Rosemary and Regan helped each other haul a box into a large living room. “Where do you want this?” the eldest of the pair asked. 

“Just set it aside anywhere,” Mike the archangel answered. “I’ll take care of it later.”

The girls obeyed and dropped it beside a new couch that Mike purchased for his new apartment. It was part of the large and expensive apartment complexes right on 127 Revelation Drive, not terribly far from the Gravely house but on the other side of Brimstone’s suburbia. His room was located on the second floor in Room No. 9.

For a single bedroom apartment it looked, on the inside, big enough to house more. The living room had plenty of space for the new entertainment system and T.V. Mike was setting up. The kitchen area was small but had room for a dishwasher and an electric oven. The single bathroom that was down the short hallway didn't seem cramp. In fact it was big and fancy like the ones to be found inside a luxury hotel suite. It even came with its own belcony, which had a nice view of the rest of Brimstone as well as a place for the new grill Mike paid for. Besides several items that needed to be purchased and a few more boxes needing to be unpacked, it was starting to look homely for the heavenly angel.

“I appreciate your help, girls.” Mike thanked his new nieces.

“No probs, dude.” Rosie replied with a thumbs up.

"How come you're renting an apartment, Uncle Mike?" Regan asked, "Don't you already have a home to yourself in Heaven?"

"I do, and it's three times the size this place is," the archangel said, "But I always like to have another home away from home, and this one's gotta be someplace a little closer to you guys. That way I don't have to crash in your guestroom all the time."

“You don’t talk about your home much, do you Mike? Heaven I mean.” the preteen commented.

“Technically I’m not supposed to. Humans aren’t supposed to know what goes on in Heaven, just like they weren’t supposed to know about what goes on in the Inferno; but since Lu and his demons like breaking rules…”

“Why shouldn’t humans know about angels and Heaven?” Regan asked.

“Let’s just say that angels are pretty secretive in general. There are some things you humans were meant to discover on your own, and some things that you’re not allowed to discover.”

“But why?”

Mike only smiled. “Maybe one day you can ask them that, along with any other questions you might have.”

“You seem to be comfortable telling us all this.” Rosemary said.

“Only because you’re so comfortable absorbing all this information. I remember when a fella named Luke found out about us. He was a babbling, drooling mess afterward.”

"Hello?" A familiar, accented voice called outside. "Anyone home now?"

"Come on in, Malaika," Mike called back.

Ms. Kat entered into through the open doorway. "Hello. Hello children." She greeted once more. "I brought over a little something as a nice welcoming gift." In her hands was a fresh cherry pie wrapped in a plastic sheet. "I hope you don't mind."

Mike leaned over the pie and got a good whiff. "It's perfect. Thank you, Malaika."

"Oh my, this place is impressive," the kindergarten teacher commented, looking around the large living space. "This must be costy."

"Not at all. Just $1100 a month, all utilities like water and heating included."

"All by yourself?"

"No biggie. I got a ton of cash stashed in several bank accounts. The props of being a prince of Heaven and an archangel. Besides, I don't think I'll be staying in this lonely apartment by myself. I think I can have some good company over, don't you think so."

Mike swung his big arms around Malaika's waist and pulled her close, careful enough not to smother the pie between their breasts. He gave her a look that was meant to be charming. "Maybe you can... stay the night. Just until I'm a little more comfortable."

Malaika's fair skin started turning pink. Then she realized that a pair of youthful, smug eyes were watching them. "Don't you two have somewhere else you should be?" the teacher politely hinted at the girls. "Like right now? Like now, now?

They immediately picked up on the hints. "Yeah I think we do." Rosie nugged her little sister. "Come on, Regan. Let's give them some privacy."

"Bye bye, love birds!" the youngest Gravely giggled.

Now both Ms. Kat and Mike were blushing. Rosemary and Regan waved them goodbye and exited the apartment. Now the two adults had the ultimate bachelor's place to themselves.

"You know you're full of secrets, Michael." Ms. Kat said.

"I can't help myself. There's just some things I can say and some things I can't.”

“Yet you’re comfortable of sharing some information.”

Mike never believed in Déjà vu until now. "Tell you what, we'll talk about whatever you wish to know about me, right after you help me finish this delicious looking pie. How did you know cherry was my favorite? Hey, there's something you learned about me."

The archangel took the pie away from his girlfriend's hands. Now nothing kept them apart from each other. Malaika giggled when she pressed herself onto his body. Her fingers brushed up the leather of his jacket. Mike hovered the pie over Malaika's head, teasing that he was going to drop it, which made her laugh. Their lips then met and stayed glued for an eternal ten seconds more.

Mike slowly pulled away from her and smiled when his gaze met her hazel eyes. Malaika also smiled but it faded when she noticed his smile dropped too. She asked what was wrong yet an answer did not come. The archangel carefully watched a few strands of her glossed, long hair levitating above her brows. He too felt the hairs in his body stand on end like electrical static filling around. His hand waved through the air, to which the couple felt every molecule in the air colliding against one another, building up current of unseen energy.

The lights in the apartment flickered sporadically. The room rattled like a small earthquake was happening in the area where no earthquakes were possible. Sparks of electricity popped around the scared couple. Each pop they made sounded like a thunder from a storm. Ms. Kat couldn't help but yelp every time there was a pop. She held Mike tight, burying her face into his chest. Mike dropped the pie he was holding and shielded Ms. Kat from what's to come. The pie, however, never touched the wood floor. It floated along with several other small items within the apartment inside a newfound gravity field.

The sparks grew bigger. The flashes were more chaotic. Mike wanted to summon his wings to defend them, but he knew they would be no good. This was not a threat, at least not yet anyway. He knew what was happening. He knew it was only time before they were sent for him. At what sounded like a crack of thunder, they arrived.

The Gravely sisters walked all down the flight of stairs from the second floor to the first. The pair almost made it to the front exit when the eldest sister stopped. "Ah crap, I forgot my cellphone."

"You swore, Rosie." Regan called her sister out. "You owe a quarter to the swear jar."

"I did not." Rosie retorted angrily. "Shut the hell up."

"Now you owe two." the youngest quipped so smuggish.

The pair turned around and made their way back to Mike's room. Regan reached for the metal rail but felt a sharp shock on her fingers. "OW!" she whelped. "That hurt."

Her older sister tried to take her by the hand. "Come on, let's - YOW!" she snapped after feeling the same jolt. The lights in the stairway flickered wildly followed by a small earthquake. The two sisters grapped each other as the whole apartment building shook. They couldn't move from the fear swelling inside them. They then heard what sounded like pops of thunder and Ms. Kat's screams.

The rattling stopped and the lights were normal. Something had happened. Whatever it was it happened inside Mike's new apartment. Rosemary and Regan bolted up the stairs as fast as they could. They hoped both Mike and Ms. Kat were safe from whatever that was.

They heard Ms. Kat's cries when they reached the second floor. "Michael, what's going on? Who are they?"

Mike's room was just a few feet on the right from the doorway. Quietly the Gravely sisters crept towards the door that was still ajar after they left. Frightened as they were they still moved, holding each other's hands for comfort. Outside the entrance they peeked.

Still standing where they last saw them was Mike and Malaika, but they were not alone. Surrounding them were four unknown strangers, decked out from neck to foot in shiny, chrome-plated armor. Three of them masked themselves behind cylindrical helmets that resembled what knights of the Crusades wore.

The fourth, presumably their leader, wore no helmet. This stranger looked very much like a man. Pale skin, completely bald head, and a small soul patch below his lower lip. What disturbed the girls most was the large, healed burn mark that stretched around the right portion of his face. His left eye looked healthy blue, but his right eye was heavily discolored by a cloud of grey. They both quietly gasped when they noticed the strangers had wings too. They were angels, like Mike and Gabi, but their wings looked different. They were slightly shorter compared to Mike's — approximately a foot shorter in wingspan — emitting a glow of silver energy rather than gold. They were careful enough that their wings of intensified energy did not mark any of the walls.

Ms. Kat looked on the intruders with shock. Mike one the other hand did not look as surprised. From his grim expression he knew them, especially the unmasked, scarred one. "Peter? What’s the meaning of this?"

The leader stepped forward to Mike. "Archangel Michael, by the order of the Council, you're under arrest."

"What?" Ms. Kat gasped.

"On what charges?" the archangel demanded. He still held Ms. Kat close to him.

"Exposion." Peter explained. His voice sounded tranquil but his face glared furious. "For revealing your angelic state to mortals, for unauthorized visits to the mortal realm, and for making contact with the devil and his minions."

Michael sighed. "Only a matter of time I suppose. Very well, I won't resist." He moved his girlfriend aside and stepped towards the captain. "Just don't her."

"What?!" Ms. Kat cried. The girls watched as their teacher placed herself between the man she loves and the arresting angels. "No please! You can't take him."

"It's going to be okay, Malaika." he tried calming her. "Everything's going to be okay."

"She knows?" the captain asked. "You're really in deep now, Michael."

Michael turned Ms. Kat around to face him. He could see tears beginning to spill from her soft eyes. "Malaika, please listen." he said, trying to remain calm. "I'll be fine. I knew one day they'd come for me. I promise I will explain everything when I return."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Peter replied. He pressed two fingers on Malaika's forehead. Both of his eyes glowed silver as his wings. Malaika stared deep into the angel's eyes. She felt something being plucked out of her mind then fainted.

Mike quickly caught his limp girlfriend before she could hit the floor. "You didn't have to do that!" he scolded the lesser angel.

"She'll be out for a few hours and wake up with a headache, and no memory of the two of you ever meeting. Standard procedure."

No memory of him. Those words wounded like a knife in the heart. He did not want to imagine a life without her, just as his youngest brother without the mortal woman he loves. Mike gently placed Malaika on his new couch. He knelt down beside her, brushing away her hair away from her face. Everyone watched as he planted one last kiss on her sweet lips. "I promise I will return to you." he whispered in Malaika's while she slept. Mike stood and laid both his arms out. One of the soldier angels gave Peter a set of large cuffs, and he slapped them both around his wrists. The archangel cringed when they automatically tightened around his wrists like pairs of snakes choking out his hands.

"I wish it did not have to come to this." the arresting angel admitted. "I am sorry, old friend."

"Don't be hard on yourself." Mike assured. "You're just following orders."

The four angels formed a circle around their superior. Their wings raised all around them as sparks of lightning crackled out. They all concentrated while a rune circle appeared below their feet. The circle stretched itself across the apartment as more electricity and energy built up around the wings. Rosemary and Regan popped out of their cover and tried running towards the circle. Their beloved uncle about to be taken from them.

They stepped inside the circle which started to glow bright blue. They both stopped when they noticed the angels had a blue aura around them. Blue like the circle they were in. Regan pointed to her older sister that she too was glowing blue. Rosemary too noticed the strange aura around her, and it was spreading onto Regan too. The aura tingled around all parts of their bodies. It felt like waves of electricity, like the ones sparking from the angel wings, were coursing through their skins. The arresting angels were oblivious that two mortal girls had encrouched on their teleportation circle. Even Mike was unaware. His eyes were closed and his head was lowered, depressed that he may never she his brother, or the Gravelys, or Malaika again.

