leave azriaphle there and worked with gabreil to plan an escape later. had the archangel been confronted on his way to earth, azirpahle might have been destroyed with not a osul knowing, and who knows where crowley would have ended up; an eterinly trappe din pohone lines, or blown to smitherenns with his own incedaery device.

the day tuened when gareeel straigned up from his staring setion with azirpahle, looking at crawley with a confused but manic look; "They tried to Purpose him /out/ of his corperation?"

crowely knelt down next to the duo, looking at azirpahle whose blnak look held his own with a feirceness he'd not seen yet since before all this had happen. Someone was there - someone was home, and this Puporse was important.

"whyy not jsut disportate him then?" zabeve urmered.

"He leanred how to posees people during Nope'aggedon," crolwey offered, but hte angel shook his head. while that statement was true - that's not why.

they all saw him disagree. gadreel pushed deeper again, but azirpahle remained looking at crowely.

"what is it angel?" crlwey prodded, leanring forwad, hands resting ona zirah;es knnes, "what did they want you to do?

"yo wouldn't do it, so it must have been important to you. what was it Azirpale?"

ther eit was - that hint of something corlwey had seen in the Room. that look of derstaion an dhurt that had overridden common since nad told him he had to get azirpahle out then and there - there was no waiting.

"og angel..>" he murmered, moving forward on his own with out a thought, hand cupping the chemn-like face. azirpahle made a soft broken noise, eyes closeing as he pushed past crowley's hands to press again his chest. corlwey waitsed no time tuckign him in close, arms sercue around him.

"ive gotchu, angel>" he wishered inot azir[ahle curls, the other three dmeons watching quietly, "i;ve got you now."

five thousand years is along time for resentment to build. It's also a long time to hold on to said resentment when you don't see the reson for you pain the entire time either.

The fell, and azripahle didn't. And sometime after the anger at the injustice of the matter, aromi had started to miss the odd eastern guardian. afrert a few thousand years, armooi mad peace witht eh fact that teir last of their group didn't join them - that at least on of them where happy. the watchers had been barred from going topside since they refused to pleadge loyalyt ot lucifer, and had come to carve out their own corner of hell to themaelves. and once things settled, and live started to becme routine, the absence of thir last memebr started to amke itself noticed.

legion - a funny little demon who was often used for hells messages since he didn't seemed to be bothered bu the regualr killeing he went though - becuase thier point of contact to not just lucifer, but to earth tiself. Erik, as he liked to be called on a one-on-one bassis, was endlessly facniated with earth, and was well on his way to getting more chances topside. he abdored their stories of humans like a sponge. and, in return, he brought them stories of his own.

and, he was a msart lad. for a demon. he figured out on his own what sotries the wacthers would be most interested in. the stories of their mission combainion.

there was too muhc of a power impanalce for legion to even think of appoaching the prinicality, but he watched from affar. told them how he was. the only thing he didn't understand - and really hte watchers didn't eather - was that they'd come to find tha they didn't want to hear about him reprimands. they didn't want to hear about him being humiliated by his own supirious.

Legion could get away with such snooping becuase every eric knew what the other ones knew. and if the one on scene was smote - the memoeries had already been shared, so nothin was lost in the disorientation nad agony to follow.

the angels thougt they where being decrite - but ti was clear that they thought so little of the humans that they didn't realise that theyere where being observed. it was the priciplaity playing clean up with the onlookers after the fact that kept the whole thing from cuasing chaos.

there was a ime, when the watchers felt vinidcated. let him be humlitated, like they had!

"what do the other anges think of it?" armoi had asked, wishing to relasih his compartios anguish more. Eric only gave him a blank y=look.

"The other priniplaities - what do they say?"

"About..? abotu azirpahle?"

"yeah? i be thtye coddle him"

"I've only ever seen the archanagles talk to him. Gabrial usually."

they looked confuded.

"I mena, sometimes sandelphon comes along. knocks him 'round a bit afrer gabriel leaves."

the resntment fades. angels aren't ment to b alone. they exist in choirs. the four of them where cherbim. maybe not stationed together, ut they all had platoons they once served with. when they whe Named priciplaities they still had each other. and the other prsiniplies. sure they didn't see each other often, but in those thousand years they reguallr met up. the humans needed to mingle for trade and marrigages, and it was hte perfect time for the angels to preen each other, checking int hat all was well.

with as many uhmsn as theire now where, overlap should be often. perhaps it was done more discreetly. legion wouldn't understand what to look for. nothis fuatl.

exect there was no grea tlove for gabril, even if they'd never searved under him themselves. and sandelphn was a bully - willing to back whatever the oppermanage ment said as long as he got to push others around. he also liked to purposely visit earth without a vessel - just to watch the humans disolve away when they looked upon him .

eric's offhanded 'knocking around' comment... hurt.

for the last thousand years, they'd looked at azirpahle having abandodned them. turned his nose up at them. maybe it was them who abadndond him.

as the clock marched closer tot he end, the stories erik brought them only somidifued the matter. loosing earth would have destoried him, that mch was clear. but would he cling to the humans like so if he wasn't alone to start with?

hten eric delived news that divded them. the priciplaity had set up his newest base of operations in london - and there was a distincive evil smell lurking int he area. legion didn't know if it was a demon stalkin the angel, or the other way around, but it was clear things where about to go violent. the archangels didn't seem to notice, he wasn't being sent anyback up. nor could legion suss out who it was. Duke Haster and Ligur where often in that area, and should they team up, the priciplity wasn't likely to survive the encounter. there was also the field agent demon crowley, he liked europe a fiar deal and was often on the islands durning his down time. he might not be as powerful as the Duke - but he was the Serpant of Edan, a personal (??) against him.

two dukes, the serpant, and some mystery demon, verse one priciplaity. the watchers wher ecertain he would be destoryed sooner or later. te one hope was that hte myster demon might be trying to get teh angel to fall instead of outright destuction - a boon to Hell if it could happen, and quite the bragging rights to the demon. But Legion wasn't sure who it was, and the Wacthers wheren't sure if they really wasnted to see thier friend banished from the earth like tey where.

in the end.. well.. in the end, wheren't they all suprised. in the dozen years before the End, Lucifer 'visited' their realm. wha followed was a cruel lesson that theyir relam remained what itwas becuase lucier was tiered of infighting. but now he had a need for them, and resistance really was futile. the secreats of the watchers was torn from them, the first etherical child to be born in five htousand years.

and then they where gone, and the End was on the horizon. but he time the Wacthers recovered from lucifers visit - it was years to late. Eric informing them that Crowley had reported in recently on the child's progress under his titilige. Delightfully eveil, he had said.

They gathereed, watching from their own walled off realm as the demon's readied for war. the watchers where not invited, locked away since they're loyaoty could not be sercuried. if they where very lucky, maybe the vicor would forgeth they where there.

and then the war didn't happen. orders to stand down echoed in the realm of the damned. outrage bubbled over, and demons turned on each other until order oculd be brought. they'd been bamboozed. they'd been betrayed.

the demon crowley had lied, and hidden way the real child. he'd diefed Satan, and had done so side by side with an angel.

but heaven had not won either - and the stalemate settled back into place.

all Hell could talk about thwa the traiort. the wacxthers whanted to know more about hte angel. how had hevaen not won if Hell had been betrayed? unless crowley had not defected,a nd instead he and the angel had both sabatoged the Great Plan. Why? to what end? and most importantly - who?

unfortualy, hell did not care about that part. but eric would tel lthem later, looing uneasy.

micheal had come to hell with holy water to exicure crowley. the watchers had gotten a play by play of htat fiasco already.

eric gave them the other side. no trial, no jury. just a private exicution by hellfire. they'd even giving him, HIM!, permision to ruhg the (traiot) when he sat bound and helpless. "He wasn't afraid at all." eric whispered, "He almost looked.. borad.. with the whole thing."

an angel, walking into hellfire. and then walking right back out again.

it classed with the nervious angel eric had decibed for the last five htoughsnad years. but it souldn't like the Raphael thay had meet breifly in the healing halls. broken like the rest of them, but fit enough to stand, so fit enough to return to duty. not teh guaridan of eaden yet, but the warrior of the almighty. before new Pruposes and new Names. before earth and humans and the complicaed idea of greys.

so when word leaked though that Azirpahle had been taken a second time by Heaven, Aromoi had had enough of sitting on the sidelines. Hell only cared becuase htey wondered if the same thing could be used to punich crowley.

once, gADREEL had said they would murder the serpant frst chance they had, regarledd of what side any of them where on. they never forgat the smake for eden. but htye wher right there at armoi's side as he complicated the gates of the realm.

he feel slike he should feel offended - stragners in his home as htey were. should feel offendided htat ey felt they had the right to inturude - to impl they could caef or his angel better than he could.

but the rub was that crowley was and had always been a solitary demon. before veythign when tits up, he'd been on the btterside of uppermanagment, to be sure. but he was a pycophant and he wasn't a friend. he didn't lurk in the croners of hte council room, begging for scraps,a nd he certaily had no place at the table. he'd cared for huamns sure, but they lives hwere short ether way, and often the best he could do in thses cases was keep them comfortable int heir last days of spiraling madness. his only friend was azripahle,a nd there had never been a precident lie t his before.

