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Post by Gabriel on May 3, 2009 20:25:35 GMT -4
It had been many years since Gabriel had found himself on his Father’s creation surrounded by his children and it was by no means easy to grow accustomed to the extreme way the world had seemed to change. But it was not the humans or the earth itself that had brought Gabriel back among their world; not directly. It was the coming apocalypse and the continual breaking of seals that had required the attention of himself as well as many of the other archangels. It was no small feat to require the work of archangels and it should how badly things had gone in the war to stop Lucifer from rising.
When the very first seal had been broken it had felt as if heaven itself had trembled in dread. There had been a siege to attempt to stop the seal from being undone but they had failed and as time progressed those which had been ordered to stop the end of humanity appeared to be failing one by one either to corruption or to themselves…the apocalypse…the time to end all times was not something which came without a price and no human or angel seemed spared in it.
Time was meant to be used to stop the war and not to be wasted in seeking out the help of their fallen brethren and much to several of the higher angels dismay it seemed as if forgiveness towards the fallen was being given far too easily. The war; the situation as a whole had hardened the best of them for it was the lives of all and their own very existence which was at stake and Gabriel too had found himself hardened against many of things that in a different time would not have caused him the least bit of concern.
He was the messenger of God; the one who had been bestowed with the honor of informing the blessed mother of the coming of her child. His Father’s son; the man he would sacrifice for all of humanity. But there were other times…darker times which had earned Gabriel the brand of the Angel of Death in some cultures of his Father and that Gabriel would have to concede with as well as it had been him with through words of his own had instigated wars among the Giants the son of the watchers and had allowed them to perish as it had been ordered of him.
Gabriel served heaven but most of all he served his Father. When it had been asked of him to go down to earth once more he had done so without question. Having sought out a worthy vessel; one strong willed enough to contain the power of an archangel Gabriel had set out on what was to be his mission; the mission of them all.
All of those who had obeyed; but there was of course those who had not. Those who had sought out the selfish route in their existence and had turned their back upon the angels of heaven and on their Father and had torn their angelic grace from themselves and fell willingly to the earth to be given the chance to “feel.” It was they who served a grievance for Gabriel currently. It was them which heaven could not be certain would not turn their backs once more on heaven and seek the side of the unholy in this war.
The fallen angels were a risk which could not be taken.
Death was not the message Gabriel took pride in carrying but it was one he would do if it were asked of him and knowing this Gabriel had traveled along the outer streets of one of his Father’s children’s city until he found before him a destroyed church of the Lord. The years had not been kind to the house of God but as with all earthly things it was weak and in need of repair. But yet no matter how weak or run down the vessel was it would serve its purpose.
The stones and dirt sank beneath the weight of Gabriel’s feet as he made his way across the stone threshold and within the grasps of his Father’s house. Before him upon the stone wall hung a cross; modeled after that which had held the broken body of their Father’s son; humanities salvation Jesus Christ and it was there before that broken wooden cross that Gabriel knelt his eyes slipping shut as his voice whispered carefully through the solitary air of the church as he called to it…as he called to her…to Anna… one of the fallen…one who he needed to carry the message of death upon.
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Post by Anna on May 3, 2009 21:20:38 GMT -4
After the ordeal in the hotel room Anna had wanted to go somewhere quiet to think. She had refused to leave till she was sure Castiel was in safe hands for a while and left with the promise to be back shortly. She had been so worried about something happening to him that she had wanted to put up every protection she knew.
There was a park near the hotel and she found herself wandering towards it. The streetlights flickered as she passed. The trails were concrete for runners and jogging mothers with strollers. She had always been a fan of the old dirt paths. Anna wandered around until she found a path without the annoying lights. She did not have long to enjoy the dark path however.
"Anna"
Her gaze snapped up from where she had been frowning down at the sidewalk to look at the sky. Someone was calling her. It had been ages since one of her brethren, besides Castiel, had called on her. The small sliver of joy she felt however was quickly snuffed out when she realized there would be no positive reason for another to call for her; she did still have a mark on her head after all. She hesitated for a moment more to close her eyes and take a breath. Anna's eyes flashed back open and she calmly went to the voice.
It was not a surprise to find herself in a church. She couldn't really think of a better place for an angel to call to another angel...well fallen angel in her face. Anna stood silently off to the side, leaning against the wall. Her arms were crossed and she watched as a figure knelt in front of the alter.
Even with the back of his new vessel to her, Anna sensed who it was. She should have known. "Gabriel."