The spell was almost complete. A ball of light blasted out of the angel wings. It grew until it engulfed the whole circle. Rosie and Regan flinched when the as the ball of light struck them. For a brief moment they felt a sharp zap like what they felt earlier on the stairwell. Then they felt every ounce of clothing, hair, skin, and matter pulled apart and incinerated until they were no more on this plain. In a crack of thunder they were all gone, leaving Ms. Kat alone in the now empty apartment.

#fiction #comedy #horror #fantasy #sinsofthefather

A burst of light flashed within the sacred halls of Paradise. The light dispersed and five angels, completely unscathed by the magic light, stood in its replacement. The four soldiers kept close to their prisoner. The prisoner, Michael, the Archangel of Justice, opened his eyes and breathed in that heavenly air. He looked around the grand halls. He was home. Yet home to the archangel had now become nothing more than a stranger. The many times he left Heaven to be with those on Earth he felt like this home was distancing from him, or perhaps he was distancing himself from Heaven. Now he was an outsider forced to return to his place among the heavens. Mike thought back to how all those he left behind on that third rock from the sun. Anyone could easily discard those memories, never to look back. He was an angel, an archangel. His lifespan outweighted that of any mortal's. He would outlive them and they would all fade into memory.

But the new memories, the ones he cherished most, Mike was not willing to release. New bonds were forged between him and his youngest sibling, he grew connected with the few humans he interacted with, and even the demons he had met. Their names, their faces— Carmen, Rosie, Regan, and even Malaika —Mike did not want to depart from them all. The others of the Council would never understand, which is why now he needed to make them understand. He needed to win this trial, that was all that mattered now. He needed make the others see what he was trying to accomplish. This is how he will win. Defeat would result in one of two choices: a life sentence or excommunication. Both meant that he would never see those he cared on Earth again.

Peter and the guards marched and Mike marched with them. No word was spoken in the silent halls until a streak of gold lightning thundered through the air. The streak slammed into the polished, marble floors and in its place was a woman who wore a black leather jacket like Mike and a pair of shredded jeans. Her jacket was left open, which releaved her leather top and jewel-pierced navel. The sides of the woman's head were trimmed short and streaks of her blonde hair were combed towards her right side. Her wings were gold too, indicating that she too was an archangel like Mike. The Archangel of Strength. Mike's face lightened with a smile, recognizing the approacher as his sister Gabi, often nicknamed God's wild child by their fellow angels. Gabi, on the other hand, looked more worried for her older brother.

"Mike, I just heard what's went down." Gabi cried. Her wings faded and she ran towards the arresting party. "What is all this?" her tone grew harsher. "Is this really necessary? Uncuff him right now!"

"You know we can't do that, my lady." Peter answered. "We're under strict orders."

"Calm down, Gabi." Mike tried assuring his sister.

"Calm down?" Gabi snapped. "Like hell, I want to know who authorized this."

"Knew this would happen sooner or later." a second voice called behind Gabi.

Approaching the party was a third archangel, to which Mike and Gabi gave him nasty scowls. This angel was tall, towered both Michael and Gabriel and even the others by a foot more. His skin was much darker in tone than his older siblings. He also chose to wear his battle armor that was bright and polished. A short, spiked mohawk ran along the center of his head, and a pair of old scars marked along his envy green eyes, which glarned scornfully at both Mike and Gabi. What stood out the most was the angel's mechanized prosthetic arm replacement on his left limb. The gears whirled as his metal fingers crunched together into a blocky fist.

This angel, the third archangel, was none other than Raphael, or Raph as his siblings address him as, a nickname he so often dispised. But to the lesser angels he was known as the Archangel of Virtue. "Serves you right." he growled under his breath.

Gabi's fist smacked hard into her younger brother's shoulder. "You good-for-nothing rat! You did this, didn't you Raph? Should have known you'd narc sometime."

"He did not give the order to have your brother arrested, Gabriel," another voice boomed. "I did."

Another stranger made his appearance, who paced himself slowly, hands crossed behind his back. The stranger was fairly built despite looking elderly, passing off as a mortal in his mid-60s. A plain white clergy garbs laced with gold symbols of multiple cultures hid his very muscular physique. His hair was silver, knotted into a bulb on the back of his head. His beard was also knotted the same way. His aging eyes were grey as well yet full of life and light. On his chest was an insignia. It was not of a crucifix, or the Star of David, or the star and crescent of the Ottoman Empire. This symbol, stitched by threads of gold, resembled a sword puncturing through a shield with four lightning bolts projecting out of the hilt. To the angels of Heaven this was a symbol for valor, a symbol upheld by the Archangel of Valor of the Archangel Council. Yet Mike recognized the old angel as someone much more. His old master and teacher, the one who helped Mike become endowed as an archangel.

"Metatron?" Mike breathed as the elder angel stood before the group.

"I'm sorry it had come to this, my boy," the fourth archangel said. "It does pain me to see you in this condition."

"I have my reasonings for what I've done." Archangel Michael explained.

"I'm sure you do," his brother Raphael growled.

Gabriel snapped at her younger brother. "Just let'em talk, Raph!"

"You stay outta this, Gabriel! I don't know why you're not in handcuffs too."

"Enough, the both of you." Metatron ordered them both. "I will not have your sibling quarrels echoing in these halls."

"Then I should be arrested too," the Archangel of Strength justified. "I'm just as guilty as my brother. I too went to Earth without authorization."

"Only because I forced her into it." Mike protested. "This is all on me. Please Metatron, give me a chance to explain."

Metatron sighed. "A moment alone with the prisoner, if you will." he waved his hand, instructing Peter and his fellow guards to stand down. The guards obeyed and stood their place. Michael stepped forward to the elder archangel as Gabriel and Raphael remained with the other angels. Side by side the former teacher and student slowly paced down the lengthy halls, not too far from the other archangels or the arresting party. Mike was not worried about dealing with his teacher's wrath. He knew him all too well just as Metatron knew him, like how Metatron was not the type to lash out at his students. Mike also knew that if he needed someone to talk to Metatron always had an open ear.

"Were you hoping that I could bail you out like always?" Metatron asked.

"If you don't mind, that'd be great." Mike joked.

His old teacher recognized the joke, coughing up a small chuckle. "I'm afraid it won't be as easy this time. You have violated a sacred rule, one that was established by your Father and agreed upon by the Council-"

"But my Father is not here anymore," Mike interrupted. "He stepped down from his position a long time ago after the war, but not before he giving absolute rule over Heaven to the Council."

"The Creator works in mysterious ways. Perhaps this was His plan all along. It's hard to tell what He thinks." Metatron then smiled, reminiscing on a treasured memory. "You know, I remember the day your Father asked me to take you under my wing. I was quite honored, having you as an apprentice. I taught you all too well. How to fight, how to deal in politics, even how to dance for your prom night." the old man laughed. Mike couldn't help but laugh too. "You were like another son to me, especially after..." the smile on his old face vanished when he recalled a much darker memory.

Michael knew what he wanted to say. "You don't have to say it." he spared his old friend the daunting memories of the past.

Metatron glanced at his former pupil. His eyes thanked him for not having to finish his statement. Then he grimanced when he recollected more of that faithful memory. "Do you recall what else you said that day?"

Mike nodded. He remembered what he said that day long, long ago. "I said that I would be greatful to serve under your teachings, but only if you took my brother Lucifer under your teachings too."

"Your Father was displeased with the idea, but I accepted regardless. You and your brother were my prized pupils. I was proud of the both of you. It was a shock to me, as well as everyone else, when we discovered your brother pledged his alligences to the demons, the very foe we've fought so long against. That was my greatest failure in life. I'm hoping that what you are doing, Michael, does not result in my second greatest."

"What is the point of this?"

"The point, my boy, is that you were able to convince me to take your brother in that day. Convince me now why you believe you are guiltless of your actions. Why should there be a trial held?"

Mike thought long and hard of what he wanted to say. "After my brother's treachery," he calmly explained. "after the war, and after my Father stepped down and began wandering the universe, I've been feeling lost for some time. It was like my faith was fading. I served my duties well as an archangel but I could not help but feel that I needed something more in my life. This is not a feeling of envy. I'm not entirely sure what this feeling is but I had it bad for a long time. It was like a black hole circulating in my heart. A void of darkness that was a cancer to my soul. But then I learned what Lucifer has been doing of recently."

"Ah yes, we already know about that." Metatron irritatedly grumbled. "He married a mortal woman and is balancing a life between fatherhood and the ruler of Hell. Allow me to congratulate him if our paths cross again."

"I've kept an eye on him for a while. He's different now. He's not there living among mortals to cause some kind of havoc. Well maybe nothing, like, too chaotic but... he found something that made him whole. Something that turned his life around. Those three humans, The Gravelys, his family. I can see why he wished to be with them. They are so much more. Being with them myself gives me a sense of completion. In addition, I can offer the Council something no angel could do before. Something that involves the angels, the demons, and that family."

"And that is?"

"You'll only know once we go to trial."

The pair stopped walking. Metatron thought about his pupil's words. "Well Michael," he sighed. "I hope for your sake this trial is in your favor."

"So you agree with me on this?"

"For the moment. You will have your chance to try and convince the others of your reasons. Keep in mind that I may not be on your side all the way. This trial has to be fair and unbiased."

Michael bowed his head to his old master. "Thank you, Metatron."

Metatron smiled. "The least I could do for you, my friend. I will immediately inform the rest of the Council that we will have your trial. Would you like to make any requests? A little time to prepare? Do you need an arbiter in your defense? One can be provided for you."

"I appreciate it, but that won't be necessary. I can begin immediately, and I can defend for myself. I do, however, would like to inquire two requests."

"And they are?"

"First request: whatever happens after the trial, shall I be condemned for my actions, I ask you to leave my brother's family out of this. They are not to be questioned, and their memories are not to be wiped."

Metatron raised a brow, but he smiled again and shook his head. "You still protect him, after all this time. Very well. It can be done."

Michael continued, "Second request: I wish for my sister, Archangel Gabriel, remain at her seat during this trial."

"I said that this trial had to be fair and unbiased. Your sister-"

"She is innocent, and she only went along because of my insistance. It was meant to serve as an intervention for her drinking habits, which she seemed to work. She hasn't touched as single drink. Additionally, she's only been to Brimstone once, and as far as I know she has not revealed her angelic state to anyone but Lu's family. Besides, it can't hurt my chances, can it? One out of eight sounds like good odds to me."

The old archangel shrugged. "Then it shall be done." he agreed. He placed his hand between Mike's cuffed hands. Mike responded by grasping his teacher's hand and the two shook on the agreement. They then walked back to the waiting group members, who all looked at them for a decision.