crawoley knew abotu heavens cult, he'd may be six thousand years removed - but he rememebred it. he was patient,a nd more then happy to take azirpahle's pace in what was going to be a slow severace of ties - even after thier mutal abrust retirement. he was ready for that; he'd been studied the humans who brove free and thrived for pointers on how to talked the backsteps that would enevably happened.

he was not prepared for this. after the epic rescur and escape, it whould havebeen tiem for thier happy ending. that's where all the other stories ended, after all. the hero wins and the two ride off intot he sunset. but the black serpant azriaple only staried blankely at him as he sprung free of the phone lines. he supposted he should be grateful that azirpahle had been aware enough to remmer to answer the hpnne, even if he didn't seem to understand that ded reformed in doing so.

he was free of heaven - not jsut long longer employed, but left eith the implication he didn't existat anylinger. crawly knew they'd have to laylow ont he matter of hte bookshop to keep the angels from fgiuring it out- but he hadn't imagingigned it wou;d be laying this low.

azirapahlewasn't afraid of him - had never shown the slightest hint of fear - but there level of recognition that crawly needed to find wan't there either. his angel was jsut a blnak vessel, being moved as he as instucted, looking back each time for mroe instruction. looking back at crowley for some hint of if he had beahved correctly. if corlwey asid nothing, the angel gre anxious.he'd drop to his knees before crowley, looing up exepcting to be abused.

the did the same when crowely told him he was good too.in the and, gabreil had helped him. gabriel had agreeed htat aziaphle had to be liberated, even if he had told crowley knwo was a bad time. crowley wondered. had grabreil taken advantage too? how far had his change of heard relly gone?

crolwy would direct his angel to other activited, food, books. often reading until his own thorat felt raw becuase azirpahel jsut looked down on the pages like they wher blank.

too soon, crowley knew he was out of his elemtn. this wheren't gettign worse, but they were getting better.

that's when azrmoi came. zabave adn gadreel not long after. crweoly couldnt;e vevn turn them away - they'd helped afterall.did he not at least ownt hem a chance to see azipahle for themselves.

crowely had alteast gotten his stolen moments. the three princes had been banned from earth once they fell. this was the first time in five thousand years the'd been topside. the first time in five thousand years they've openely brokent he treaty with Lucifer - a relatiation for the abuse he'd infliced ont hem in the creation of his son, which they saw as a breaking of treaty first. the first time in five thousand years that hte original guradians of edan had been reuinited. crawly had to alteast get a kic out of hte face they did so in the erpsant's home.

"if there was any goodness left up there, he shoulda fallen with us."

the Watchers, as Hell has come to call the late round of angels to fall, do not care, at all, for Lucifer, Satan, or the Dark Council. They don't really care much for dmeons, even though they are now counted among their numbers. they are not misguidede neough to think heaven will ever want them back, or that they would go back anyway, but they spent the last thousand years smiting demons and they aren't about to stop now.

for all the fault of the watchers they fell in love with humanity - in their own, very unique way - and have never, will never, forgive Hell for revolting in an attempt to prevent the creation of the Almightly favoured (thing). And while gadreel still holds a grudge against crawly for the guarden, he's found himself as the they'll most likely listen to when Lucifer does wish to negotioate witht hem, seeing as his work witht eh Tree is the thing that made the humans so interesting, and the thing that allowed htem to stray off the Almightly Plan enough to love htem back.

Crawly... doesn't know what to think of hte whole mess. Mostly, he doesn't want to be involved. but there are few demons besides Legion that he can tollerat for any period of time in his usualy haunts in hell, and he's just itching to do enough busy work down here to be giving a new assignment topstide. And - the Watchers appreate alchol the way crawly does, so if he has to be running messages, the watcher's aren't a bad bunch tohave to deal with.

He's waititng for their leader, Armoi, to form a responce back to the dark lord. Lucifer doesn't tollerat much by the way of disrespect, but he also doesn't want to fight a war with two fronts. and the number of watchers could be a great boon or a catrastofe blow depending on how this went. until then, crawly finds himelf waiting, an arrangement of snacks and drinks layed out for him. it's such a human gesture that crawly aches to be free of this place. the wacher assigned to watch him in the mean time, is a regreatable familour face. Zavabe was the thrid and finaly watcher that had been in eden. the only one left was still topside, unfallen.

Azirpahle.

but zabave's drunken drawl held no annimosity tot he last Prinicplaity. only regret and pity. crawly would have thought he'd been furious that Azirahle had escaped punishemnt.

"he didn't though," zavabe gestued with his drink, "His is the worse. Just becuas ehte Almigty gave him a pass doesn't mean the archangels will! they've never liked us, right from the start. only sending four chemib? knowing luvifer, who just ravaged heaven, was going to turn his sights there? no - we where always going to fail that on. the achangels hate the humans too - there just smart enough not to be open about it like luci"

crawly gapped at the short name, but szabe marched on, "they set us up to fail. i know it, they know it, azirpahle knows it - where he'll admit it or not. no angel wants some human ranked over them."

"I thought you liked humnas?" like... alot.

"I liked /my/ humans. i couldn't care less abot the rest of them. and they should even be able to be mad at me about it, the Almighlty Named me to love mine! what did they think was gonna happen, giving us a Purpose like that."

"nit all the prinicplaities fucked their humans though."

Zabave snorted into his drink.

"Azirpahle didn't."

"just becuase he never knocked one us, does not mean he didn't fuck one."

crawly tried to picute that. azirpahle having sex. it didn't seem like it was his wheel house - yet the angel had gotten a littel funny about human food in the last century or so. and while the angel did not seem to understnad fashion in the slightest, he did go for some pretty high end fabrics. he liekd his comforts, that was growing apparent.

he tried to picture azirpahle as a demon, down here with crawly. no. no he didn't want to see that, even in his imagination.

"now he's up there.. alone.. jsut with al those new lesser angels. I feel like we've abandond him. they don't understand what it was like. he was a cheb, like us. they'll never be able to compreheand that. loosing a anme nad purpose like tht. a demotion. and we did it becuase we loved her, and we thought she loved us too. but taht's the real joke."

"you four really where demoted then?"

zabve nodded solemly, "You knew that, you saw us int he garden."

"you've all been wrapped up in coperatins since then though, so i was never certain. didn't know for sure if priciplaity was a title liek archangel or what. didn't exist when i was an angel, y aknow."

"don't ever ask him 'bout it," zabave warned, like crawly was jsut goign to stride up to an angel to make small talk. Again. wait... did he know? "just think about it - it's like being forced to relive it all over again. i'd fall a housdand times before goign though that again. it's jsut..."

he drank, crawly sipping his own drink.

"Where you ever Named a second time? Giving a different Purpose?"

"Just the fall..."

"At least with falling, you know you fucked up. the first time, when our Purpse was changed to protect the guarden. it was rough already. the fight with Luci had us all messed up. Heaven won, but we all felt like we failed. so much hurt and death. so many angels jsut... gone. our entire existance was to be warrios, and it didn't feel right to live through that when so many angels from the other choirs didn't make it. liek we ddn't fight hard enough.

And then they tried to take all of that away, but it didn't work. tht feeling of failour was still there. like.. all the good parts had been washed away, and just the stains/rips where left. and then they painted a new Purpose over it without fixing anything. Protect Eden from Lucifer."

"I'd wondered that," crawly thought aloud; zabve turned to him crusiosly. "Was it protect Eden, or protect the humans?"

"eden. Protect hte humans came later, when we where demoted."

crawly pondered this more - thinking privately on azirhle ont he wall. giving away his wrod. he'd always assumed it was an angel being quirky with his orders, but no.azriaphle gve way his sword all on his own.

Funny thing that.

Once it was deemed safe enough, Azirpahle uneaslled the ark.

The grass had regrown enough to provide food and shelter to the animals, and the mircle that had kep thtem tame lifted as the refound their freedom.

"wont you join us?" noah's wife asked as they followed the animals out onto land once again. unfortully, azirpahle knew his ordes. didn't understnad them at all,but knew them none the less, "Sadly no, my dear," he put on his best smile, hoping his unease wasn't showing though, "I am to wait in the ark until told otherwise."

it seemed a silly order - the preditors would olny remain passive for so long. azirpahle rememerd the lion after it left the gaurden. the peace of the ark would disappate quickly after departure. but as he could only watch adam anad eve enter their new world, so too could he only watch noah and his family.

unlike the first humans, who were barred form reentery, there as no such resticktion now - as noah and his sons started usuing pieces of the massive ship to rebuild. the woman worked on everything from food prep to helping smooth down the wood as it was detaitched, azirhale flitting between the two group to help when he could. Shem surprised him only a few short days in by showing off the boy's project - they had cleaned an cleared out part of the ships bowels, and had created a reenforsed room, with easy ascess to the outside for the humans to use.