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Post by Gabriel on May 3, 2009 21:47:27 GMT -4
It had not been with hatred or malice that Gabriel had called Anna it had been with a sense of purpose and orders which needed to be fulfilled; it was not pain he wished to cause but he wished to set things right upon the path of their Father and Anna was an upturned stone upon the path which needed to be righted.
“There had been a part of me which had prayed you would have ignored my call Anna but as you have not it would seem that the Lord has decided your path long before I called to you,” Gabriel whispered his voice still low as his eyes remained closed his human form bent before the cross of humanities savior. With an air of purpose Gabriel pulled himself from the floor in one calculated movement and in the very next whisper of air he was directly before Anna his eyes flashing into hers as his head tilted slightly his eyes searching hers. He had not seen his fallen sister for several years and he could clearly see her grace had been restored to her but just the same she was changed. She was unholy; one of the fallen and a blemish upon their brethren.
“The fall was not kind to you Anna the air of damnation is thick,” Gabriel stated his voice even as he continued to pierce through her using nothing more than his eyes.
Damnation much like death held a certain scent to it which permeated the world around it and with every passing second the hold of death began to mix with Anna’s damnation and the air was thick with the pungent mixture.
“There was a time when I would have gladly called you a sister Anna; when you were held safely within the arms of our Father but that was many years ago and you were the one who flung yourself from his grasp down to this world and it will be those actions; actions of your own doing for which you must be punished for.”
Words and language were Gabriel’s specialty and he needed to be certain that Anna understood completely her transgression and the toll her destruction would have but also the need for it. Time was precious; with each passing moment a seal could be destroyed and the demons would be one step closer to releasing Lucifer upon the earth there for Gabriel knew that even his words could not in this instance ease his fallen sister’s pain. Accepting that he reached for her in the space of a flash of lightning his hand gripping tightly against the flesh of her arm as his eyes blazed fire back into hers.
“I do not seek your forgiveness Anna…simply your understanding,” Gabriel whispered as he lay his lips against the flesh of her forehead for a moment in an act of kindness and compassion to the soon to be damned soul; and in the very next instance he pulled himself away from her as his other hand reached towards her and his palm lay itself forcefully against her forehead power seething within it; power meant to destroy her.
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Post by Anna on May 3, 2009 22:31:03 GMT -4
"If you want the truth I considered not coming."
Anna watched as Gabriel stood up and did not blink when he appeared before her. She listened to his words and held his piercing, searching gaze till he was done speaking. She then bowed her head, her eyes closing.
She understood the price for what she had done and did not regret it...or at least not for the reasons people would think. Anna did not regret learning to love, to cry, to suffer a loss...to worship her father in a new way. The one thing Anna would admit to regretting was that she had hurt her brethren with her fall. Never would Anna wish pain on those she had lived with for centuries.
Pressure on her arm caused her eyes to snap open and she looked up at Gabriel who seemed to tower over her shorter form.
“I do not seek your forgiveness Anna…simply your understanding.”
The touch was painful but having another angel touch her willingly caused something to burn in her. Another moment and a delicate pressure was felt on her forehead and she realized Gabriel had laid his lips against her forehead for a moment. The simple human act of kindness and compassion brought tears to the normally cold fallen angel's eyes.
In the very next instance his touch disappeared and she felt his other hand move to her forehead. She could feel the power coming from that simple hand and fought hard against the urge to shiver. It was power waiting to destroy her. She had been lucky to survive this long.
Her thoughts quickly flashed to Castiel and she felt pain that she would not be able to help her former subordinate. Anna did not forget that he had clung to her only hours before and was sad that she would not get to help him through anything else in his existence. She hoped he would remember her when she was gone and spare her a moment once in a while. He couldn't spend all of eternity without thinking of her once could he?
And Dean. The poor Winchester had so much on his plate. She hoped the angels would help him fulfill his destiny. He had been willing to turn her over to save his brother and she had forgiven him for that. She hoped he would forgive her for harming his brother.
Sorrow welled up in her as she thought of those she would leave behind and she knew it was foolish. Nothing good had come of her becoming human.
No louder than a whisper she spoke, "I am sorry....Father."
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Post by Dani Cross on May 3, 2009 23:11:23 GMT -4
The situation was simple. Anna had fallen. Execution orders had been given. Gabriel intended to carry them out. Michael was going to to stop him.
The arch-angel knew was she was about to do could have serious consequences, she could loose command of the army of heaven, or worse. Looking at the situation from a black and white moral stand point her plan was wrong, very wrong. However, she was not the patron saint of moralists. In the time since she had been created, Michael had learned to think tactically. Killing Anna now would not help their cause, it would only alienate Dean Winchester further, and destroy someone who had so far proved to be an ally of humanity.