"The trial will commence." Metatron announced to the other angels present. "We will begin immediately." He turned to the captain of the guards. "Captain, have the other members of the Council informed that we will meet in the Archangel Spire." He then faced Gabi. "Gabriel, you will partake in this trial as a deciding factor."

Raph scowled. "With all due respect, Metatron," he interjected. "She was also on the mortal world. She's just as viable-"

"Unless there is evidence of this, she can still serve her duty on this council." Metatron shot back. "Do you have evidence of which you speak?" Raph opened his mouth but no answer came. He then retreated back into silence.

Metatron, however, was not yet finished ordering the female archangel. "However, Gabriel, you will treat this like any trial before. Do not harbor on a single, biased side on this matter. Is that clear?" Gabi first looked at her brother, then looked back at Metatron. She wanted to continue siding with her eldest brother but it meant sacrificing a vote in his favor. All she could do was nod silently in agreement.

"Good then that case let us-" Metatron stopped his speech when a foul odor breathed through his nose. "What is that pungent odor?" he coughed. The odor grew stronger. It smelled like a rotten mixture of moldy corndogs and other ghastly meats. Shortly after getting a whiff of the stinking stench, the others sniffed the air around them. They took cringed in disgust when it flowed through their nostrils. "I'll send for a sanitation team later." the Archangel of Valor dismissed. "Lets get on the way."

The guards led Mike away toward the Archangel Spire, where the trial was to be held. The other three members of the Council, Metatron, Gabi, and Raph, follwed closely behind. Neither of them bothered searching for what made that awful stench that toxicated their senses. If they had they would have found two stowaways hiding behind one of the great pillars that held the temple ceiling up.

Two sisters, Rosemary and Regan Gravely, were alive and well after being caught inside the angelic teleporation spell that was cast earlier. But perhaps being well was far differnt than feeling well. Too weak and sick to move. All they could do was quietly moan and clench their stomachs as a fresh puddle of vomit saturated by their feet.

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

"My tummy hurts really badly," Regan whined, still clenching her little belly.

"I know," Rosemary agreed. "I feel like I rode the twilt-a-hurl a thousand times over,"

The Gravely sisters got up and cleaned themselves off. Once they wiped off the leftover bits of their upchucked meals from their mouths they started to explore around the great halls together. "Where are we?" Regan asked.

"I don't know," her sister replied. "But I don't think we're in Brimstone anymore."

"Are we dead?" Regan asked again.

"I don't think so." Rosemary answered once more. Regan wanted to be sure. She reached out and pitched her older sister on the hand. Rosemary yelped then threatened Regan with a knuckle sandwich, to which Regan immediately apologized for her actions.

Both Rosemary and Regan sensed there was something off about this place. It felt strange like walking inside a person's house without them knowing. It certainly wasn't anything like Hell. More like the exact opposite. It was warm but not quite warm as the Inferno's temperatures could get. Here it felt like the sun's ray gentling touching their skin and clothes. Their throats weren't scratchy from any sulfur particles that would normally be found in the depths of the Inferno. In fact the air was just as clean as this hallway. It was much cleaner and polished than anything place inside the Inferno Tower, their stepfather's workplace.

The hall was lengthy and huge. It seemed to extend for miles like an interstate highway. Wide towering pillars made of pure granite held up the seemingly infinite ceiling above. The pillars bared some resemblance to the stone pillars that held the Roman and Greek structures together. The whole hall could house their stepfather's monstrous form and yet still make room for more. The floors were made of milky marble and spotless, with the exception for the mess the sisters made earlier. The walls were a mixture of both but had limitless figures etched into them, depicting faceless figures with wings flying among the infinite stars. The Gravely sisters wondered what it all meant. Regardless they ventured on.

Rosemary and Regan walked side by side. Regan held on to her sister's hand, too afraid to separate from each other in this bizarre new world. Rosemary ensured her little sister that they were going to be safe. Her confidence was something that Regan always admired about her big sister. Though it's Rosemary's confidence that hides her own fears of this world they've been taken to. They both remember what happened when they first entered into Hell. When their mother first started dating Lu, the girls certainly didn't trust him. They remembered how they snuck inside the trunk of Lu's car to spy on him, only to discover they were taken to that nightmarish realm. They remembered how the demons first chased them throughout the tower. It was a surprise to the sisters that the demons were real just as it was a surprise for the demons to discover two young human children wandering their world. But luckily things calmed down after that first encounter and the Gravely sisters got to know some of them, including Lilith who was the first friendly face they came across on their first perilous adventure. It all seemed like a lifetime ago to the sisters that their world was turned upside down in an instant when they learned about Lu's true nature, as well as discovering that some of what their principal had been preaching for years seemed true — from a certain point of view. Normally anyone could end up in an insane asylum after this kind of discovery; but somehow this never bothered Rosemary, Regan, their mother, their friends, or anyone else in Brimstone. Perhaps everyone was already crazy before, or maybe it was just typical Brimstone. Either way this was their world now, and they've made the most of it.

They also remembered the day they first met Mike at their front door. For an angel, an archangel no less, he looked surprisely human. Their first conversation together was a little awkward. While Mike liked kids he didn't seem to know much about them, which was the first thing the Gravely sisters picked up on. They also remembered when he first flashed his magnificent wings. The girls had never seen something quite as majestic as that before. They both got the feeling that they were going to like him from then on.

It seemed true. Mike would often visit afterward, mostly on weekends, and the girls enjoyed spending quality time with him. They saw movies, played sports, helped out with community service, and had family game nights. Regan prided over the fact that she helped him score a date with Ms. Kat, to which the pair continued dating from then on. Sometimes Rosie and Regan would ask the angel about him, his life, and his world; it always insinuated that he was trying to hide something, always trying to convert their conversations to other topics. Was Mike afraid to tell them about his life because he thought they wouldn't handle more shocking revelations to their fragile worldview? Or was he more afraid that if he did something like this, like what happened earlier, would be his fate?

The girls continued walking until they came upon a light shining at the end. Its brightness blinded them, forcing their hands to shield their eyes. Briefly the blinding light cleared and what they saw left the Gravely sisters astonished.

"Holy crap!" Rosie gasped.

"Swear." her sister called her out while she too was mesmorized.

They stood at the edge of the world, looking out to the vastness of this new world before them. Inside this great space — enormous opening area that looked it could fit all of Lake Superior inside — were rectangular platforms that levitated above one another. Some were small with the width of a football field while others were large and extensive as the Titanic. Some of the platforms hovered completely still while others slowly rotated around each other like hands on a clock. The girls gazed at the numerous wonders that layed before them. They both came to the conclusion they definitely weren't in Brimstone anymore, and they certainly weren't anywhere in the Inferno. No, there was only one logical conclusion where they stood. This was Heaven, the realm of light, the home of the angels and where the good souls went after death. Not just Heaven, this was Paradise, the capital, one of the nine cityscape districts.

The pair then looked down to the bottomless abyss below. The depth of this pit was infinite. If one were to fall they would be falling continuously. Just peering down gave the girls a sense of vertigo. "How far do you think it goes?" Regan asked.

Rosie didn't answer this time, only shrugged instead. She, however, came up with a way to test it. Rolling the phlegm in the back of her mouth, Rosemary spat the biggest loogie she could mold. The snotty ball of saliva dropped continously into the infinite abyss below. Regan stuck her tongue out in disgust having to witness her sister's test.

There didn't seem to be any way to cross from the ledge they stood to the hovering platform on the other side, not unless they both sprouted wings themselves. Rosemary then spotted a console attached to the wall with a flat surface on top. It appeared small enough for a whole hand to fit inside, so she slapped her hand on the surface to test it. The console emitted a soft hum and the girls watched as a holographic bridge pixelated by vibrant rainbow colors stretched to the other end. The girls raced each other to the platform across the way. Once they were both safely across the rainbow bridge dissipated.

Rosemary and Regan wandered around one of the larger platforms of Paradise, whose name appeared frequently. Every ad and billboard, every shop and restaurant had this district's name somewhere. Where the girls stood was one of the main common areas where angels everywhere would gather for every day routines. The girls felt like they were walking inside a giant shopping mall, but that mall was the size of a large city. They saw different shops of different sizes and several food stands for meals. They saw large trees growing through the marble floors with three-legged, golden-feathered crows nested and cawed in the branches. They even saw a water fountain that levitated on air, and no drops ever touched the floor.

And there were angels. So many angels just going about their day. There were angels moving from one spot to another with assistance from their wings or boarding and exiting off smaller but equally incredible anti-gravity platforms. Some angels were talking with others, having group conversations. No usage of a phone or face time on a computer, just simple face to face small chat. There were also adorable couples, both heterosexual and homosexual relationships, holding hands and kissing in public. Marionette dolls made of glass and thin, clear twine danced and juggled in front of an audience of youths. The Gravely sisters were starting to feel like Harry Potter visiting Diagon Alley for the first time in The Philosopher's Stone, surrounded by such wonder and whimsy.

But really amazed the Gravely girls was how they looked so human, at least by appearance. One could even mistake them for humans without ever realizing the difference. They all didn't have wings petruding out of their backs. But then again, there was no need to at the moment. To the some that did have wings out and about, they were used to gravitate them from one platform to the other, floating around like a dandelion seed caught in a breeze. Their wings were different than the guards or archangels. They were all the same length but they all emitted a pure white energy glow. This must be the look of the wings of the commonfolk. Rosie and Regan spotted that a few of the angels had bronze colored wings, yet those angels were dressed in doctor or scientist uniforms. The clothes these civilians wore were unlike their own. Everyone was dressed in more traditional garmets and robes that extended through all passages of time. Their clothes had elaborate colors like the bridge the girls crossed, as did some of the buildings they saw. Some of these hues blended perfectly while others conflicted one another. Despite the obvioius wings they were just like Rosemary and Regan and all other mortals from Earth. They seemed very human doing human things.

On this grand platform the girls march through the crowds, blending perfectly among them. These folks didn't seem to mind or notice them. To them they were no different than angel children — or cherubs as they would call them. Vendors were around every corner selling assorted items.

"Ice cream!" one shouted. "Get your ice cream. Fresh, frozen, and delicious." the Gravely sisters walked by his cart and he spotted them. With his telekinetic ability the vendor scooped two large spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream and placed them inside paper cups. Plastic spoons punched into the frozen treats then they hovered in front of the girls faces. "Here you go kids. Free samples on the house."

The mortal sisters thanked the vendor for the treats and gladly plucked their cups from the air. They then scooped the spoons into their mouths. The delicious, cold taste of the treats were, for the lack of a better word, heavenly. The ice cream melted in their mouths but the savory flavor went on forever. After eating the rest of their free ice cream and disposing the cups in trash bins, they continued wandering around. They suddenly walked by tray of CD cases and record alblums. One ablum in particular stood out to Rosemary, which caused her to stop dead in her tracks.

"Oh my god," she muttered, pointing at one of the alblums on the shelves. "That's the alternative cover of Led Zeppelin's first alblum with their names in turquoise. These are extremely rare."