"it'll be the last they we tear down," Shem explained, "but we mad sure that it would stay structy sound as we pull the rest of the ship apart."

it was alovely, well build little structure, but azirpahle didn't really undesrtand its' purpose. it must have shown on his face becase (sonB) gave him a warm smile. "We know you will be called back eventually. but until then, we had hoped you would axecpt this as out give to you, a room in out home. father explained you had to stay on te ship, so we build your room here." he gestured to the hole htye'd build ont he east side of the ship - opening up to the area that they where building more permaint homes for themselves. "This way, as the ship is torn apart, you still have a plce to stay, but you also are still with out family."

in the trails that cam elater - - the archangels had so many quesationed - so many accuastions on wha thtis ment. azirpahle found himself standing witht eh other first princes, the first of many to bee put on trail. accused of fraternization with humans. with daring to claim the power of creation as their own. even if he was the only one among the assused how had followed orders - had remained at his station without excuses, had allowed his favoutred to die and instead save the Alimightly chosen, hadn't tried to run off with smuggled survivors to hid them once land had bee found.

all those terrible ordesr, ones that broke his heart - broke his spirit. he'd followed them all. he was not the only angel to follow them - but he was the only one to still be charged.

the sarchangels found noah's kindness to him suspect. they found it supsect that he - one of the first princes - had not (fialed) like the other three.

in the end, when no children had been born from his humsn in that first year - a miricle in itself - they fianlly let him go. it was decided that, since he was not actually a cherib anymore, and he was hte only one left from that group of angels anyway - it was no longer resonable for chamael to be his supervious. they too where being punished it seemed, though they had not fallen, and they where still an archangel, the others could little at he moment. still. Azirpahle was reassigned to Gabriel, Archanagel of the thrid sphere. he tended to favour the middle rnk of the third sphere best - the messangers. the angels that spend the fewest time with the humns of the three lowest ranks. they where the most hands off - they where also genderally not assigned to a single human for long, never given the chance to favour them the way priniplaitis and guardians did.

bu thte time azirpahle was allowed back to his provance, noah's family had passed on, and his newest generations knew nothing of azirpahle. te land had bounded back to its preflood speldour, but azrpale regoznised nothing. he'd lost his humans, twice over. his comrades since the being of time where fallen. his commander - a servious fighter but an understanding leader none the less - had been shunned and replaced. the world he'd watched grow had been erased, replaced wiht a beatuifl but unknown mockery.

for the first time in his existance, he felt alone. lost.

maybe he should of allowed himself to fall witht hte others. atleast... at lest he would be witht hem.

"little brother?"

stealing his face, aziprhale cast his gaze around, looking for nthe human who spoke - and finding an elderly face looking back at him. the human was old - very old by human standards, and their sight seemed to be on the verge of completly failing them anytime. but they looked right at him none the less, "I'm sorry.. what was there,dear?"

"You look sad, little brother," they said again, yes, there weere clearly speaking to him. flustered, azripahe wrung his hands. it was always hard to talk to the humans whose minds where failing them. such a thing did not happen to angels, there was so ittle frame of refeance.

he was sure it was over. Sowrd gone, humans escaped, and in a stolen prototype. Wall only just barely sealed back up behind him.

He couldn't .. Lie. Escecially not to the almighty. He though about the angels he'd faught against not all that long ago - was he destained for that now? he didn't think he could survive that.

and yet, instead of being struck down, the Almightly left. and he remained unfallen.

no time to dwell on it, he still ha to sneak the vessal back. it seemed awefully miraciouls that he was able to return it to wer ehe found it, n one being the wiser. the only moment of panic was coming face to ace wiht the quartermaster on his way out.

"What are you still doing here?" he snareled. he was not a patint angel on the best of days, and it seemed today had not been in his favour. before azirpahle could come up with an escuse, the guratermaster kindly gave him his orders, "You lot are suppsed to be back athe guraden. the Almightly wants to make sure the tree is safe until She's figured out what to do with you."

easy enough. gurad the tree.

except.. except, adam and eve hadn't made it all that far yet. azirpahle was an angel, time was relativly meaningless to him. yet he thought they would have gotten farther by now. there where stormclouds gathering in the distance, and he hoped they found sheler before it came. and it seemed like a few of tha animals had gotten out, though he had no idea how that one happened.

relly... was there another hole? prehaps that's how the demon got in?

as he watched the two poor humans marching across the sand, warily watching the lion stalk after then - they'd certainly never behaved like that in the garden -he felt the air stir behind him. he assumed it was one of hte other cherib, come to see the humans off.

he was sertainly not excepting the large snake. nor hte demon that shed it's large form to stand beside him. the once angel made no attempt to attack, just watched as azipahle did. azirphale wondered why the dmeon had done it, why ruin the lives of two innocent humans. doom an entire race right atthe start. he missed it - the demon saying somehting, words lost to the vaste wasteland.

azirpahle should be msiting him off the wall. should be lashing out for interfearing. for ruining his Purpose. "well, that went down like a lead balloon."

painted quite the picture, thworing azirpahle further off balance.

Azirpahle had only had the Purpose of soilder until the garuden. and even then, he was a sentry. his ability mto make small tak was non existanct. but... but he had no Porpose right now. wuldn't until the Almightly layed out exactly what a Prinipality was. and the humans would need to surive the night first. they would need to come to find a since of home - wither defined by place or people.

but... well, talking to a demon should not be so freeing. and in the later centires, azirpahle would coe to confirm that crawly was a fluke. the other demons where nothing like that.

but a dmeon.. worried. turely worried.that he'd done the right thing. just as muc as azirpahle worried he'd been wrong. angels did not worry about being wrong. angeld couldn't do wrong. even crawly seemed to think so.

he pretended to mis the way the demon's face softened when azipahle thanked him for the reassurance. it was thoughts that culd et the both of them in quite a lot of trouble.

maybe it was htat. that worry that nether one of them could talk to their own sides about. but it sparked something on that wall. and azirpahle - forbinded from leaving the gaurden yet. unable to helpthe humans as hte furst rains fell, this the best he could do in their stray.

if he couldn't go and protec teh humans, he would stay... And azirphale lifted a wing up against the oncoming rains, refusing to look athe demon now sheltered under it.

refusused to felel that internal warmth that comees from doing someghting kind for somonewelse blossom in his core. It had been there when he'd freed the humans too. so if giving them the sword was hte right thing, than so too much this.

an entire new sphere was being created. Granted many saw it as a demotion, angels from every sphere being Named with a new Purpose, to watch over they failed humans in the mortal plane. Pulled from choirs and galaxies and even from the Almightlys side to be remain into Priciplaities and Messangers and Guardians. the Third Sphere - the choir of Earth.

after so recently being reNamed as an Eaden Gaurdian, it was dizzing to be renamed again so quickly. it almost overwhelmed the (agony) of being reduced fromt he light of a cherib to the more compehenable form of a priciplaity. though - even if they where all equal know, the newly named Azirpahle (and htat was what hurt the most. to have lost her favour. it was a small, tiny thing compared to the rest, but it hurt he most) could easily spot the other three former edan guardians. the four of them shines jsut a little brighter then the rest of the new priciplaies. the only ones truely demoted. not jsut in regards to their percevied duties but in power itself. their new names reflecting that. Aziraphale, Armoni, and Zavabe. Gadreel surpsingly took it the hardest. She had not taken her favour from them, leaving them as the Prince of Princes. but he took the fall of eaden the hardest. from what azirapahle was comeing to understand about the whole ordeal - the demon from the wall.. crawly. Gadreel had seen him in the walls - in that massive snake form of his... but hadn't realised he was a demon and had thought nothing more of it.

even azirpahle had been surpised when the creature had approached to talk to him. most of hte other demons they'd faught off had been just as formless as they where as angels. there had been no need for coperations - the humans had, until the tree at least, been to simple minded to undestand the completly of etherail beings and had taken them as they where. it wasn't until after, once their eyes had been open, that anyone had undestood. when Gadreel - back when he was still Gaderel, had tried to confront them about the tree, they'd screamed. they didn't recognise the chereimb as he gaurdians frm the wall, but instead as something ineffable. the anglic words ment nothing to them when spoken, eve covering her ears as if in pain, adam's eyes streaming tears as he stuggled to even look at htem.

they'd not known what to do. when it came to return to report the activity to heaven - the then aziraphael, had taken a chance when he saw the guartermaster;s newest accisetion. it looked human, but with no brightness like eve and adam - no soul. as Gaderel reported to Micheal what had happen, aziraraphal found his attention drawn to hte quartermaster. he was explaing the new item to one of his underlings. he wasn't sure what it was for either, jsut said that the Almightly was goingto to be rolling somehting like it out here soon. that this was prototype for him to study.

it would be the first of many questionable desitions Aziraphael would make that day, but oldly the first one he'd forget about. Adam could not look at them anymore. eve could not hear them....
but...

but what if he used a proxy?

no one noeticed him leave, stuffed awkwardly inside the human fasimile. it was awkward nad he wasn't sure he was doing it right, but he pressed on none the less. something propelled him forward, some unnamed need.