It was with this in mind that Michael placed herself between Anna and Gabriel. Action had always been her preferred course. She could always make what she did say more than any words she could string together. Even when Michael had acted as Israel's advocate it was her compassion for her Father's chosen people that had swayed judgment, not her articulation.
"Gabriel stop."
Michael hoped Gabriel saw and heard her before he unleashed his divine power. The smiting would not kill her, but it would not be pleasant either. Additionally, it would not do anything for her vessel's health. The young woman Michael currently inhabited was a faithful soul, a cop who had been shot in the line of duty. That the arch-angel had been able to heal one of her special charges had been a good start to this visit to earth.
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Post by Xavier on May 4, 2009 0:29:16 GMT -4
Dumb was one way of describing what Xavier was about to do, moronic another, wrong could even possibly cover it, but he ignored his better judgement. Gabriel was going to kill Anna and he had to stop him, simple as that. He knew the orders were to kill Anna on sight, she had fallen, those were the rules. But he also knew that Anna posed no threat, in fact, killing Anna at this stage in the war was almost as stupid as getting between an archangel and orders.
He appeared between Gabriel and Anna, ready to defend her, and found himself standing next to Michael. He breathed a small sigh of relief upon discovering he was not alone in his thoughts, before turning to Gabriel, his face serious and his hands ready to call forth his weapon if the need arose.
"Gabriel stop."
Xavier did not add to Michael's intruction, simply stood and waited.
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Post by Anna on May 4, 2009 0:58:28 GMT -4
Time seemed to stand still as Anna waited for the inevitable. The feeling of another's flesh on her forehead was still oddly comforting although the contact would lead to her demise. She supposed she preferred to die with some form of contact rather than like her poor siblings who Uriel had slaughtered and let die alone.
Seconds ticked by before she heard a new voice, female. "Gabriel stop."
Father had answered her prayer.
Her eyes that she had closed as she prayed flew open and she nearly jumped upon seeing not one, but two new arrivals. She recognized Michael in an instant and looked at the other curiously for a moment before recognition reached her senses. Xavier. In truth she had not expected to see anyone from Heaven again.
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Post by Gabriel on May 4, 2009 1:14:36 GMT -4
Gabriel’s own head bowed slightly under an unforeseen force as he took in the stance of the fallen angel before him. It had been a blessing that she had not fought it made the exchange simpler this way and less painful for her. The sensation of her flesh beneath the palm of his hand seemingly scorched through his vessels senses as he focused his powers to proceed with his given orders.
Gabriel heard the fallen angel’s silent prayer and he silently hoped that somewhere there would be mercy shown to her but that was not his purpose nor was it his power to grant forgiveness. It had been Anna who had thrown their Father’s greatest gift back at him and it would be Anna who had to suffer for her indiscretions as it had been ordered.
There was no joy to be had by the action for it was another soul lost; another soul cast down into the firey raptures of hell to be engulfed for all of eternity within its dark grasps and that was no event to rejoice for. It had always been their lost brother’s Uriel who had taken his joy from the spoils of war so it seemed but it was not within Gabriel’s nature to take part in such a thing; just the same he would serve his Father as was expected. He did not wish for her to suffer any longer than necessary…not by his hand as he knew there would be suffering for her but that would be an event all her own she would have to partake in battle with.
Gabriel allowed his own eyes to seep closed as he focused a silent prayer upon his lips as he began to proceed with the destruction of the fallen before him. It would end as God had commanded it and it would with his will be the first of many things to fall into place within the war.
“Gabriel stop."
The hushed prayer froze upon his tongue as Gabriel heard a voice he had not anticipated; especially a voice and a presence demanding that he stop what it was he was doing. His eyes feel open and widened slightly to see not only Michael before him but Xavier as well. Gabriel’s hand retracted from the fallen’s flesh as if the flesh upon her had finally succeeded in scorching him yet he no longer saw her but saw only his brother’s before him and confusion clouded his dark eyes.
“What are you doing?” Gabriel asked his voice low and still holding the danger within it he had harnessed to use towards fulfilling the orders to destroy Anna.
“She is fallen and we have our orders…why do you stand in the way of the will which has been given to us?”
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Post by Raphael on May 4, 2009 1:45:20 GMT -4
"Because they wish that she may be saved."
Raphael had appeared silently at the entrance to the church and walked down the aisle, turning and heading towards the group leisurely. His lab coat flapped as we walked.
"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelations chapter two, the forth and fifth verses," he said, his eyes fixing on Anna as he approached.