"Got several dozen more where those came from," said a friendly, female vendor. "You like games too?" Rosie quietly nodded her head. The vendor took a case off one of her shelves and tossed it to the girl.

Rosemary caught it and looked at the cover. Her drop nearly popped right off from what she discovered. "This is a limited edition Major Rager: The First Blood Edition, the first copy released back in 1993. This is the one where they added more blood and gore than before to the original game, as well as the cheat code to have Major Rager run around in his underwear." she hugged the case like a teddy bear. "I must truly be in Heaven. Please don't pinch me again, Regan. I don't want to wake up from this." there was no answer from her little sister. "Regan?"

All Rosie heard was her sisters loud shriek. She placed the game back on shelf and hurried to find her missing sister. It wasn't long before she found her little sister excitedly hopping up and down in front of a horse-drawn carriage. But this horse appeared different like the rest from their world. This one's skin was white as snow and had a spiral horn petruding along its forehead.

"IT'S A REAL, LIVE UNICORN!!!" Regan screamed happily. Rosemary saw how the crowds of angels stared awkwardly at the screaming kindergartener. They were wondering why any cherub would be excited over something so common here. Rosemary quickly snatched her sister away from the carriage, apologize to the grumpy cabby along the way.

"Ha, I told you they were real!" Regan said smugly. "We're in Heaven. This place is amazing."

"Yeah it is," Rosie agreed. "Sure beats anything at Lu's office." Then she realized that Mike was somewhere here, probably being punished for crimes the girls believed unjust. "Wait, as amazing as this place is, we can't get too distracted."

"Why not?" Regan asked.

"Because Mike's still in trouble. He needs our help."

The Regan asked another question, one that drew sadness across her face. "Do you think daddy is somewhere here too?"

Rosemary looked sad too. She wanted to believe that was true. But the more she looked around the truth was apparent: they were never going to run into their father. With so many angels in one platform it didn't look like any of them were once souls ascended to this wondrous paradise. It wasn't the same as the Condemned souls found in Hell, where they would endure many harrowing tortures and endless slave labor carried out by the demons. No, Rosie got the feeling that these Blessed souls are likely elsewhere, but definitely not here among walking among the angels.

The eldest Gravely took her sister by the hands. "I don't know, Regan. I really don't know," she told her, bothered by this agonizing realization. "I'd like to think so. I'd like to see him again too, but we promised to move forward with our lives, remember? We did it for mom for her to be happy." Hearing this, Regan quietly sighed. She knew her older sister would never lie to her, especially when it came to talking about their father. And she knew she was right too.

"And we gotta stay focused too." Rosie added. "Mike's in trouble and we gotta help him. I don't know how but we gotta try. He's our family now too, just like Lu and Gabi are. Like dad always said, we don't leave family behind, right?"

Regan looked up to her big sister. "Right! We always help them, any way we can." A smile from her helped boost their confidence.

"Maybe if that the other archangels will hear our side of the story, and they'd left Mike off the hook. It's a long shot but worth a try. So let's get helping!"

"Right!"

The girls hugged it out and gave each other high fives. "And let's try to keep things quiet and subtle for now." Rosemary added. "I get the feeling that these angels won't be happy when they find out two human girls are running around here."

The two girls set out to find their beloved uncle across an limitless cityscape. Their biggest problem was they had no idea where Mike could be, or where they where the Council would be located. But when in doubt, just ask about.

"Excuse me," Rosie walked up to one of the angels passing through. "Can you help-"

"Sorry, can't help you at the moment." she responded and continued walking.

Regan tried her best too. "Um mister, we need to-"

"I'm busy." another rudely said and walked on. "Don't bother now."

It was the same answer and result every time the girls approached one of these strangers. For angels, they both thought, they were very inconsiderate. Nevertheless they pressed onward and approached another stranger. "Hello." Rosemary spoke first. "We're sorry to bother you, but can you help us?"

This stranger stopped and acknowledged their presence. Rosemary and Regan both noticed that the stranger contrasted from the others. In a realm where the inhabitants wore bright, beautiful threads of colors, this stranger wore cloak, black as a raven's feather, that blanketed much of the body and head hidden under a hood.

"We're looking for where the archangels are," Rosemary continued. "Do you know where we can find them?"

"It's super important." her sister added.

The stranger casually knelt down before the sisters. The eyes were still hidden but they got a better glimpse of the lower half of the face. The skin flawless and lips painted black like the cloak she wore. "My apologies, cherubs," a woman's voice spoke from under the hood, sounding tranquil and kind. "I'm afraid I've been away from my home so long that it all seems alienating at the moment. I do wish you luck in your quest."

Disappointed yet again, the Gravely sisters thanked the stranger for her time, to which the stranger bowed her head. The pair walked away from the stranger and continued their journey to find their uncle. The stranger stood and watched the two mortals — though she did not know they were mortals, only believing they were cherubs like all the rest — walk up to more strangers and ask them questions. Such sweet, innocent, little cherubs, she thought, one day you will all be free from this world's, and the Council's, will.

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

After much travel via transport Mike was brought outside the Archangel Citadel, a towering structure located at the heart of Paradise. He glanced up at its impressive design. Much of the exterior was built of chrome plates while its interior — the halls, the stairs, and the council chamber room — were painted in gold, giving off a heavenly glow. Its height rivaled that of the Space Needle of the mortal world. The citadel was built on one of the many levitating platforms found all throughout the heavens. Smaller platforms gravitated around the citadel's base, often carrying statues of ancient angels and spherical scultures that resembled planets of a galaxy on them. Inside its base were their archives of the universe's secrets, never to be revealed by mortals, constantly protected by the citadel guards. In the upper levels were housing chambers for each of the members of the Council. All stayed and slept within the confides, except for Gabi, who roomed with her girlfriend in one of the many living complexes of Paradise.

Mike's escort led him inside the citadel and straight into the gravivators. Up they all ascended to the top of the spire, where the Archangel Council held private discussions and hearings for the people. Mike reflected on the day he became an archangel. He led the armies of Heaven against the invading demon forces and apprehended his corrupted brother Lu. He was dubbed the new Archangel of Justice and hailed a hero from that day on, but Mike never felt like a hero nor did he feel he was ready to take the role of an archangel. To be an archangel one must face the harshest trials of the flesh, mind, and soul. They must show superior techniques in combat and magic, possess strong leadership skills, and ultimately be ready to sacrifice themselves for the innocence.

Long gone were the days that the archangels were tactical generals during the Heaven-Hell War. Now, with his Father, the Creator, moved on, the archangels ruled together, upholding peace and prosperity in their realm. Yet that peace had flaws, something that Mike picked up on time and time again. Within the polished chrome citadels of Heaven, in each of the nine districts, crime and corruption runs through their shadows. Black market trades and a new highly addictive drug distributed under the Council's noses.

The party's ascension ended when their feet touched the final floor, the Council's Spire. Three of the council members — Metatron, Gabi, and Raph — led their comrade Mike to the center of the Council hall while the guards ascended back down the base of the citadel. The Council Spire was a large, circular room where each member was seated in nine levitating, oval-shaped chairs. The chairs would often gravitated slowly around the room like planets rotating around the sun. Each chair was made of a pearl-colored alloy with red cushions stuffed dead center. At least each member would sit comfortably while they discussed the trial.

Standing at the center of the wide chamber room were four other archangels that made up the rest of the Council. One of its members was the second female member of the Council, Ariel, the Archangel of Peace. She looked like a woman in her mid-50s and wore an enchanting, sleeveless robe made of golden and white silks that matched the high stature of the citadel members. Her left hand carried a long, metallic quarterstaff that she often used as a walking stick and for combat. Her raven hair was kept short to her shoulders with a couple grey strangs sprouting on the side, indicating her aging process; yet her beautiful face was clear of wrinkles. Her eyes were kept hidden behind a golden-brown cloth so none can peer at white frosted eyes underneath. All of Heaven knew her was aware of her blindness, though very few angels were ever born with this disability. But she saw life through different means. Despite being blind Mike still respected her, like all other angels, as one of Heaven's skilled warriors and masterful spellcasters. There were even rumors that she had befriended a demon during the war between Heaven and Hell but no proof claimed them to be true — nor did Ariel ever deny such rumors. If anyone could relate to Mike's predicament it would be her, but her judgement was always just. Whether she would side with him or against him was anybody's guess.

The angel across from her was Jophiel, the Archangel of Wisdom. Jophiel was the youngest member of the council, resembling that of a mid-to-late 20s man, having been accepted as an official member a millennium ago. His youthful face was cleanly shaved, glistening off his fairly pale skin. His snow white hair was kept short with a shorter ponytail knotted on the back of his head. He wore robes made of dark jade silks and kept his feet bare. He distained for footwear made him odd but his incredible speeds made him a well respected angel of Heaven. On his head he wore a thin crown of dry laurel leaves, which matched his dark brown eyes. Mike was good friends with him a while back. It was he who helped Jophiel earn the title of archangel and become an accepted member of the Council. The Archangel of Justice looked to his friend, noticing that he sighed with disbelief and sorrow. Now all Mike could do was hope that his friend would return that favor by siding with him on this trial.

The other standing between Jophiel and Ariel was Zadkiel, the Archangel of Freedom. He was an older angel too, resembling a man in his late-40s or early fifties. His midnight blue robes contrasted the lighter colors found throughout Heaven but paired with his golden skin. Much of his long hair, which was a dark as his robes, was covered by a hood and scarf. Yet a good half his face was marked by tattooes depicting ancient scripture, and a dark goatee wrapped around his upper and lower lips. His violet eyes darted at the arrested Archangel of Justice. Mike knew that he was already judging him. While he too was a respected angel Mike knew him for having a sterner attitude than his brother Raph. Zadkiel would always see the negatives rather than spot for the positives, especially when it came to judging someone. He wasn't going to be a pushover in this trial.

The final member present was Barachiel, the Archangel of Hope. The long, red-bronze robes he wore made his physique appear broader like a fat king. He was actually in good shape with impressive muscles hidden under the extra layers of clothing. He was a little shorter in stature compared to his councilmen with heavy dark skin tones, amber eyes, long curling hair that greyed, and a small balding spot on top his head. He was probably as old as Metatron, resembling a man in his 60s as well. Both of his hands contained a set of polished, silver rings on three of his fingers while both of his ears and brows were pierced with a series of small gold rings. Mike and Barachiel have always been on good terms. He even attended many weddings when Barachiel married off his children to their respectful partners, and met each of his twelve grandchildren. Of all the angels in the Council he was among the wisest. Mike could only hope his friend's wisdom will see him guiltless as he does.