actually, one entity did notice, but She couldn't explain the need anymore than he could, and only watched in worry as yet another angel went off script. the whoel thing was crumbling aorund her - this wasn't going right at all. firsrt sameal, the the humans, now another angel!!!

they'll call it the Great War eventually - but in the immedat aftermath of the universe's first battle, all Raphael could see was the blood of this brothers staining his hands. The golden blood of slain angels painting the floors of heaven. Every corner of his home tained by violence and pain. he'd been created a warrior after all. it was his purpose and his duty. he just haddne't excepted it to hurt so much once it was over

the choir of cherimb who had usrvived had not done so without their own ingury. And without corperal forms yet, there was little differencs beteery phystical and mental trama. emotional turmoil tumbled endelessly with brutal ravages of combat and whole pieces of some woul dneed to be ambutated to prevent dispare from taking whole and unraveling them at an interal levl. it was a delicate and slow process, and left both of the two pheres of heaven uneasy.

non the less, when Chamael entered the healling halls, asking for vollenters for new Purpose, even still injured, there was no shortage of those ready to start. no all ingures can be healled with rest. and while rest was still needed regarless, heaven had jsut learned how dangerous thoughts could be, and being alone with them was making some angels nervous. in the end, chameal picked four of hte healthest cherbim (healthiest, not healthy. hte where able to move and preform the task asked of them in the assesment, but none where healed by any streach of immagination)

Rapheal only fainlty recalled the other three from the healling halls, and possilby passing by in formation from the endless time throm before the infighting had began. All four of them looked tired, but reayd to embrrase new duties. new distractions from the turmoil.

Named with new Purpose, Aziraphael joined Gaderel, Armoneil and Zaqiel on the walls of eden. Each was to be stationed at each cardinal point overlooking a vast hopelss desert. the humans inside where their charges, but thei duties where to prevent samael's recoving legions from destroying the garden. He had revaulted becuase of edan after all - angels, unable to create unless they were Named to do so, had been told htey would bow to the newest creature the Almighty had formed. Humans, granted with power of not just creation, but that their Purpose was *to* Name things. so it was clear that even if he was defeated and fallen, he had survived and would most certainly be looking for any way to destroy this new creature.

it didn't take long for the dark form of thier once brothers to strat sniffing around. it was easy enough to smite them form the high place, but it did cause an unease to set in. calling Her Grace up as a weapon felt so terrible, brought horrible memperies of the War back to mind. the only thing keeping his hand steady was the Purpose of protecting the huamns in the graden. He'd been reformed, renamed, recreated. His only task was the humans.

no matter if they where once his brothers. Azripael would smite each one for the humans. at least now - the humans where helpless. attacking his fellow celcstains didn't weigh so hard now. and there was no reason to give chase either, sparing him from ending anymore lives as long as htey demons retreated.

an::::
Raphael as a cherib, then Aziraphael in this last part
...
Aziraphale is post garden

he aches by the time he spots land; the nortal birds gave up a long time ago, turning back to the ark. Crawly doesn’t have that luxury. Azirpahel is a strange sort, but he's not bad for an angel. Tried to be fair, and all that. And honsestly crawly's run across other angels that smote him without so much as a warning shot. he's not in any hurry to se azirphale replaced by some trigger happy angel on a holy crusade.

and the angel was droppng some pretty plantant clues that something was afoot in the heavens;y choirs, and that crawly needed to make himself scarece. some reassignments might be comming down the line here again soon, and crawly really didn't want to spend the next few centuries looking over his back. he did that enough when e went back downstaris, earth was alovely respite form that, thank you very much. if he could keep the one soft touch down here in the dirt with him just by making trakes for a bit, he was happy to do it. a couple decades, and it should be safe to wander back and check in.

limbs slide away once he hits the dirt, and for a while cawly just soakes up the warm sun n the rapidly drying earth. small bits of grass have taken hold not too far off, and crawly could smell older trees and plant life wavthing on the wind. part of this area had been underwater, but not all of it. localized flooding, just like azirpahle had said. still. drowning kids was a low blow, no matter if they where eatting people or not. not the kids fault that half their parantage didn't plan for what could happen combinine etherial power with human genetics. thought they shoulda seen that one comming after poor eve's kids. humans where;t exactly the lot for level headed thinking.now.. crawly did actually adore the lot of them, but even he could see the pretty bvious problem with giveing them power and mircles. look how much trouble just a flaming sword had caused! and that one was done in truely the best of intentions.

really bit azirpahle in the ass, that one did. poor angel.

satan help him, he really hoped aziraphle wasn't recalled. he might have been a poor angel in the fact he acted first on instinct, before following the complany code, but he tryly did have the human's best insterest at heart. wasn't his fault Heaven had other plans (oaky, so.. it might be his fault. crawly wasn't sure about this whole ineffable buisness, but he'd seen the magic htat one world helpt for creations most anxious angel. crawly was also fairly certian that it was also vering the angel fauther into left feild, but... hey, he was a demon. shouldn't he be incoraging that?)

crawly rested on the slowly expanded beach until late afternoon, before lsithering inland. he needed to be as far away as he could be when the boat did find this place; far away fromt he angels clearly grading the priciplaity - something crawly was susspouois would be a pass-fail test. one he wanted no part of.

Azirpahle won't let him inside. "I can't be expected to chase bird from the roof," he suggested, and crawly took the peace offeing frow what it was, and pulled up his most impressivr mircle yet, becoming niether man no snake, and instead a dark corvid perching on the wood. the humans eyed his sudden apperance with some suspision, but crawly made no effort to try and get inside, nad stayed well out of human reach.

he also made sure - out in the open like the were - that he stayed far neough form the angel that nobody would expect him to do osmehing about a stowaway bird. he smothered every aspet of his demonic nature as best as he was able - which was much harder than he would excpeted.... he was jsut itching to cuase some mayhem and he was supprised how bacd *not* doing that was setting him on edge.

still, it was better than the endgelss flying. the corpses ahd finally stopped floauting, and the sea had clalmed. other birds - who'd been resting on said corpses and debris, where starting to gather on the ark as well, helping him hid in plain sight.

so he was there when the angels did come - Micheal and Gabreil both, stepping down in the dark of night, long after the humans had drifted of to dream land.

they didn't notice him at all, and wasn'tt at a bragging right for any demon! two archangels, comeplely oblivious. and since there was two, not a soul could balmine crawly for lying low and taking no offesive action. the two archangels seemed to be looking for something, searching the ship with azirpahle so paniced in the wake the air was thick with terror. it wasn't right - angels cuases other angels to raise such a miasma.

they where too far away for even craly to hear - almos meaning he was too far away from them to smell him out - but whatever they where ooking or, it seemed they came up empty handed. there was a breif moment of palipample relief before anxirty sent back in, and then here were off.

suprising him though, once the archangels where gone, the prinipality shifted into a dove, and joinged him int he masses. the other birds paid him no mind,a nd even crawly lost trake of him, until a very much not bird voise murmered next to him. "the waters have broken; im to guide Noah to land, and then I'm being recalled for a time."

"there's land?" the other birds all seemed to quiet - all perking up at htis information.

Azirpahle nodded his beak. "Gabreil wans't happy witht he birds, but i convinced him to let me use them to guide Noah to this land the spoke of. somewhere to the east, not sure how far. in the morning I"m going to have him reliease them one by one. It'll give you a cover for leaving, and hopefully you can get there safetly. there's bound to be another inspection during deboarding, and tey'll be much more though."

"What are tey looking for?"

if a bird could look sad.... "the children. they want to be sure none of them survived to pass on etheral traits. the younger ones still look human enough they could pass for a few years. Micheal wants to be sure so the Almighty doesn't find a reason for other measures."

"I didn't tell my side," crawly offered suddenly, unsure why, but feeling it was important. the dove looked at him, head cocked. "about... angels creating things on their own"

Azirpahle nodded. "not more much longer, i'm afaind. some kind of loophole, but it's goign to be closed. i excpect that's why we're being recalled."

"But.. but you're not in trouble, are you? you didn't have anything to do with it"

"Not sure it will matter in the end. we where all demoted after eden; i'm just gratefull nothignw as down about the sword. it was already hard enough being one of the four from the garde walls, if everyone had been puniched further..." he trailed off, looking ill in the face for a dove.

"anyway." he cleared his thought with a thrill, "in the morning..."

"I'll be at the frount of hte pack when noah shows up. keep away just so no one can try and blame you for not spotting me. and once i get to land, i'll make trackes; be long gone befor ehte humans show up."

"Rememebr, east. and mind ho wyou go"

"always, angel"

there is a storm brewing in the east. The early rain drops have begun to fall, crolwey storming away from the angel in discuss. The people once laughing at the old man and his boat are still chuckling, making a big display at the light rain. Little do they know....

there's nothing to be done. high ground is too far away even if htey start walking now. with a good horse you could maybe make it, but the journal would kill the naimal from exhausnion. still. corlwey whisperes to the mothers, plants seend of darkness in the hearts of those well enough to travel that they should adandom everything an go. take their children and start walking.

