Gabriel surveyed the storm around him, it was clearing up slowly, and now that it was at the end of his spoken words, they would have to wait and see what damage it wreaked.
He flew over the buildings, his mind on Uriel and Gadrial. He couldn't let it go . . . yes, he wanted Gadrial to wake up more than anyone else and more so - Gabrial may apologise for what he had done.
But did he really need to carry these guilty feelings? He was told what he had to do, and his loyalty was always to the Creator. The revelation that they found out a few minutes before her trial broke him.
He had really thought that she'd done something wrong, and Gadrial had to be punished for it. But the words that came from the Creator's lips and - then from Michael broke him.
"You've planned this? You forced Lucian to fall in love with Gadrial?"
Michael had stood there grinning, and the smile that the Creator had on his face was of pure ecstasy. Uriel hadn't uttered a single word; he was white as a sheet.
Gabriel couldn't get any words out as he stared from Michael to his Creator. He remembered he asked, "Why?"
The Creator's smile disappeared from his face. "So that we can have a war with hell again."
Gabriel had felt Uriel stiffen at his side. All this for a fucking war? And they want Lucian to initiate it? And by doing that, the Creator planned to keep it going for years . . . to come.
"You see, Gabriel, this is what the Creator wants and what he will get."
Gabriel felt his anger rising then he glared at the Creator. "So you want to damn her?"
The Creator got up from his silver throne - Michael was in front of him with his sword drawn. "You dare to speak to our Creator like this?"
Gabriel didn't avert his gaze from the Creator. "You are asking me to kill my sister!"
Before Michael could utter a retort, the Creator spoke up. "I am not asking you to kill her yourself, Gabriel. I am asking you to participate - and if you utter one word to alert her, I will personally unmake you."
Gabriel shivered in fear - the Creator was the only power he feared.
The Creator was watching him closely, "Do you understand?"
Gabriel didn't know what he should do, it was his sister, but the Creator was his maker. "Yes, " was all he could muster.
Michael relaxed in front of the Creator, and the Creator sat back down. "Good, now Uriel, why are you staying in the shadows? Come forward."
Gabriel watched as Uriel walked out silently in front of the Creator. Gabriel noticed Uriel was shaking, and he bowed. "Yes, my Creator?" his voice was shaking.
Gabriel's memories got hazy after this . . . he only remembered when they brought Gadrial in front of the Creator to be tried for something she was innocent of.
She had pleaded with him, and he said nothing; he had kept his face emotionless. He thought that was the end, but Lucian had to come to her defence to block Michael.
"Gabriel, finish it!"
Those words had stopped his blood cold. His brain hadn't processed what the Creator told him to do.
He had to make his body move and cut off her left wing; the cry she had let out was chilling. Gabriel took a step back and turned his head as Lucian rushed at him - only to be stopped by Michael.
Uriel walked forward as the Creator asked him to begin her sentence. Gabriel never saw Uriel so unhinged in his lifetime. Uriel took her face in his hand and hovered his sword above her heart.
Gabriel turned his face away as Uriel's sword sunk into her chest. Gadrial didn't cry out when Gabriel turned his face back again in time to see Uriel remove a sliver chain before she disappeared.
Lucian's defeated voice resonated with a "Nooo!" off the walls. He was running, and Gabriel nodded his head in no motion . . . but Lucian continued and grabbed a feather from Gadrial's wings and jumped from the window.
They all went to the window except the Creator, who had remained in his chair, they saw Lucian fall from heaven's graces and his wings turning slowly black to follow his love to earth.
They returned to the Creator and bowed as he congratulated them on their performance. They hadn't uttered a single word and left the Creator to his own devices.
When they got outside, Michael left quickly - Gabriel turned to Uriel. "Uriel. . ."
Uriel pocketed the chain that was in his hand. "I . . . I am. . . I'll see you around, Gabriel."
Gabriel watched as Uriel left, no more like fleeing from the chamber hall. This shook Uriel more than Gabriel realised - all in the name of the Creator's war.
Gabriel felt the wind shift in his wings and was brought back from his memories. "I think I'll go to Lillith's Apple.
He flew a few feet more before descending at a club; in an old gothic building. He tucked his wings backwards and knocked at the door. "Password?" The hiss came with boredom.
"I bow to no man," Gabriel whispered at the door; it opened. You would think after so many years, Lillith would have left her grudge when she left Adam in the garden of Eden.
The doors swung open - music greeted his ears - it was a packed house tonight. The doors closed behind him, and demons were parading on the dance floor. Gabriel remembered why he avoided Lillith's Apple for so long.
It was full of Succubi.
He hated Succubi. He weaved through the demons and sat down at the bar. "What will you have, handsome?"
Gabriel didn't register who was asking, so he simply muttered, "Brandy."
Coming right up, the glass landed in front of him, and Gabriel looked up at none other than Lillith. She was smiling at him. "So why are you here, angel?"
Gabriel couldn't help to notice the venom behind her fake smile. "Do I need a reason to be here, Screech?"
Her eyes hardened. "Well fallen, your kind never enters my sanctum without reason. So spill it."
Gabriel took his glass and downed it in one gulp. "I just came here to drink and maybe pick up a quick fuck, nothing glamourous as you might think."
She started laughing. "A quick fuck? Oh, you have cracked me up."
He cracked her up. That was just a statement. "Can I have another glass, then?"
She took a bottle from behind the counter. "Do you want to do this glass for glass, or can I give you the whole bottle?"
He quirked an eyebrow. "You can leave the bottle and my company."
She flashed her canines at him, and he flinched. "You should be nice to me, boy - you might not like where you end up . . . at."
She placed the bottle down hard, and it almost fell off the counter. Gabriel grabbed it and filled his glass as Lillith left him. He wasn't here for an idle conversation; he wanted to get wasted.
He gulped down glass after glass of brandy when his phone vibrated. He struggled to get it out of his pocket and to open his screen. 'Fucking technology.'
He got his screen opened and saw Lucian sent him a text. 'Can't he fucking get wasted in peace?'
"Gabriel, where are you?"
He let out an angry hiss. "Fuck you, Lucian. You are not my babysitter."
Gabriel refilled his glass. He wasn't in the mood for Lucian and his 'talks' - he never had a plan. His phone vibrated again.
"I am not asking you because I am trying to babysit you. We need to fucking talk."
And there it was, talk. That is all Lucian ever wanted to do - he never took action, and that pissed Gabriel off.
He came up with stories - and every other person had to come up with a plan. He typed his reply. "That is all you do, Lucian. You just . . . want to talk. You don't have the balls to act and to think . . . you were freaking out in the alleyway, like a little shit."
Yeah. Lucian was a little shit- and the way he went on about how he and Gadrial wanted to be mortals was ludicrous.
He downed his glass again, another text. "Wouldn't you have freaked out, you fucking hypocrite! We have to talk strategy - most of the fallen have joined Azazel. Bezel and Leviathan only found three more to join our side."
Our side? Lucian thought he was on his side? That made Gabriel chuckle and refill his glass; he wasn't drunk enough for this conversation. "You talk as if I am on your side, Lucian."
Gabriel knew Lucian wouldn't stop until he told him where he was. So there goes my casual fuck for the evening.
"You have my mark on your arm! We are fucking brothers now! So tell me - where the fuck are you?" And there it was, no casual fuck for Gabriel. He inhaled a ragged breath. "I am at Lillith's Apple."
He waited and emptied his glass; the bottle was empty too. He stared at his phone - Lucian took a long time to answer.
"Are you fucking coming or what?"
The reply came in a few seconds.
"I am on my way."
Gabriel tapped his fingers on the counter. "Screech! Another bottle."