Only eight of the nine members could be present with one absent member. This member was known by all as Azrael, the Archangel of Truth, but he is gone now. Mike did not know much of Azrael. He was the oldest of the council, at an age that would almost rival Legion. Some even speculated that he was one of the first to become an archangel. Mike recalled that this archangel liked to keep to himself most of the time, rarely making conversations with others. He also recalled how other angels secretly mocked the elderly archangel with a darker nickname he received through his time of war. During the long war, Azrael racked up the highest killcount of demons but his battalions suffered the highest casualty rates, thus his soldiers labeled him as the Archangel of Death out of spite.

He disappeared centuries ago. His reasoning for his departure left the Council worried. Mike remembered that day. He remembered how Azrael explained to them all that he felt a dark disturbance on the other side of the universe and he had to investigate it. He did not say what it was, only that he had to be sure. The Council opposed his request, but Azrael carried on alone, only to be never heard from again. Mike and the Council searched but there was nothing. Thus his seat remains, gathering up dust in the archangel's placement. There were many conversations discussed among the Council on whether or not someone should be worthy enough to replace their former comrade.

With all the members now present they took their respective seats. Metatron sat in the middle chair with Gabi and Raph sitting next to him. Normally Mike would be seated next to his mentor but it was to remain vacant as Azrael's chair. Zadkiel walked to the other side and took a seat in one of the other chairs hovering with Ariel sitting by him. Jophiel and Barachiel took their seats directly across from Zadkiel and Ariel on the other end of the room. The two remaining seats slowly moved themselves behind Michael and remained floating near the entrance. They were not needed for this hearing.

"This trial is to remain confidential until its conclusion." Metatron reminded his fellow councilmen. All eyes were now upon Mike. "Michael Sunday, Archangel of Justice, you have been brought before this council on charges of exposing your angelic state to mortals, unauthorized visits to the mortal realm, and making contact with the Devil and his demonic minions. How does the defendant plea?"

"Not guilty." Mike answered boldly.

Metatron nodded. "Let the record show that this trial has now commenced. Preceding as judges are Metatron, Archangel of Valor..."

"Gabriel, Archangel of Strength..." Gabi then stated and the others followed.

"Raphael, Archangel of Virtue..."

"Ariel, Archangel of Peace..."

"Zadkiel, Archangel of Freedom..."

"Jophiel, Archangel of Wisdom..."

"Barachiel, Archangel of Hope..." Their role call was finished. "I'll admit, it is troubling for all of us to see you under such conditions," Barachiel's deep voice bellowed.

"Yes, you are one of Heaven's best warriors and an admirable member of this council," Ariel spoke softly. "Many aspire to be like you."

"Yet you have gone behind our backs and broken our most sacred rules," Zadkiel added. His gravily, accented voice reminded Mike of how Malaika spoke. "Why?"

Metatron then spoke. "Michael has explained to me that he has been feeling some kind of void inside him, something that has clouded his feelings."

"Forgive me, but that is not entirely true," Mike interjected. "My feelings are clear as is my judgement. I know what I've done, and I know of my consequences. But I do not believe that I am guilty for these charges you've stapled onto me."

"Do elaborate for us then." Jophiel said. His right hand stroked the smoothness of his chin, pondering what the Archangel of Justice was up to.

"My simply using my free will as I please-"

"Which you already have here," Barachiel interrupted Mike. "where you are among your own kind."

Then Zadkiel spoke, "You've always had a love for the mortals, the humans-"

"But now you've gone too far!" Raph finally got a chance to speak up.

"Settle down, Raphael," Metatron reminded the younger sibling. He then refocused his attention to Mike. "The last time we've intervened in their affairs it led to the creation of numerous religious factions, followed by countless bloodshed in their undignified holy wars. That is why we've since severed all connections with us and the mortals. They see us as divinity when clearly we are not. We are born, we breathe, we live, and we die just as all life intended."

"You cannot blame an entire species for past mistakes." Michael defended.

"It is not just past mistakes," Jophiel said. "Their issues continue in the present as well."

"Not as much as you'd believe. There is a whole town that proves much has changed."

"You refer to Brimstone?" Zadkiel stated. "That cesspool of supernatural phenomenon, which has increased since your brother Lucifer had made him and his demons present."

"Although they haven't done anything that would cause an alarm," Barachiel commented. "Just harmless tomfoolery now and then but nothing threatening."

"Still we can't be certain," Ariel corrected them. "Who knows what the demons could really be plotting."

"I can already answer that," Mike spoke out again. "Absolutely nothing. I've been with them, yes, but they have no intentions in harming the humans."

"And you believe Lucifer?" Raphael growled.

"I do!" Mike fired back.

"So you decided to follow your youngest sibling's example?" Zadkiel accused. "Bending the rules without consequence?"

Mike sighed. "All I was trying to do was make amends with my brother. I only expect two of you to understand my feelings." Gabi sadly looked down in her spot as her other brother rolled his eyes.

"It still does not excuse you for revealing to mortals that you are an angel," the Archangel of Freedom continued. "You put us all at risk."

"There is no risk because they don't care. They're not living in superstition anymore. And I can prove it. This is trial isn't about me breaking a couple rules. This is a trial about how we should give humanity another chance. I know of some mortals that don't see me as a deity or divinity, but as a person."

The councilmen looked at each other, puzzled by their comrade's statement. Gabi smiled at her brother, feeling confident that Mike may yet win the others over. "You believe that their world has changed for the better?" the Archangel of Valor questioned, almost releasing a small chuckle. "Based around a small population of mortals you're familiar with in the last several months?"

"I do. Not only that but I can prove how my brother has changed too. Give me a chance to explain about each of them. "

"We will discuss about him momentarily." Zadkiel said. "I wish to hear more about what he has to say about these humans you mentioned."

"Let us discuss one of these mortals," the Archangel of Hope said. She pressed a button on a console inside her chair. A holographic keyboard appeared before her and she typed away. Her face was still focused on the Archangel of Justice as she typed perfectly. Suddenly a giant holographic picture of Mike's girlfriend Malaika appeared in front of the Council's view. Mike couldn't help but smile at her image. "Malaika Katan, a kindergarten teacher from an elementary school in Brimstone, Minnesota."

"I'll admit she is quite beautiful..." the young Archangel of Wisdom remarked, studying the teacher's image. "for a member of an evolved, primative species of course."

"Are we to understand that you, Michael, have shared some information to her." Metatron asked.

"Just some stuff about myself and nothing more." Mike honestly answered. "Basic small talk."

"It is to our understanding that you have committed a relationship with this mortal woman, correct?" Ariel said.

"I have."

"How far has that relationship endevered?" Ariel asked again. "Are you two involved romantically? Sexually?"

"I refuse to answer that."

"On what grounds?" this time Zadkiel asked him.

"On the grounds that's none of your damn business."

Metatron rolled his eyes and sighed. "Michael, let's be professional here."

"What do you want from me?" Mike was starting to get irritated. "Yeah I had sex with her and I used my penis! Did that sound professional enough for you? Are we seriously going to talk about my sex life right now?"

The Council was displeased by this statement, yet Gabi tried so hard to control herself from laughing. One of the archangels picked up on her amusement. "Gabriel, you have been quiet since the trial began," Ariel spoke to her. "Do you have any questions for your brother?"

At first the Archangel of Strength didn't know what to say. She didn't want to incriminate her older brother in any way. Mike nodded his head at her, giving her a sign that he was fine with her questioning him. Gabi then took a deep breath and asked her important question. "So who's normally on top during sex? Is she on top? Are you on top?"

The room was filled with a series of irritated groans and facepalms. Mike gave his sister an expression that stated really?. "See why I didn't want her on this trial?" Raph muttered to Metatron.

"Noted." he muttered back.

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

The Gravely sisters wandered around one of the large social platforms of the infinite cityscape of Paradise. They tried asking everyone they met for help only to be rudely turned down. "What's it take to get some directions around here?" Rosemary irately shouted. The oldest Gravely sibling was too peeved to pay attention that she walked right into a stranger. The stranger toppled backward to the polished marble floor, falling square on his rump. The folder he carried plopped on the floor and all its papers inside fluttered around them like snowflakes.

"Oops, I'm sorry mister." Rosemary apologized, quickly helping the stranger gather up his distorted papers.

"No, no, no, no it's quite alright," the male angel quickly stammered. "Quite my fault I'm afraid. Wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Should've been more careful." the man patted the ground until he felt a pair of rounded glasses. He lifted the specs up to his near-sighted vision. "Ah, good. Not a scratch."

The stranger placed the specs back on this face. He was another tall individual, or at least tall by the Gravely sisters' standards. The stranger had short black hair, wheathish toned skin, and a small goatee that wrapped around both his lips. By his youthful appearance he looked as though he was about their mother's age when actually he was far older than that. His clothes appeared to resemble that the girls would find on their world. A plaid dress shirt, dark pants, and a large red bowtie around his thin neck.

Rosemary collected all the papers the angel dropped and placed them back inside the folder. She presented it to the angel, who smiled and thanked both the sisters for their aid. Regan noticed something else on the ground next to the stranger's feet. It resembled a small blue square with a transparent core, which revealed the mechanics and wiring inside.

Regan picked up the odd object. "Mister, you dropped this-"

"Greetings," a metallic, feminine voice called from the square piece, forcing the youngest Gravely to shriek and drop it. The little square never touched the ground but hovered a few inches above and started rotating rapidly. Its center lit up a bright blue glow, releasing tiny blue cubes out of the core. The cubes swarmed around like flies on a rotten meal before melding together into a new form. At the square's center stood what appeared to be a tiny person. Its body was light blue like the sky with a physical stature resembling a nude woman but it lacked any of the proper anatomy. All of the private areas were smoothed out like the rest of its transparent body with the exception of a microscopic naval on its stomach. Its tiny head was bald and lacked any eyes or ears, but featured a short nose and mouth.

The holographic woman performed a small curtsy to the surprised two sisters. "I am a Module for Assistance & Relaying Information, but you may also refer to me as 'MARI'. How may I be of service today?"

"There's a small lady inside your square-thing!" Regan cried.

"Oh that's MARI," the stranger said. "She's my A.I. unit — um, artificial intelligence. She's basically a portable, living computer that assists me in every which way possible. I designed her myself."

"I am designed specifically to aid my programmer in any service," MARI happily exclaimed. "Providing archive information, storing data, accessing computer terminals, daily reminders-"

"Yes thank you MARI." the man interrupted. "I believe they get the idea."

"Very well, Doctor." the hologram complied.

"Did that thing say doctor?" Rosemary asked.

"Ah yes she did. Pardon me, I've forgotten introductions. My name is Dr. Uriel Wednesday, lead scientist of Paradise's science division."

The girls looked at each other in disbelief. "Uncle Uri?" they both said.

The angel looked at them puzzily confused. "Well yes, my siblings often call me Uri but- wait." his amber eyes blinked rapidly. His confusion was growing. "Did you refer to me as uncle? But that can't be. None of my siblings reproduced any offspring of their own. Well Raguel and Sariel were both married twice, as well divorced twice."

"We're actually Lu's stepdaughters," the eldest sister explained. "I'm Rosemary, and this is my sister Regan."

"Lu? Lucifer's?