Azirpahle confirmed that he was to let no huamns buts noah and i sfamily onto the baot. noah had until the first rain drp to convinve the locals to help him, but it was too late now.

they where all going to drown. eventually.

that might be the wrose part; crowley had seen the damage a flash flood could do, the death and destrustion left in it's wake. but... but that was quick. over and done. you survived or you didn't. this was going to take ages. fourty days of rain, azirpahle had said. fourty days and fourty nights. never mind who long it would take for all that water to dry up afterwards.

complete distruction.

"Surely they cant' be *that* evil," corlwey tempted the angel, "My lot haven't even recieved a responce like this yet!"

there was something in that - the angels head bowed.

"Azirpahale?"

"It's the other Principlaities. the ones from the wall."

"What have they done to merit killing humans?"

"They've married them."

"Who married what?"

"The other pricipes. they married into the humans. had children with them."

"So.."

azirpale dropped his voice - "they're monster's crawly. abominations."

"don't be mean, angel, surely-"

He shook his head," i tdon't mean that's Heaven's decliation, i mean i've seen them. their... their horrible. and the other priciplaites keept having more. and... and not all thier wives understand what their getting into, some..." she bowes his head,"I don't even think some are aware at all."

they've seen rape happen with the humans, both the violent conquest and hte soft subversion, often plies with alchole. crawly shuddered.

"Still odn't have to kil the humans."

"They'll all die anyway otherwise. these children... eat.. humans... when they're not killing them for sport. somwehre along the way, it seems heaven jsut views the humans as... another thing on earth, and not anything more important than the birds or goats that huamns already hunt."

crawly was quiet for a long momeny, letting the rain cool his rising tempter. "What... exactly.. are your orders, azirpahle."

He should tell him - crawly is a demon after all. but crawly also is driven by a deep need to understnad. "The Almighty has grown angry wit the caulous way humans are veiwedd, both by angels and other humans. So, in each Princdom that has grown curposed, the Priciplaity is charged with prepping one single family of Godly Men of Her choosing. We are to prepare them to create a boat to surivive the waters,a nd fill it with bredding pairs of the innocents animals of the land. Until the first drop, the humans can choose to grow their family in anyway they deem fit. after the rains though, and everyone is boarded, the Priniplaity is to seal the doors and protect the boat until it's safe enough again for them to disembark."

he gre quite, crawly letting him sit int he rain for a bit. the boat was almost loaded, just loading a few provissions. it would be time for azirpahle to seal it up, befire hte humans around them came to understand their faite. "What else. what.. wasn't being said?"

"The almight chooses the family. we priciplaities are to have no invulence in who that family gets exented to. our punishement is to watch the rest of our chosen people drown infront of us. Mine, as horrible as it will be, will jsut be humans. my friends, but nothing more. the others.."

"Their families."

Azirpahle nodded. "their children. monsters as they might be."

crawly swore. angels breeding with humans. could get him alot of points if he pased that one on to his own bosses. but... even the worse humans didn't deserve that. hopefully that power of creation was something that got burned out along with Her grace when they fell.

"it's time..." azirpale whispered, slumping. Noah was on the deck of the ship, motioning they where ready. "She will be watching for this part - may want to be scarece for a bit, dear boy."

scowling, coawly slithered off. He didn't leave though. he lurked with a gaggle of humans still watching. Azirphale dropped his human guaze, shining holy for a momnet as he gripped the massive doors, and - like htey wead nothing more than a few feathers, closed them tight. Sealed them shut.

some of the humans - subcounsouly, seemed to understand what they had just witnessed, and grew anxious. until the water grew to deep to stand, Azirpahle would remain where he was, bright in the growing gloom. not a beacon for the helpless this time though.

not this time.

he.... should not have skipped last week.

azripahleis still bound wrist to ankle, anckle to floor. but he's been knocked over, flat on his back. his (rigth?) ankle is twisted under him, hip possible dislocted. hands purple from the pull of the cuffs, hopefully, with equal bruising along his exposed thights and gut.

his robe's been pushed up to nearly over his head. with no mircles or food to sustain his prefer look the body has started to wither. no miricles also ment no mucles, giving azirpahle a frail sickly look that didn't look right on any etheral. he was also wheezing in short pained breaths, no attempt made at his usual customary greating. this was more than a few days worth of inguries.

the effort azirpahle had been sporting, an out of date corteas eunige, had been brutalised, heel marks clearly outlined in bruises along genitalia and inner thighs. if gabriel looked har dneough, he could brobably guess a shoe size and style.

Was that something he really wanted to know?

He knelt down, pulling his subratant's robes back in place, hands careful ont he darkest of bruising. he had no mircles here neither, and an admittingly limited idea on how human skeletons where help together. but he was reasonably sure nothing was outright borken, even if the pained whine bad him want to withdrawn and leave.

he.. he wasn't actually a soilder. he was a messanger. he.. he had never actually been on the front lines. he had others to do the heavy hitting for him. best to ask the expert them, he spposed. "Anyhting broken, as far as you can tell?"

"gabrl?" Azirpahle looked exachused, straining his neck to lokk at gabreil, he couldn't quite look him back int he eye.

"Is it safe to sit you up, or should i leave you like this?"

"Up, please. legs always been a mess, won't be gettign any better regardless."

he wasn't sure he'd ever been so close to azirpahle before, much less two armfuls, an awkward hug as he pulled azirpahle upright, ignoreing the sharp noise of pain fromt he other angel. for a moment, he sat frozen, azirphale gasping into his shirt, gabreil looking aorund the blank white space in an desperate attmept to give him a brief moemnt of privatcy as he struggled to compose himself.

"It's oign to keep escalating," gabreil murmered into the void, "just give micheal the corperation. i'll get you a new one, get you back on earth and... and just end this."

azirpahle gave a wet horse chuckle, shaking his head no, "i can't.... i can't gbariel."

"i'll get you a new corperation by tomorrow. i'lll have micheal sign over that Heaven's to leave you alone from here on out - no loopholes or tricks. Azirpahle, please, this hasn't even begun to get bad yet-"

"Oh, i know. i am well aware of the extend both heven and humans are cpaable of."

"Then why? this is lunacy! Micheal intends to break yopu - why give her the satisfacion? jusst-"

"I can't. I can't Gabreil." there's that horrible laugh again, and azirpahle straighenins, but doesn't look at him, "I can't, and i cna't even defend why."

whith a annoyed sigh, gabril pulled awya, standng up to leave.

"I"m gona die in here gabreil. and it's going to be ugly. best prepar yourself for that now."

Crowley had no illusions that he had friends in high or low places. Now, Eric was a friendly face - but legion was his own entity that was only dmeonic by default, and crlwey didn't trust him longer than the avage Eric's lifespan.

Strangely enough, it was looking like Aziraphl emight have freinds in low places though. besides him of course.

Now, Corlwey knew of the Watch Princes, hard not to since they held a particule grudge against him, the serpant of eden specifally. essecnatlly, fallen angels can in three flavurs - lucifer's hand picked, who raised arms against fellow angels and now held titles in Hell; the cast outs - like crolwey - who ran in the wrong circles, nd while htey never raised arms against God, they ertianly didn't cut anyone down to defend her either and where concidered traoirs all the same; and hten the Watchers, who fell after the earth had been full, angels who pervered the human form in their own image and let their offspring openly murder - and eat - humans.

the watchers mostly kept to themselves - they had no love for lucifer, and just enough power to ensure mutual distruction if Lucifer ever tried to push them. they'd set up their own area in hell, and tended to keep tothemselves and their families. sometimes their children would filter over to lucifer's side, ugly misshappened things, and lucifer would entertain them, but everyone knew that they're were the first picked off on a bad day, and the Watchers had to allow it since they children HAD come over in the first place.

Crowley didn't know much about most of them, but he knew to stary well clear of the three Princes. Gadre escpecially, whose wall of the Garden crowley had initially burrowed under, had made it his mission to flay corlwey open everytime their paths crossed, blaming his existance specifially for the four chermbi demotiones, the creastion fo the thrid anglic sphere, and their eventual fall. And for centuries, Gadre also loathes Azirahle for not falling with them, the One Prince remaining. and when Corlwey had learned the little details form that - he actually sent a thanks heaven ward for azirpahle not falling after crolwey had smuggled those kids on the ark. if just getting into the garden had cuased all four of hte guradians a demontion, he had no idea how saving those kids hadn't cuased the Princiapilty to Fall like the others, but he was... grateful (blahhh) for it none the less.

Zavebi and Armaros, already more mellow than Gabre, appenatly had no such hang ups, and after the dust had settled, crowley had come to find out, tey made a point to stay out of whatever continent Azirpahle was on, just to make sure neither side had to face off with an old colouge. Poor angel had no idea.