"The ending may be a bit off...but I believe the rest of it is quite fitting to this situation don't you agree?" His gaze shifted to each of the others in turn. "Though she fell away from our Lord she remembers where she came from. Maybe we are all just hoping she may get a chance to repent." Raphael turned to look at Anna before continuing, "before we steal her candlestick and snuff it out."
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Post by Dani Cross on May 4, 2009 2:04:57 GMT -4
Michael had been only slightly surprised when Xavier had appeared beside her, the two of them tended to think along the same lines. Gabriel's anger was completely unsurprising; he had always been the one to follow rules and orders to the letter, so he would naturally be upset to when someone tried to stop him. It was Raphael's sudden appearance that took her by surprise, she hadn't thought that the healer would be sent to the front lines. His was a welcome addition, maybe he could talk Gabriel into not killing their sister.
"There is no need for her to die Gabe, Father may still show mercy."
As gently as she could, Michael helped Anna to her feet and backed away from Gabriel. She didn't think he would attack with Xavier, Raphael, and her standing there, but it never hurt to be cautious.
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Post by Xavier on May 4, 2009 2:23:54 GMT -4
Xavier was pleased to see that Raphael too had joined them, it meant that he and Michael had not completely lost their minds. Raphael's level-headedness would be very useful in convincing Gabriel to spare Anna. He watched as Michael helped Anna to her feet then stepped closer to Gabriel, ignoring the warning bells ringing loudly in his head. Gabriel could not kill him, although he could get pretty close.
"You do not need to do this," he said, looking Gabriel straight in the eye. "As Raphael so eloquently pointed out, Father may still forgive her, all she needs is a chance, one she cannot have if she is dead." And though something in his head was screaming, very loudly, for him to put as much distance between himself and Gabriel as possible, he held his ground. "She deserves a chance."
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Post by Gabriel on May 4, 2009 10:28:23 GMT -4
“She is fallen…she is unholy…cut off from our Father by her own doing,” Gabriel protested his eyes never leaving Michael for he could not believe that Michael above all the others was the one who would stand in his way during this hour.
“It is a sin far graver then you realize Michael,” Gabriel warned as he watched the angel assist the fallen to her feet and away from him as if it where he who was the evildoer here and not the other way around.
“If you take the side of a fallen above the Lord he will cast you from heaven as an unholy and into damnation,” Gabriel warned as he watched her seemingly shield Anna from him; as if it was he who had done wrong. Taking a step towards the fallen Gabriel would still hold true to their orders now more so then ever if only to save his brethren from falling for the sake of an unholy angel.
“Xavier I ask that you remove yourself from my path brother,” Gabriel’s voice whispered to him his tone cold and filled with purpose as he allowed his eyes to fall upon Anna since the first time her blasphemous salvation had begun.
Gabriel’s eyes blazed back at Xavier as his brother continued to stand between himself and Anna. He was being treated as if he had taken matters into his own hands regarding the fallen angel; as if he had simply created the orders himself. They had been given to them all that she needed to be terminated now more than ever since she had received her grace back to her. The lower angels had been unable or unwilling to dispatch her so it only made sense for the job to fall within the garrison of the archangels but now it would seem his brethren as well stood in the way of their Father’s will being carried out.
“Perhaps you have all been poorly affected by the journey down; 2000 years is a rather long time and perhaps you have become clouded…” Gabriel spoke attempting to keep his eyes steady and trained on each of the other angels save for the fallen for long enough to make his point clear so he prayed.
Gabriel’s focus was stolen away as another voice filled their Father’s house and he turned his gaze to see Raphael enter the church and as his words proceeded it would seem as if he too believed the fallen above the orders from their Father.
“And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day… Jude 1:6,” Gabriel stated his eyes flashing to Raphael seeing as he too could pick words from his Father’s book; it had been him many of times who had spoken to the Prophet’s who had created the passages of their Father.
“It is not our place to grant her forgiveness if Father wishes for her to be forgiven then when the judgment day arrives he will cast her not away from him but towards him and embrace her once more as it has been written…until that time she is meant to suffer for her sins against our Father. It is not our place to wish her salvation but I do not serve her I serve our Father and his will and his will be done as long as I am able to carry it out.”
As each archangel continued on in defense of the fallen angel Gabriel could feel his heart grow heavy as the had all paid witness to what occurred when angels took the side of another against the will of God; against their orders when it had been commanded that the will of God be carried out in regards to all fallen angels who walked freely upon the earth during the times of this great war.
“Do not do this…I will not let you do this any of you; you shall not disobey…turn on the will of our Father for the likes of her. She is FALLEN…DAMNED for eternity for turning her back upon the Father which created her! Do not make the same mistake so many made not so long ago and take the side of another angel against him I will not see more of my brethren cast out of heaven!” Gabriel’s voice had risen loudly and the stone walls against the church shuddered in response as his eyes seemingly blazed past them all and focused upon Anna.