"Lucifer Lightbringer," MARI relayed. "One of seven of the Creator's pureblood children, former angel of Heaven, current King of the Inferno-"

"Yes, thank you MARI!" Uriel interrupted his assistant again. "I'm well aware who my youngest sibling is." Once again he careful examined each of his new nieces before him. His jaw dropped open when realized who he was talking to. He blurted out a wide range of excitement and nervousness. "It can't be. I mean, you're here! I mean, you're here? That's incredible! No, that's impossible! How is it that you're here? Did your species finally develop devices for interdimensional travel? Have you been feeling any sort of radiation sickness since your arrival? Mind if I collect DNA samples from you for further study?"

The girls took a couple steps away from the babbling scientist. "Whoa dude! Take it easy!" The eldest Gravely said. "Look we don't have time to play twenty questions."

"Mike's in big, super-duper trouble!" Regan began to explain. "He got arrested and he's going to trial."

"Mike? Michael? Arrested?" Uriel muttered. "I-I never heard of this. I-I didn't even know that he was arrested? What was he arrested for?"

"From what it sounded like coming from the angels who arrested him," Rosie sadly said. "He was arrested just for visiting us. He's been to our house more than one occasion, and he's been hanging out with Lu and his buddies a lot too."

The scientist angel sighed. "That explains why we haven't seen him much lately. He always did have some kind of compassion for humans."

"We want to find this Archangel Council Mike keeps mentioning," Regan said. "just to tell them that Mike is a good guy and they shouldn't punish him."

"Yeah," her older sister agreed. "We just want them to hear our side of the story. Maybe they'd give him a pass."

"I'm afraid reasoning with the Council isn't going to be a walk in the park," Uriel explained to the sisters. "If they find out that you're here in Heaven, Mike could be in more trouble."

"Still we gotta try something. Can you help us, Uncle Uri?"

The angel hesitantly scratched the back of his head. "I-I don't what I can do. I-I'm sorry but I would be risking too much if I presented them with two human children. I-I'm afraid I cannot get involved in this. I think the best thing to do is return you home to your world an-" he paused as his eyes looked at the nieces before him. Both their faces grew heavy with sadness. Their lips were quivering and their eyes were filling with water like puppy dog eyes. Even if the oldest Gravely had half her face covered by her hair it was still clear how much sadness she was emoting.

"Ah," MARI chimed. "If I possesed the ability of physical contact, I would give them a hug."

Uriel then breathed another soft sigh. "All my life Mike's always been there for my siblings and I, helping out in anyway possible." a kind smile drew across his face. "I suppose it's only reasonable that I'd be there for him to do the same." the angel picked himself up, and the sisters smiled widely. "Follow me, I know exactly where the Council would hold their trial."

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

Rosie and Regan followed their uncle Uri as he guided them through the crowded platforms. Along the way the sisters listened to Uri prattle on about his favorite topic: science. The ecstatic angel went on about several different topics such as quantum physics and biological psychology. He even listed all of his favorite elements of the periodic table in order according to the Greek alphabet. Following up his science lecture he discussed the history of Heaven, how the multitudes of platforms were able to levitate, how the biology of angels is similar to that of mortals, and mentioned his theory that angels were once the descendants of beings of pure light. And it all completely bored the two sisters.

To the young mortals everything that Uri mentioned was mindless dribble. So many big words, so many complicated syllables. Rosemary couldn't have imagined anyone more boring than her teacher Mr. Carney, who also talked about boring stuff—until now. Several times she had to stop and wake her sister up after she'd fall asleep while they walked. All the while Uriel paid no attention to the sister's complete disinterest in what he had to say. Not once had he turned around to see their inattentive faces, or had asked if they wanted to hear more. Instead to talked on and on while the Gravely sisters zoned out his words and looked at the grand sites of his homeworld.

Suddenly the two noticed that their uncle had stopped. “Ah, salutations Captain.” he greeted nervously.

The Gravely sisters looked past their uncle's tall legs. The person that he greeted sent dread into their hearts. Three individuals were walking down their path. All three were dressed in soldier armor, like the ones that arrested Mike earlier. And the one leading two of the helmeted guards was the same scarfaced angel they saw leading the arresting party.

“Uriel.” Peter nodded. His face still stern as before. "Cherubs." the captain muttered to the sisters, also giving them a slight nod. The sisters hid behind Uriel and kept their heads low.

Uriel walked on and the sisters followed. Peter stopped in his tracks and looked back, feeling he recognized something about those two cherubs. He studied them carefully from a distance. Their appearance looked familar.

Peter remembered that he had to look at some evidence that his friend Michael was on the mortal world. A photographic memory helped piece it all together. Among the evidence there was a selfie featuring Michael and two other individuals. The pair were younger—much younger. One was about the age of five, and wore a dress yellow and bright as the sun with matching bow in her long blonde hair. The older one contrasted the other's attire. Dressing in hoodie as black as a raven's feather, dark cargo jeans, and a black beanie with a cartoonish skull on it. But what really set her apart was the girl's jet black hair that covered a part of her face—just like this one.

“Hold on a minute!” the captain of the guard instructed the trio. Uri, Rosie, and Regan halted in their tracks. Uri turned again and the sister hid behind him. Peter and the guards slowly approached the trio, keeping their focuses on the pair of supposed cherubs. “Who are they?” he asked the fellow angel.

“Oh them?” Uri stuttered. “Um, t-they are… m-my nieces! My s-sister Sariel’s children… from her second husband.”

“Really?” Peter said, his healthy brow raised. “I thought your sister didn’t have any children.”

“S-she—eh—adopted?” Sweat dripped down Uri's face. He knew he had always been a terrible liar.

“Sure she did.” Peter knew he was lying. He had been friends with his siblings for a long time and knew much about their about their lives. “Look, I’ve had a long day already, and I really don’t want to make it any longer than it needs to be. I know for a fact that your sister—or any of your other siblings—don't have any children of their own. That is all except for one, and I think you know which one I’m referring to. So do you wanna waste my time and raise my blood pressure, or you wanna give me a straight answer?"

Uriel looked down at his new nieces he had just met. He could see the fear in their eyes. They had come a long way from only to be sent back. Their quest was all for nothing. Uriel felt guilty inside, it was an obnoxious poison building within building his body. The scientific angel knew he had to come up with a proposal that would aid these mortal children—even at the risk of spending a night in prison.

“Captain, have I shown you what I’ve been working on?" Uriel announced to the guard. "It’s quite remarkable. You won’t be disappointed." Peter stoodby and watched as the stuttering scientist fubbled around his tunic pockets. His eyes aggrovately rolled around his sockets. This outta be good, he thought to himself.

Finally Uriel presented the guards with a small purple tablet no bigger than a tic-tac. "I developed an improved version of flashbangs in the form of these small tablets. Truly remarkable. All you have to do is toss one of these in the combat zone and out pops the brightest flash you’ve ever seen. But I recommend that you’d be very careful. These tablets are extremely sensitive. The slightest crush from your fingers could trig-"

Before he gave his warning, Uriel had already gave the tablet a light press and it popped. A ball of white light exploded, blinding the four adults. Rosie and Regan shielded their eyes from the bright flash, safeguarded from the blinding effects. “YOW! DEAR ME, I’VE DONE IT NOW." they heard Uri shout. "FRET NOT, THE BLINDESS IS ONLY TEMPERARY.” Uri's hand dove for his pockets again. This time he pulled out the square piece that MARI originated from and tossed it over to Rosie.

Peter and his fellow guardsmen opened their eyes, still blinded by the tiny flashback. They were red and watery. All he could still see were red spots that popped everywhere. The blindness cleared, just as the scientist theorized. Peter's vision became clearer. He stared straight at Uriel with fury. But then he noticed that the fellow angel was alone, the girls behind him vanished once his vision came.

“Where'd they go?!” Peter barked, an aggressiveness rose in his voice.

“Who-wha? Who are we talking about?” Uriel stammered, pretending he didn't know what the captain was talking about, as if there was nobody there to begin with.

The captain of the guard snatched the scientist by his collar. His eyes filled with rage. Uri was pulled close to his face that he could see the different textures of his burn scars. “I’m warning you now, Uriel," Peter growled. "If those kids turn out to be who I think they are and where they actually belong, I’m gonna crucify your ass right to the wall; and none your archangel siblings are gonna bail you out this time!” he shoved Uri away and turned to his fellow guardsmen. “Find them. Put a search out through each of the platforms. I want them both brought to my office. Keep it the groupings small and quiet. Don't let anyone else knowing about them. They won't get far here.”

The sisters ran as far as they could, away from the guards. They were lost among the crowds and have become Heaven's most wanted. Luckily their salvation came in the form of a small, holographic lady with a pixelated smile painted on her transparent face. "Greetings. It would appear that Uriel has handed me to you to assist in finding your uncle, Michael. I know the exact location of the Archangel Citadel, each consisting of multiple routes that will take the least amount of time. Which route would you like to take first?"

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

The trial continued.

"Let's discuss this other mortal," Zadkiel, the Archangel of Freedom, insisted. His fingers fiddled around the buttons on his chair. Another holographic image projected above the Council like before. This time the image shown for all to see was Carmen Gravely, Mike's sister-in-law and Lu's wife. "Carmen Gravely, I believe. Mother of two, employed as a talk show host for a local cable network of Brimstone, Minnesota."

"Not to mention," Jophiel, the Archangel of Wisdom added. "she is the wife of your brother Lucifer, the current demon king of the Inferno."

"And queen of our sworn enemies!" Raph growled.

"A position that she chooses not to uphold," Mike interjected at his brother. "Nor does she identify herself as."

"He's right," Gabi said. "She technically doesn't identify herself as a queen, and she doesn't wish to hold any title or ranking over the demons."

"Yet she's the wife of a traitor!" Raph shot back.

"She's the wife of our brother!" Mike stepped in.

"Enough!" Metatron's voice boomed, silencing their sibling squabble. "Tell us about her from your point of view, Michael."

"She treats everyone just the same, whether be angel or demon. Not to mention she was the one that changed my brother's personality. Have you noticed the fewer accounts of demonic possessions there are recently? Or how the demon society has become less hostile?"

"And you really believe this Carmen Gravely played a role in this?" Ariel, the Archangel of Peace, asked him.

"I do."

It was Jophiel's turn to ask. "And what does your brother Lucifer see in her?"

"Love." it was the only answer Michael could conclude.

The Archangel on trial watched as his fellow council members whispered among themselves. It was still unclear to him if the Council was starting to believe him or not. "It must be some kind of spell she's placed under," his brother Raph protested. "How can you be certain if what Lucifer is feeling is true?"

"Because I sensed it," Mike answered him. "I felt his love for this woman everytime I visited their home. And she feels the same for him. No spell, no enchantment, just true love. That's something you can't hide or fake."

Ariel of the Council turned her head over to where Gabi sat. "Can you confirm this, Gabriel."