Crowley was only coming to find out when he went poking around the corners outseide heaven. there was always a weak spot - crolwey had proved that wih the guardian. he'd just never had a reason to break into heaven before so it was just a matter of finding them now. he'd thought he was about to find a world of hurt though, when he stumbled upon one of the watch princes, Armaros, face to face.

the chermim turned prinicplaity, turned fallen, pervorted flaming sowrd in hand, turned from where they'd been picking aray at the seams to regard corlwey with a calm face. thousands of years had given her features time to heal and smooth back over. unlike most of the fallen crolwey dealt with, the watchers where vain in a way crowley could apprectiare. they'd had human lovers when they'd been angels, and had delighted in dressing up and 'ringing glory to god' Corlwey liked to dress well becuase it inspired greed and envy in humans, soemtines wven lust. the Fallen watchers did it becuse it brought them joy and, yes, drove the humans to lust after them. the fall had taken not just Her Grace frm them, but also the abilty to procreate with humans, and when, a thte end of days, it was found out Lucifer could still sire children, it had drivent he wedge between the groups deeper.

"dirt crawler," Armaros purred, voice cloying and sweet. Cowley shuddered, looking for a way to turn tail and run. He was breakign into heaven, not fighting more deons.

"Come ba~ck" the Wacher called, sword sheathing, and hnds going up in a 'peace' gesture, "I think we might actually be on the same side for once."

"Really?" crowley headged, "pretty sure i'm on no one's side these days..."

"Yes, i've heard," the watcher smiled, "decided not to end the world, and then took a holy bath right infrom of the gathered rotting masses. Well done, by the way!"

nt what corlwey was expecting, but then again, the watchers' were an odd sort.

"I think we might be able to help each other today," Armaros said, gesturing to the wall. corlwey could *feel* the itch of heaven bleeding htough, "Might even be on common ground."

"Ya think?"

"It seems the Last Prince finally threw his hat in the rink, and furfilled his Purpose, protecting his charges over Heavens wishes. and like those before him, Heaven deemas it worthy of punishment. So... We're going to go retrieve him."

"You... you're trying to go save... azirpahle?"

"Hmm," they nodded, turnign their back to crolwey to face hte wall. just the act of supoiosity set corlwey on edge, and he looked around behind him, waiting ofr an ambush.

"I don't pretend to know how he's kept form falling this entire time, but, regardless, Heaven can't let something liek that go unadressed. And - for better or worse - he is one of Us, so" they gesured, "onward nad upward, i suppose?"

"Thought your lot was mad at him for not Falling?"

"Bitter that he didn't, yes. But upset with *Him*? no. never. We all bent the rules when nessisary Heaven doesn't understand what it's like down here. But... but he was always the clever one. The rest of us couldn't figure out that lsat puzzle. We had to Defie orders for our Purpose. If we'd just culsulted him, maybe we could of bent them too - baske din her grace a bit longer."

"The Flood."

Armas nodded. "Our Pursse was to protect our People. Given to us by the Almighty Herself. We were Named a second time for it. the third sphere is the only angels ever Named again. we failed the gaurden, but instead of falling, she showed us Favour. The others.... well, they never liked us becuase of that. always giving us Orders that conflicted with our Purpose.

"They where tying to get us to fall the moment we were Named."

"Would go along way to explain soe of his orders..." crolwey grumbled. it was well known by now their allegances to each other, no point in hiddding it now.

Aramos grinned, "But he had something we didn't. He had you. and now, we're gonna use that."

crolwey gave the watcher an uneasy look, but he could taste no deception of mistruth in the air. demons don't lie, but they certainly don't tell the truth. and yet. as much as this sould reak of trap, hte air was sincer.

"You really mean it - you want to get him out of Heaven."

"Have for more than four thousadn yers. Angels should not be nervos balls of anxiery. angels should not spend their existance waiting for hte other show to drp. but look what they've done to him!"

Crolwey... had to agree. "So... what's the plan?"

AN:::
Gadreel - Gadre
Zavebe - Zavebi

Gabreil's not stupid - he knows that physical intimidation is very much in the angelic wheelhouse. He himself has expoited that; just bring Sandelphon along has gone fantasic measures in bring angels back into step, no acual threats neeed.

He's just… never actually. Seen. it before. the aftermath that comes with such a reputation. and it could be anyone really - Gabreil only knows that he's to check in on Mondays. He has no idea who else has accress to teh Room, or what days.

his very limiet knowldege of damage to vessels leaves him comepletely in the dark on how long has passed since Azirpahe more resent.. Penance. and when he checks in before his jog.

he's had to move hte visit to before his job - he needs some physical relaise, somehting to empyt his htoughts before he;s back to his desk for untold hours, trying to work though the mess that has been left by the earth still spinning.

He's discovered he doesn't much like the dark thoughts that start to fester if he doens't go in clear headed. He found himself trying to excuse the most recent blows to azirpahle's face, the mottled bruising visible under the soiled robes, the defeated " 'ello Gabriel" that is murmered upon his every entrance. Starts to think maybe it *is* justified as the pile of work never seems to go down.

after a few rounds of this, Gabriel find *himself* worring at his hands. He doesn't always think highly of his subortantes, that's true. But.. But he'd never wished harm on them until very recently, and he's starting to worry about that. He was ready to execute an angel. he'd justifed erasing the existance of his own subbortant. Samael got a lighter sentance than that!

And.. and he's still not sure he isn't actually okay wiht it, but.. But a least his course of action was quick! even Falling - while an eteriny cut off grom Her Grace , hte act itself wasn't drawn out like this.

'We're the Good Guys, for Heaven's sake.'

they are angels - the Great Plan must be God, becuase it is hte Great Plan. except... except.. except the Plan had failed, and not only did Azirpahle *not* fall, he'd walked right out of the Hellfire. There was clearly something htey missed, and Micheal seemed so sure she had it figured out, to just trust her and do as she ordered, and it would all be Good again.

it would be Monday again soon. Gabriel looked to the forms needing approvale, the queries asking for clariifacion on what different groups where supposted to be doing now that things haddn't ended after all. He needed a break, he needed to step aside from the work.

but. but that ment going to the Room.

He'd been angey enough to want to hit azirpahle (and others, to be honest) over the centuries, but he'd never done so. Becuase angels where better than that. He was better than that. A quick execution was one thing, but to tourture an angel -and no matter what words micheal wrappe dit up in, it was a carte blache, this was tourture - even a disobediant one.... wasn't that... that couldn't be Good... could it.

He didn't know if he could take looking at Azirpahle today, couldn't take lookin down on an underling, knowing they'd been fraternizing for centuries untold all under his nose. He should be justified by that allone in delighitng on whatever state he found the prinicplaity in today.

but ne already knew he wouldn't. he's beginging to think.. he's begnging to think the worst part just might be.. groveling, nersous, anxious azirpahle. an angel that took a decade to get tot he point, would talk cicrles around himself, suttering and stammering... there was none o fhtat. aziaphle was downtroudden to be sure, but he never so much as asked for repieve wen gabriel walked in. never asked to be let go, never begged Gbariel to stop his torment.

he was calm, accepting. and gabriel ididn't think it was some play, waiting for a rescue. despite the demon clearly looking for a way in, the priciplaity didn't seem to be excpeting it to succeed. he wasn't holding out for a better fuftre. he seemed wole resignging to this. and ...

it was like gabriel was looking at an angel he'd never met before. it was rude to go inspecting one's true form, but gabril had last viist, just to be certain they had the right angel. admittidly, it'd been so long since he'd done so, he wasn't actually certain what azirpahle's true form looked like - he'd had to ask the quartermaster for what to look for.

the demontion marks. the wounds from the First war. gabriel had forgotten about them, honestly. But - they matched.

that was possibly even more dishrateneing, too pry in and look at azirpahles true form confirmation. the only time since this all began that azirahle had flinched away from him, drawn in on himself and tryied to fight back. gabriel actually felt guilty for pushing it, but he had to know. he had to know they where tourturing the right angel.

it didn't make him feel any better.

it woul dbe time soon. He'd once debabted on skipping it again - he didn't want to know, not really. and he argued that he didn't want to be cuahgt off ste if mihceal popped in again.

but really.... really, he needed to know it wans't escapalating. not that he could stop it, one way or the other. but he couldn't stand the idea that hte only faced Azirpahle saw where once wanting ot hurt him.

He might have been the one to reccomend execution, but.... but Azirpahle had been his supportadanct sice the reshuffling of ranks after the flood.He was Gabreils responabitly, just as it was Gabriels responabilty to watch over his charges. it had been gabriels responsibilty to not just assign azirpahle orders, but to make sure he had what he needed to fufill those ordesr. He'd.. he'd thought he'd done a Good job.

He'd been so proud of Azirpahle -Heaven's longest stationed field agent. the only origianl watcher to not fall. They'd all been warned about the flood, and ordered to rescue only God's chosen. He was the only one to let his own chrages own drown. God orders over his own Purpose. After, he'd been assigned to Gabriel, hte first time Gabriel had tried to recall him for a Good Job. azriahle had spent the time weeping, until he'd quietly asked to go back.