In the flicker of an eye Gabriel moved himself past Xavier until he was directly in front of Michael who still had a hold upon the fallen.
“Remove yourself from her Michael and allow the will of our Father to be carried out,” Gabriel’s voice heaved with determination as his hand gripped upon Anna’s arm to keep her within his grasp as well but his eyes rested completely upon Michael.
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Post by Anna on May 4, 2009 11:03:13 GMT -4
It seemed like an angel party in the old broken church. Anna felt herself being moved and looked to see Michael moving her away from Gabriel. Her eyes flashed to Gabriel's face and she knew he would be angered by this. She stood enveloped away from Gabriel and couldn't help but wonder why so many had appeared before her execution. Could they really be fighting for her? The idea almost seemed absurd in her mind.
A new voice joined the conversation and Anna saw a doctor walking towards them. There was no doubt that this vessel contained Raphael. How many times had she prayed to the Angel of Healing when she had been placed in the mental hospital as a human? Her eyes flickered between Gabe and Raphael as they exchanged scriptures. She had to smile when Xavier spoke up to the arch-angel. She knew it took much courage for him to speak and she greatly appreciated it.
Her smile disappeared however when Gabriel took a step closer and told the brave angel to move. Had she still been human she would have taken a step back, away from the Angel of Death.
“Do not do this…I will not let you do this any of you; you shall not disobey…turn on the will of our Father for the likes of her. She is FALLEN…DAMNED for eternity for turning her back upon the Father which created her! Do not make the same mistake so many made not so long ago and take the side of another angel against him I will not see more of my brethren cast out of heaven!”
The church began to shake and Anna feared that he might bring it down in his anger at her. She had never heard the arch-angels speak in such tones or magnitudes. Her gaze moved to Gabriel as he told Michael to move and grabbed her arm.
"I do not wish for them to fall," she said, her voice quiet compared to the outburst they had just witnessed. "Castiel should have ended me when he nearly had a chance. Demons came however. After the battle I thought maybe it had simply been Uriel seeking to convert another angel to his cause by telling Cas that God had given the order to have me killed; that he was unmerciful. Though Uriel was rogue I suppose I should have known it was still a true order."
Her hand reached up and hesitated before closing on Gabriel's that held her arm. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
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Post by Raphael on May 4, 2009 11:20:53 GMT -4
Raphael stood silently, his hand in his pockets as the others conversed. He did not blink when Gabriel threw scripture back at him and simply waited. Michael and Xavier seemed to be doing a fine job of protecting Anna at the moment.
When Gabriel moved to grip her however he straightened, reaching a hand out of his pocket to rest on Gabriel's shoulder once more. His eyes flickered to Anna in surprise when he heard her begin to quote scripture as well. A low rumble in his chest changed into a laugh and his eyes smiled at her. "First John One verse nine. I am impressed Anna."
His gaze flicked back to Gabriel. "She has not forgotten our Father or his words it seems."
"For I will be merciful and gracious toward their sins and I will remember their deeds of unrighteousness no more. I believe our Father once spoke those words as well. You argue that she is fallen and must be destroyed as our Father bi but how do we not know that Father may be answering her prayer by sending us all here to try and stop you. Perhaps he has forgiven her."
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Post by Dani Cross on May 4, 2009 11:57:26 GMT -4
The relief Michael had felt when Raphael had first appeared dimmed somewhat when it became apparent that Gabriel would not be easily swayed. The archangel tightened her grip on Anna's arm when Gabriel appeared behind the defense that Xavier's body had provided. It would seem that despite the protests of his siblings, Father's messenger intended to carry out his mission. She had forgotten that stubbornness was a trait shared by all of the archangels, it was entirely possibly that the confrontation could end in physical confrontation.
“Remove yourself from her Michael and allow the will of our Father to be carried out,”
"I will not be moved brother, your only path to Anna is through me."
She smiled softly when Anna used their Father's words to defend herself. The fallen angel was proving that although she knew she had sinned, she also desired salvation.
"We are not falling Gabriel, nor do we intend to ignore Father's orders. But now is not the time to strike down those that would aid us against Lucifer's horde. When this war is over, I will see that Anna is taken to the Throne of Judgment where Father can hear her case Himself." Michael used her free hand to grip Gabe's wrist, "And above all things have fervent love among yourselves, for love shall cover the multitude of sins. First Peter, chapter four, verse eight. Anna may be fallen, but she is our sister still. My love for her has not lessened, I cannot let you destroy her if there is a chance she may be saved."
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