"What he's saying is true," Gabi stated. "I may have interacted with my youngest sibling for a short time, but I too felt the love he has for his wife. And I'll admit that he has changed significantly. I mean sure he's still the same old Lu—scheming, cynical, and a compulsive liar—but I didn't sense as much darkness within him as before. I believe what Michael is saying is true. That woman changed him. I'm not sure how but whatever it is, it's working for the better."

The Council whispered to each other again. "She does intrigue me, I'll admit," Barachiel, the Archangel of Hope, commented. "Her will must be strong if she's able to endure so much of their world without her mind fracturing."

"She's so much more than that," the Archangel of Justice said. "I can assure you."

Raphael was not onboard with this. "Are we forgetting that regardless if she was mortal or not she is still on the side of our sworn enemy?"

"The only side she's on is her family's! That includes her husband and her children."

"Speaking of which," Metatron mentioned as he pressed a button in his seat. Replacing the image of Carmen above them was a new image featuring both her daughters, Rosemary and Regan. "Tell us something about these two."

****************************************************************************************

Rosemary and Regan found themselves wandering around another platform, which was set up like a gigantic park or garden. It was a wide, open space with endless fields of grass but no hills. All around the pair were the most beautiful of flowers. Some were the flowers from their world. Others were of species they have never seen or heard of. But it was no time for the Gravely sisters to stop and look at them all. They had a mission to find their uncle at the Council's citadel. While they trekked through the park their legs grew weerie from the constant walking.

"Can we rest for a minute?" Regan whined. "My feet are too tired to move anymore."

"Yeah it's probably best." her older sister agreed.

Both sisters plopped down on the comfortable grass, letting their sore legs get a moment's rest. MARI the A.I. unit even retreated back inside her core to recharge her power. The girls planned to rest for a moment and then continue on their journey. Yet they remained vigilante as they rested, scoping out the area for other angels. It wouldn't have been long before that scar-faced captain notified other security officers about their getaway, and they knew those angels will be looking for them. They did, however, spot on angel.

Across from them the pair noticed a lady sitting on a park bench, eating lunch out of a tin foil bowl. She wasn't dressed like one of the guards, with her white coat, dark lavender top and shirt. Her skin was flawless and golden. Her long hair was painted pinkish red like a cherry. Her eyes were closed so she didn't see the sisters at first. They finally opened and the woman saw the two mortals staring at her with her sweet pink eyes. She smiled and gave them both a friendly wave, to which the Gravely sisters mimicked her gesture. The sisters breathed a sigh of relief now that their suspicions were eased.

Regan took to some bushes nearby, noticing a new flower growing on them. Their petals shined were clear as icy crystals and its green stems twinkled like stars at midnight. “Ooo, look at those pretty flower.” she said, pointing at the lovely batch. “I want to take one home for mommy.”

The youngest Gravely stood up and walked over to the bush. She reached out for one of the flowers, grasping three of her fingers around its sparkling stem. Her fingers made contact until spark popped inside her grasp. Regan felt a sharp zap, worse than any static shock she felt before, forcing her to quickly let go of the stem. “OW!” she screamed, waving her hand wildly, trying to breathe fresh air into her injured fingers but they still felt worse. The tips of her fingers felt like she stuck them inside a hot oven. Tears poured out her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Rosie ran up and wrapped her arms around her little sister as she cried loudly. The eldest Gravely felt her heart race rapidly, unsure of how to her hurt sister. She was concerned about Regan's injury, but she also worried that her crying might attract the guards to their location.

Luckily Regan's cries attracted someone else. “Is everything alright?” It was the same lady they saw before, running as fast as she could toward the two sisters. The lady knelt down to their view when she got near them.

“That flower hurt me.” Regan sobbed.

“Let me have a look at that,” the lady suggested, reaching out her hand to the youngest sibling. The two sisters remained perfectly still. The angel sensed their fear of her. “It’s alright, I’m a medical doctor. My name’s Cassiel Odinseye. Who might you two be?”

Rosie answered for them. “I’m Rosemary, and this is my sister Regan.”

“Rosemary and Regan," Cassiel repeated. "What a pair of lovely names for two lovely, little girls." she looked down at the tearful Regan, presenting her with a very kind smile. "May I?" she politely asked again. Regan held her hand to Cassiel, who examined the tips of her fingers carefully. The prints of her thumb, index, and middle fingers were badly singed, covered in severe second degree electrical burns that were become black and red. "Ooh, that looks like it hurts pretty bad."

She pulled out a small spray bottle from her pocket. Regan wanted to pull her hand away but Cassiel gave a light giggle. "Don't worry, this won't hurt. I promise."

Cassiel aimed the tiny nosile at her burnt fingers and sprayed. The burns were coated in a pasty stream of some kind of magical liquid. Regan's tears stopped flowing. Just as the angel doctor said, it didn't hurt at all. The painful, burning feeling on her finger tips eased smoothly. No more than five seconds the pain stopped.

Cassiel graced her hands around Regan's fingers and then concentrated. A small light shined under her gentle grasp. Regan gasped of what the angel was doing, but her older sister immediately recognized the technique. It was Healing Touch, an angelic magic to heal wounds. When the light stopped shining Cassiel pulled her hands away. A wide smile grew on Regan's face when she saw the nasty burns were gone, perfectly healed as if she never touched the flower.

"There. Good as new." Cassiel commented.

"Thank you, lady," Regan politely said.

"It was no trouble," the angel doctor assured. "You two must not be from around here.”

“What makes you say that?!” Rosie nervously asked. She must be working for the guards, she thought.

“Just a hunch. Many around Paradise wouldn’t touch those flowers while spark ants are pollunating. See?" Cassiel pointed at the flower stems. The sisters squinted their eyes and saw that those twinkling lights were moving. Tiny ants with glowing exoskeletons crawled all over each of the flowers. Small droplets of nectar were hauled on their backs as they scurried down the stems.

"What district are you from?” Cassiel then asked.

Anxiety grew more inside the eldest sister. She knew she had to come up with a lie quick. The problem was since Mike kept his home secret either of the sisters knew much about any of the nine districts that made up the heavens. Rosie tried to think back to her ancient history class with Mr. Carney. Perhaps one of those afterlifes hinted at one of the districts. “Um, we’re from… Valhalla?”

Cassiel's eyes widened and her smile grew more. “Really? You don’t say?" It seemed that she bought the lie. "I was originally from Valhalla myself, but I moved to Paradise to be closer to my girlfriend."

"Oh, well that's cool." Rosie knew they were in a hurry, so she had to speed things up. "Hey, were trying to find the Archangel Citadel. Do you know the quickest way there?"

The angel doctor tapped on her chin as she thought about Rosie's question. "Hmm, I'd say the best path would be to would to take a transport near Platform 934, just northeast of here. It'll be a tall, cyllinder-shaped temple. You can't miss it. May I ask what's so important that you need to visit the citadel?"

"It's super important-" Regan began. She was then silenced when Rosemary placed her hand over Regan's mouth.

"Eh we..." Rosemary nervously tried to think of another lie. "just want to get an autograph from the archangels."

"I doubt they'll likely see you at the moment," Cassiel couldn't help but giggle at the thought. "They're very busy running all of Heaven and they don't like to be bothered. But I think they might make a few acceptions for a pair of little, eagered girls such as yourselves. I think my girlfriend would be more than happy to give a couple out."

"Well we better get going," Rosie took her sister's hand and they walked off. "Thanks for your help."

"Bye, bye Cassiel," Regan waved. "It was nice meeting you."

"Bye, bye," Cassiel said and waved back. "It was nice meeting you too. And good luck!"

The kind doctor watched as the Gravely sisters traveled northeast in the direction she pointed in. What lovely young girls, she thought with a smile, Little odd too. Wonder what they were hiding.

She shrugged off her thoughts and walked back to the bench she was at before. "Excuse me, ma'am!" a muffled voice caught her by surprise. She turned around and saw a pair of armored security officers, much like the ones that arrested Mike, approaching her. The pair stopped and showed the doctor a holographic image. "Have you seen these two girls wandering around here?" one of them asked.

Cassiel leaned in on the hologram and studied it. The image was that of the same two girls she met earlier. The same hair, same clothes, same faces. It was definitely them. Oddly enough the image looked as though it was taken from Earth, the mortal realm. However Cassiel shook her head. "Nope. Never seen them." she lied of course. "But they do look awfully cute. Best of luck, officers."

The officers thanked Cassiel for her time and hurried off in another direction—one that was opposite to where Rosemary and Regan headed. Cassiel was now left alone. She knew that once her girlfriend was done with whatever business she had to attend to for the Council she was going to have a lot of explaining to do.

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

The woman in black walked through the crowds like an invisible phantom. Face hidden from them all, casually walking among them. She paid no attention to the activities nor the chatter nor the bickering among her fellow angels. She felt distant from all of them. She was an angel too, like them, but not like them. The woman saw it everywhere. Fools willingly obeying the binding laws of the Council and the Creator. But the Creator was no longer part of the heavens. It's just the Council, a group of power-controlling bureacrats establishing their dominance over the rest of the angels.

Long ago she saw their corruptive power, as did her commander, the one she trusted and followed. He told them about how the Creator and his archangels commanded too much power over Heaven, that their lights only shined from the countless bodies of the War. She, and others, believed his every word. They joined him to achieve a new governing power fair for all. But they failed. The price was eternal banishment for her and the other followers. Their commander suffered a far severe punishment, never to be seen again.

Trapped in a void for centuries, she waited, longing for an escape. Escape came from at a great sacrifice. Hundreds had to be sacrificed for her and the remaining to break free. Once free the found him. Not the commander, but the Master. Dark, powerful, ancient. He too believed the Council was blind to Heaven's growing corruption. Blind by their choking grip over the heavens. The woman in black wished to follow the Master as she followed her commander. Together, with the rest of her kin, sought for the new revolution. But she had another mission of her own.

The woman in black had not seen or heard of her daring commander in so long. During the War she followed under his command, without question, with undying loyalty. She recalled how charismatic he was, his bravado. In combat he was one of the greatest swordsmen of Heaven's army. His strategies were once thought to be unprofessional and deranged, yet they proved effective against the Demon Horde, gaining many victories in the process.

There was a time where she felt something for him. She wasn't sure how to describe such feelings. It wasn't mere admiration, but something much more affectionate. She recalled all the times she wished she told her commander the truth of her feelings, but that time would never come. Banishment separated them both, and she wanted to find him. The woman in black knew of an artifact that would reveal the commander's location. The Master initially wanted it for his own plans, but she wanted to use it first. She would reunite with her beloved commander and together they could restart their revolution, under the will of their new master.

Across the crowded platforms she walked until she was stopped by a group, a small dozen, of angels. They, like her, dressed in garms of black, a few carrying large cases. Faceless masks with V-shaped visors concealed their identities from the stranger. The dozen waited for the woman in black's next move.

"The time has come," she addressed to the party. "Proceed as planned."