Gabriel wasn't sure he'd ever undestand, but azirpahle, newvous, halting, corperation stiff puffy and leaky with emotion, had tried his best to explain. He's been Purposed to watch over the humans. as the only remaining Priniplaity, he was woried about the huamns - reduced to such a small number. He'd known the family, and he wanted to return to his Purpose.

in hindsight - gabriel was pretty sure he just didn't want o be in Heaven anymore. None of the Higher spheres had done anything to warrent a demotion, so Gabriel suggested promoting a few of the more poewerfu Gauridans to help azirpahle. they never lasted as long.

at the start, garil was prompt at checking in with their side project; right after his mroning run, just before starting in nt he day's back log of paperwork afrer the whole nope-aggedon.

Azirpahle remaind nervous nad chagy - which was frankly more in line with gabriel was used too - and would plead with gabreil to let him go. and when he wasn't awae gabreil was watching him, he ooked pained,a nd stuggling to sit still.

really - he's a angel. kneeling for a few weeks should not be so dramatic!

but then, as time trickled away, more an more doors to heaven started to have a lingering evil smell to them, and the paperwork was piling up, anxious angels just about demaining answers while not saying a word. they all remmebered the last time a group f them got (mouthy). but what they didn't say with words, they said with looks, and soon gabreil wasn't even getting his running in anymore - thrying to kept fires from starting.

The last ting anyone wnated was an uprising.

and then, Micheal came to him for council - the fireld agents where starting to get antsy and on edge. there was dissention in the ranks. the choirs wanted to know the Plan.

peace could be maintained if they just had Orders - just had judance!

"Have we made any progress with Azirpahle?"

It was al Gabriel could do to not let the surprise on his face - whan was even the last time he'd had the down time to even deal with that. His schedual had jsut gotten so full, tyring to move the most battleready angels around to keep from getting the others worked up, try and find Purpose for them to burn off some of that feavoru.

"I was just on my way to check in," Gabriel lied, motioning to the small stack in front of him, "just as soon as I delt with these reassignments."

She snapped her fingers, the stck moving to someone else's in pile. "I'll go with you, see where we are in thie whole mess."

If they could jsut get Azirpahle to accswiest the body, they could show that to the Host, could assure htem a Plan was in the workd, and they'd see the results shortly.

it had been longer then gabriel relaised, as he lead the way to the Room. he'd actually taken at least one wrong turn - it had been longer htan he ralised - bt managed to smooth it over by making it look like he needed to touch base with an angel abut... somehting. Honestly, Gabreil was pretty sure none of them knew what he was talking about, but hte subortant looked more like he must have been the one to forget something, and rolled with it rather than call Gabriel on his bluff. it was weirld nice to have that again. no angels second guessing him, or trying to undermind him anymore.

then it was into the Room, shuddering a the feeling of his power falling away as he stepped over hte threshold. no miicles here. hterotically, left long enough, it was even suggested mortality could set in if htey where not careful. the Room was warm but numbing, and a shade of just too bright. azirpahle was hunched in on himself as best as he could be, unable to lay down or strach, chin toucked down, shoulders raised.

if hsi wings had been allowed to manifest, gabriel had no doubt they'd be manteling aorund him.

" 'llo Gabriel" he muttered voice dry but soft, "been a bit, huh?"

sweating, Gabreil forced a laugh, clapping his hands together, "I know my week feels like eternity right now, but what's your excuse?"

Azirpahle did look up then, face scrunched in confusion. Gabreil could *see* the angel mathing it out, ready to call him on his bullshit. Gbareil could also see the shiner he was sporting, left eye swollen, and nose bloddied. it wasn't fresh, a few days probbaly, by earths measur eof time, with a rust stain on his shoulder where he'd tried to wipe it, a splatter of blood staining across his lap and knee. before azripahel could voice his question on time, gabreiol pointed tot he obvious, "what did you do to yourself this time?"

Azirpahle had the gaul to look at him like he was the idiot. He was saved from voicing his opion by micheal, who chuckled, "We did say as long as the body wasn't mortally wounded, anything goes. How *are* you finding your stay, Azirpahle? shall i book you alongther week, or are you redy to check out yet?"

"It's been such a lovely visit," azirpahle said, dry and hinting on anger "i'd hate to part so soon."

She simply smiled, pinched and tight, before patting Gabreil arm, "well, i'm afraid i do have other things to do todya. Enjoy your stay, Azirpahle."

gabreil stepped out of the Room with her, uncertain. He hadn't a chance to voice anything yet, Micheal pressing her fingers together, looking... pleased.

"well, it seems someone is finally takign the hint."

"I.. beg your pardon?"

"what's wrong gabreil?"

He motioned back to the Room, "Someone's hit him."

"Of course they have, that was kinda the point." he wasn't sure what she was reading in her face, put patted his shoulder gently, "I know phycologailt (torment) would mean less damage to clean up after, but it also would take time i'm not sure we have. between unease in the ranks, and demon sniffing at our doors we need to hurry this along."

"Youre suggeing.. torment. torture!"

"Demons torture. angels call for penance. And if a few good angels are willing to step it up and ge this rolling, i'm in full suport"

She smiled at him, "Ypu've down well Gabreil, Thank you. Good Job."

After long discussions, it was concluded that Adam must have done something to Azirpahle's corperation when it was created. No angel has ever before been immune to Hellfire, and, unfortuatly, it is clear that the prinicpality has not fallen yet - a still on oging dicussion as it where - so there must be something to the body itself that holds the secret of immunity.

If they can figure that out - duplicate it possibly - Hell stands no chance against them. Even if they can't figure out why, if they can just get the corperation, then micheal herself could wear it, and could lead a one angel wreacking crew on Hell. they wouldn't have to know it was only one angel, Micheal could do enough damage to convice them it was the entire host.

the only thing standing in their way was the angel still in the body. and unfortuatly, there was no protical for getting an angel to vacate a vessel. there had never been the need before. if you hwere asked to return a body, you did. no angel would refuse a request as such.

but again, there's ever been an angel like azirpahle before. the archagnels had settled on, in the end, if he refues (which it was pretty ovious he would, but it still didn't hurt to ask. after all, maybe azirpahle would come to his sences about this whole thing. he'd been an averae angel for more than six thoughsand years. really, this insobordination was relativly new. there was a chance he would realise his mistake, come back into the fold. Gabriel really did believe that.) then they would just have to make the angel so uncomrable and misrable he would vacate it willingingly.

it was carefuly footing they had to take - the needed to make sure that Aziraphle de-corperated, not dis-coperated. in the end, the body could not be damaged beyond repair. they needed to convice azirpahle to leave the vessel while it was still wholey funcaable.

Each angel had their ideas on how to accomplish such a task, and ow it was just a matter of finding wich method worked best. Micheals was straight up just tossing him in the Room for a few centuries alone, but they needed something faster.

so it became gabriel duty than when the earth spun to Monday, he would try to convice azirpahle to vacate the vesssel. he really didn't think it would be that difficult. last few encounters withstanding, he and azirpahle had a repoir. he was sure it would be a simple task of guiding azirpahle back into the fold, especially without that pesky demon whoispering noncess in his ear. to much time on earth - that's what all this was. to much time away, and he'd wandered off path at somepoint.

the Almighty hadn't chocen him to fall after all. and heaven veiwed the failed exectusion as a gift, afterally. surely this was a sign. a body imperious to hellfire!

now to just break down all this misguidance betwwen host and angel. Things would work out; Azirpahle would be welcomed back,a nd his vessel would bring glory to heaven.

Gabriel was sure of it.

the next extrodanary rendition did not go as peacfully as the first.

Uriel heaved for breath, unused to the sensation of being 'einded' after having been kicked in the gut quiet soundly by the prinicpality, only finally brought under control from a blow from micheal. sandelphone had a hand over his busted nose, blood streaming down his face, and gabril - possibly the only one to escape un wounded - looked more hsaken then the other three of them combined. ureil could respect that -who knew azirpahle had it in him? he'd never shown a back one before, and now was willing to take on four archangels at once.

it certainly took them by as much surpise as thier appearch had to the pricipality. ureil had forgotten they had once been a cheriub. looks like one truely does never forget.

A finally look around to make sure that his demon parapamaor wasn't lurking aorund, and that the huamns had contined on their way none the wiser, micheal threw teh senselss lower angel over a shoudler, and they where gone.

--

they took him to the Room. it was as holy and pure as anyehere else in Heaven, but had the distince difference in that it supressed an angel's innate Grace. it hadn't offically been used since the First War - a place prepared for the growing dissenting angels. it's down side was that it rendered all angels equal. there was no power there, meaning for the ony time in any angel's existance, both choirs where equal (the thrid choir hadn't been formed yet, as the earth was not yet fully ready for them, but it was in the works)

it ment, tha tinside the room, azirpahle might be powerless, but so too where his intigators. It was a fact they would need to be careufly about, to ensure he didn't realise it.

they'd stripped him of his old and rumpled clothes, and when he awoke, chained to knnel befor ethem, wrist to ankle, he'd been clothed in only hte simplest of wobes, not unlike what he'd worn in eden.