The masked angels nodded and the woman in black walked away. Four of the members escorted her to a nearby transport as the others watched. The transport was small, shaped like a rectangular box with open side doors and four repulsor systems keeping it afloat. The five unknown angels stepped inside. The transport hovered away, leaving the rest of the pack behind.

The remaining members walked into the shadows, opening the large cases they had with them. Inside were components for weapons they quickly assembled. Muzzles slapped together, grips pulled down, stocks pulled out, and magazines filled with plasma bolts smacked inside the chambers. Charged and prepped, the masked angels hid their new weapons under their cloaks, awaiting for the right moment to strike. Swords and knives were passed around too, they were ready. Once armed they moved without hesitation, remaining hidden inside the unsuspecting crowds. The guards that patroled each of the infinite platforms did not notice their mysterious activities. The cloaked pack of angels broke off into groups to the targeted locations they were instructed.

Now was the time to strike. The Council and all of Heaven shall learn.

The Fallen have returned.

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

"I can't help but feel there is still something that you are not telling us, Michael," Mike's teacher, the Archangel of Valor, said, sensing his former pupil's inner thoughts. "What is it you're hiding?"

The rest of the Council waited for a response with open ears. Michael knew it was true. He was hiding something from everyone. From the Council, from his new family, and from his own brother. After a short silence he revealed his deepest secret. "A few months ago the Creator—my Father—has given me a message. A vision."

All the members of the Council straightened up in their respective seats, shocked by the revelation. "A vision you say?" Barachiel said.

"Wait, you never mentioned anything about this," Gabi mentioned.

"Figures He'd speak to you." Raph muttered under his breath. He too always felt that Mike was his Father's favorite.

Jophiel then commented. "Word of the Creator hasn't been heard of in the last couple millennium. How can you be sure it was Him?"

"Believe me," Mike reassured his fellow councilmen. "I know it was Him. I've felt his presence through the vision."

"Then tell us more about this vision," Zadkiel said skeptically. "What message did He give?"

Mike let out a deep sigh. "I saw a fire burning greater than the hellfires of the Inferno. A darknees, growing and hungry. It started in the Inferno, then it spread quickly to Earth starting inside Brimstone, and then to Heaven, until all of the universe was consumed. It was dark and cold. I haven't felt this not since... my first encounter with Baracrus."

Fear swept through the Council when that name was mentioned. "What are you saying?" Zadkiel questioned again.

"I don't know what this is, but I fear something with Baracrus' signature could be rising. Or perhaps even the return of Baracrus."

"That's impossible," Metatron gasped. "Baracrus is long dead, his essence shattered."

"And yet there are fragments of it are found," Barachiel corrected his councilman. "Still spreading his corruptive power like the celestial Corruption before him."

"But it's not enough for him to truly return," Jophiel interrupted. "Isn't it?"

"Why, out of everyone, would our Father give you this message?" Gabi asked Mike this time. The sound of her voice grew heavy of concern.

"I don't know. Maybe it's to warn me of coming storm, or a chance to change how things are in order to prepare for something. I really don't know. That is one of the main reasons why I sought out my brother. I was hoping that if this darkness should rise in whatever form, an alliance between angels and demons could combat this together."

Raph's robotic fist slammed into the arm of his chair. "An alliance with our sworn enemies? Are you insane?"

"I concur." Zadkiel grievously said. "It doesn't seem possible forming an alliance with those savages."

"They're not the savages we believed they once were!"

"You know this through your brother Lucifer?" the Archangel of Hope argued.

"Has he not proven himself to be a worthy king for the demons?

"You expect them to become our allies against this so called, coming threat?" Metratron now asked. "It just doesn't seem possible."

"Was Legion not an ally of ours? Was it not him that conspired the plot with us to overthrow Baracrus and place my brother on the thrown? The war would've continued if he had not aided us."

"You think any of us agree with you on that statement?" Mike's brother snapped back.

"I do!" their sister defended.

"Of course you do, Gabriel."

"I agree as well," this response came from the Archangel of Peace, which shocked the whole Council. "Michael is correct. Without Legion's self-contained coup our war with the demons would have lasted longer. Millions, billions of lives would have been lost. And not just angels or demons, all life would have been extinguished." while blind she did not need ours to know that her colleague was unpleased by her defense. She heard him slouching down his chair, now silent during the trial. "Have you informed the Devil of this vision?" Ariel asked Mike.

The Archangel on trial shook his head. "I have not, at least not yet. I didn't what to take away any sort of happiness that was growing when he was with his family." he looked to his sister and brother. "Some of you already understand this," he then looked around the rest of the Council. "others may not, but family matters most to me. I no longer care if my brother has become one of the monsters we tell to scare our children, I no longer care if he rules over a population of our greatest enemies, he is still my baby brother. When Heaven was attacked you looked to me to stop him, and so I did. I severed my bond with him just as I severed his wings. But I am not the hero everyone proclaims that I am. I'm not even worthy to hold this position as an archangel for what I've done. So do what you always do, what we've always done. Stay here, hide in this citadel, lock yourselves with your secrets. Hell, banish me and strip away my powers if you feel that I've violated your selfish laws. But know I will know longer abandon my brother to darkness ever again. Should a new threat rise and he asks for aid, then I alone, if I must, will come to his aid. If his family is in danger, I will save them. To protect the innocent, that is what we do as archangels. But if you feel that our laws bides you or bides all of Heaven from trust or action, then perhaps when this is all over I shall no longer stand as one of you."

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

"Approximately fifty meters until we reach the transport docking area," MARI guided the Gravely sisters, acting like a semi-living and friendly GPS unit. "Upon arrival I can access the controls to one of the vessels to have you two transported safely to the Archangel Citadel."

Rosemary and Regan walked through another crowded platform. This one was designed like a giant outdoor mall with passersby and shoppers filling the crowds. The sisters ignored the temptations of purchasing divine knick-knacks from the persuasive merchants. Yet they wanted them so bad it would be so easy to buy them, but they knew the task came first. Not only that but they weren't sure if mortal currency was acceptable, and the risk of being questioned by their parents was too great.

Suddenly they halted, frozen in dread. A couple meters ahead were two armored officers questioning the locals. A holographic image of both Rosemary and Regan shimmered over a round device inside a guard's hand. One of the civilians study the hologram close until her gaze shifted up at where the girls stood. She pointed a finger out and the officers looked on, spotting their wanted fugitives. One of them shouted, "Hey you! Stop right there!"

The sisters bolted and the officers pursued. They ran through the crowds, sometimes sliding under them as they walked by. The guards tried to keep up the best they could. Their armor slowed them, giving the mortal children an edge. Because they were too big to keep up with the children, they had to push themselves through their own people. "Out of the way! Move it!" the sisters heard them shout from behind. They were ahead but still not far enough.

MARI did her best aiding the girls to escape. Her tiny frame morphed into different arrows that guided them to different directions around the shopping platform like a life-size game of Dragon's Lair. To the left they went then crossed to the right. The officers could barely keep track of fleeing mortals as they zig-zagged a path to outwit them. All they could make out was their running feet that nearly disappeared along the rest of other feet.

Then they finally lost them. The officers last saw the girls run inside a giant clothing center. Following the last trace they had the officers entered. The civilians sensed that trouble was coming and fled outside. The store was no different than any other clothing store found in a mall. Life-like manikins posed in elegance, all ranging from sizes and ages, all dressed in expensive gowns and robes suitable for angels. No sign of the two mortals anywhere. Normally one could sense the difference between angel and mortals, but numerous other angels walking around and hosting shops jammed the officer's senses. The girls blended in like they were one of them. Perhaps even as one of the manikins due to their likeness.

"Now where'd they go?" one of the angelic guards complained as he scanned each of the manikins.

"Hold on," his partner said, "I got an idea. No living being can resist this." The other angel wathced as his partner snapped his fingers in a rhythm. He then started humming a familiar melody. "Hands, touching haaands," he sang. "Reaching out... touching meee... touching yooouu. Sweeet Caroline!"

"BAH, BAH, BAAAH!" two of the young manikans, looking identical to the girls they chased, came to life and sang to the irresistable song. The Gravely sisters were ratted out by Neal Diamond.

"Got ya!"

"Crap!" Rosemary yelped.

"Swear!" her sister tried to correct her. Off they ran again. The officers jumped at the girls but missed, tackling over a few manikins into pieces. The girls escaped once more while the officers stumbled over the manikin parts. They radioed for back up and continued the chase.

After an hour of chasing the two mischievous mortals back up had arrived. Their commanding officer, Peter, arrived to the platform with a dozen fellow officers following behind. The crowd moved out of the way when the security force marched forward.

The two officers that chased the sisters before approached their boss. "Sir," one of them said. "They were last spotted near the food court. It looks as though they're headed to the transport docking bay."

What are they planning, Peter wondered. He directed his men towards the girl's last known location. The docking bay was where dozens of flat-surfaced vehicles that hovered close the the edges of the platforms, where angels stepped on and off to their next destinations. Small engines kept these vehicles floating much like all the floating platforms, buildings, and temples that made up all of Heaven. There was no telling what these mortals were doing to be going in that direction—at least not to Peter and his security officer's knowledge.

The team approached the large food court where small fast-food restaurants and decoratorial plants were stationed. The civilian angels paid no attention as the officers scoured the court for their targets. One angel approached Peter and complained how two thieves swiped one of his merchandise from his stand, pointing north where they last headed. Peter hurried over to that direction with his his officers jogging behind.

At last they approached a small area where a small garden of large ferns and short trees were planted. Looking to the left and right they saw no trace of Rosemary or Regan.

"Are they gone?" suddenly the voice of a young girl whispered. The whisper was loud enough for everyone to hear. It sounded as though her voice came from behind one of the plants that decorated the area.

"Shush!" another girl ordered in the same spot. It was them.

"Well are they?" Regan asked again. Peter grinned, believing it was all too easy.

He and his officers crept closer towards the plants. They surrounded the large ferns on all sides. "Shut up, Regan!" Rosie's tone grew a little louder and harsher. Their cover was almost blown, oblivious to the encroaching officers.

"I'm telling mom you said shut up to me!"

"Will you shut up already? You want us to get caught?"

"You're not the boss of me!"

Peter was close enough. He was right on top of them. His hand dung through the leaves, trying to snatch one of them by their arm. "Alright you two. Fun's over."

To his surprise he felt nothing. He dung deeper until felt something small and soft. Pulling out was a small doll in his hand, capable of replaying anything said in its recording device.

"Do you think this distracted them long enough?" the doll replayed Regan's voice.

"Oh yeah. Definitely. See ya, suckas!" Peter grimaced at this deception and cursed under his breath. He tossed the doll into a nearby trash can as he and his officers continued their search inside the infinite shopping center. While they marched on two masked men dressed in black robes watched from afar. The security forces left the area, so it was now safe for them to move forward with their plan.

The Fallen was on the move.

#sinsofthefather #fiction #comedy #fantasy #horror #heaven #angel