"we have no actualy interest in you personally, azirpahle," micheal had intoned, standing at parade rest befor ehim. the other three stood behind her off to the side. This was her show now. "bu tyou can undestand why we cannot allow an angel like you to raom freely."

aziraphle didn't respond with wrds, just hanging his head in sorrow, ees closing in regret. it had been a worry, but he'd truely thought he'd had more time.

"We don't wish to drag this out, we'll even allow you to retutn to earth on one condition."

"Oh?" aziaphle asked, not really caring about their answer. to go to this extent assure him that whatever it was, he should not giv eit to them. he was already preparing himself for the long wait in this horrible place.

"You can't be allowed to just galacant off as you please. you will retunr the corperation to us,a nd then you will be free to go."

Azirpahle did look up them, quizzical. there was something else that wasn't being said, something being skirted around. "The corperation Heaven granted to me was distoryed. i wasn't granted a new one."

"The one youre in, payent for the one you distoryed."

"And then what - i just wander earch incorperal, nad you;ll let me be?"

"Heavens honour." micheal intoned, and the other three nodded approratly.

Azirpahle had figured out how to talk to crolwey without a body - the demon would have to be approratly intoxicated to even be receptive to the idea, but it's something they could work on. and after the swtich, there might even be a chance that share would actually work, if done right. and there where always people like the dear Mme tracy to help along the way.

Getting this body from Adam was a gift he'd not ever expected to have - and there was little no no chance that Adam would beable to do it again, even if the child wanted to.

It could be a good deal. no more Heaven to worry about.

but... but their was soemthing else going on, and Azirpahle was not about to play nice just yet. there was something Heaven was fishing for, and he knew this was about more than just destoryed propery and punishing him.

"This was a gift to me," Azirpahle sad fianlly, "I think it would be awefully rude to give it away, don'tt you think?" He was testing them, watching for a reaction, trying to puzzle out their end game.

"we can't have you down there, wandering freely and without some sign that your betrayal was unapproved of."

"I can't be down there intercting with humans willy-nilly without a body either. Human's are very fickle in that regard. It could cuase everyone alot of trouble to be seen like that."

"Most of them can't see us anyore regardless. Any that do will be written of as crazy or soemthing like that. no worries."

"it's a worry for them. we aren't ment to be seen like that. it can damage them irrovably, both body and mind. So few of them have any inking of how to prosses us - madness is not an ailment to be brushed off like that."

"There jsut humans, azirpahle. they don't last long either way. It will be fine."

He wasn't sure if it was just their innate causal dissmissals of humans, but this seemed different. "I won't do that to them."

"Than remain in Heaven; though i doubt you'll be happy. And.. if you behave, perhaps we will grant you a new coperation later on."

"But not this one?"

"Hmm?"

"I like the one i have. I want this one back after my sentance has been served."

"Maybe - "

"No. I want your Word, I get *this* corperation back."

"Now azirpahle, you can't expect us ..."

Azrupahle sat back, resting his weight on his feet., ignoring Micheal. He regarded the other three. Gabreil refused to look at him, Uriel was intent on Micheal. but Sandelphon was sneering at him, in the ....way... he did.

No. there was something else going on here. he didn't know what yet. but what he did know is that he most certainyl could not hand tis vessel over to Micheal.

This... was not going to end well for him.

"Do you think we'll fall for this?" Zaqiel whisperes, never turning away from the Archangels arguing over their fate.

Gaderel pales, looking ill, and Raphael breifley holds a steading hand on his shoulder. "It's Her will, not the council's. We must have faith, and wait for Her judgement."

Armoniel quiets them with a hiss; Chameal is gesturing wildly at them, and they can here her anger even from where they've been told to wait.

"I lost more angels in my command than any of the others - "

"You are in charge all of the warriors!" Uriel interjected, "Of Course you had casuitly!"

"And we are proud to serve and die for Her - but you immeditaly demanded more for the garden!"

"What where we going to station there, Thrones? Messangers? NO! we need cherib!"

"I gave you my four healthiest! *Healthiest!* Not stongest, not samrtest, not most powerful! I had an army of brutily tramatized and broken angels, and i gave though the four most likely to not fall apart the momet you turned away. I had no one not bleeding and (broken) becuase you refused to wait to let any of them heal!"

"The Almighty was moving forward - we needed to try and protect Her Creation!"

"Then you should of sent HEALTHY, UNINGUED ANGELS!" Chameal cried. "Watch over them yourselves if you must!"

It was a mixed bag. to hear her argue that they where not qualified, they where jsut the only ones who'd not faught hard enough to lay in pieces in the Healing Rooms. But that tehy where not qualified, but they'd done the best they could, even hurt and still in need of a chance to recover from teh War. They'd gotten their marching orders and with no regard to the fac they where not in marching condition, had done so none the less.

But the Garden was a failour none the less. Gaderel had seen the demon in the garden, but it had escaped into the earth, and Gaderel had assumed it had left. He'd failed to kill it, failed to alert the others, failed to notice when it had reservaced. And then Rapheal had gone and let the humans out before the Almightly came to discared the whole experiment.

If anyone where to Fall, it would be them. Raphael only hoped that tehy would be given a chance to speak first - to argue that Zaqiel and Armoniel had done nothing wrong, and should be allowed to remain in Heaven.

Chameal had run out of steam, the archangels voices dropping down to where even the ceribm could no longer hear them. they stood in file at attention.

An eteriny seemed to pass, yet all too soon, the council started to wrap things up. Chameul did not come over to breif them, and the four of them all braced themselves fo rthe worse. They'd be the first to Fall since the mass exudos at the end of the War.

They where eventually summoned, all four, to stand before not jsut the council but nearly all the authroitaian angels. Archangels from every choir where gathered, and Micheal stood to address the assebmly.

"The Garden was a Failour, but The Almighty has decried that it will be allowed to continie on Earth. The Plan is being Written, and we are moving forward to guide the humans on theis new path. As such though, becuase htye have eatn from the tree - they are no longer able to perseive us in out true forms. A corperation devision is being started, and the Almighty has started the creation of a new, thrid choir, with three new archatypes of angels, created to be compresensable to the humans.

"As the Almighty creates things, and Names them, we will infom you as it moves out. but, we have been given athority to start the process. The Almighty has decreed the four Gardians of Eden will ne Named to be the first Pricpalities of Earth."

The four chesiom in question filly looked up, confused and uncertian. Their names where their purpose - they entire idenities. To Fall would be having their Name revoled - but to be.... Re.Named...

Was that better or worse?

Micheal motioned to them, Uriel marching Gaderel forward and Gabreil stood up. "Gabreil will be the New Archangel over Priciplaities, you will be reporting to him now instead of Chameal."

Uriel forced Gaderal to kneel. "Present your wings."

"As a Prinipality, you are the guradian of humans, the Guardian Angel of human cities, adn thier nations and rulers. You will guard them against the wiles of the enemy. You are hereby resticted to movement only on the earthly plan, to take the same form as humans in so a way they can compreedn you."

Uriel held out Gaderel's flight wings, and Zaqiel sobbed as he realised what was to happen, Armoniel hushing him. all three forced themselve to look, to watch. to bear witness.

afterall. they would be next. Rpahel whispered a paryer as the Archanagels cut off Gaderal's betuifyl large wings.

"Presnt your faces."

Gaderal takes a stedy breath, man, lion, eagle and ox faces springing into existance all at once.

Micheal waited fro the room to settle, befire contiling. "The Almighty Names you Gadreel, Priciplaity of Earth."

AN::::
The Guards of Eden
and the first Prinipalities

Armoniel (Armoni)
[Armaros after fall]

Gaderel (Gadreel)
Not serpant - but the one who failed to kick him out before he decived eve

Zaqiel (Zavebe)

Raphael (Azirapale)

link to doc to import: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SrW_ddci9NkuA0MNvXnE-m6nXiNccvXbgDgQ8cbb_m8/edit?tab=t.0

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Day 134 - 578 words - Prompt: n/a
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Day 116 - 530 words - Prompt: Air cont.
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Day 107 - 1266 words - Prompt: four princes
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Entries tagged with verse: first princes

Day 134 - 578 words - Prompt: n/a

Day 132 - 660 words - Prompt: four princes

Day 125 - 1118 words - Prompt: quiet

Day 124 - 1508 words - Prompt: n/a

Day 123 - 673 words - Prompt: after

Day 122 - 1102 words - Prompt: shawshank

Day 121 - 956 words - Prompt: n/a

Day 120 - 726 words - Prompt: Colourful (23rd)

Day 119 - 642 words - Prompt: Light (22nd)

Day 118 - 559 words - Prompt: Dark (21st)

Day 116 - 530 words - Prompt: Air cont.

Day 115 - 744 words - Prompt: Air (16th)

Day 114 - 854 words - Prompt: Sea (15th)

Day 111 - 548 words - Prompt: already dead

Day 107 - 1266 words - Prompt: four princes

Day 106 - 1191 words - Prompt: its Monday Monday Monday

Day 103 - 949 words - Prompt: first cracks

Day 102 - 525 words - Prompt: angel of mondays

Day 101 - 1034 words - Prompt: nice gabby

Day 80 - 858 words - Prompt: n/a

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