Heaven had long been a peaceful place. After all, that's what it was supposed to be. Even since the passing of God, nothing had gone astray inside of the pearly gates. People who arrived here deserved it, repulsing the sin from their minds, bodies, and souls to be able to enter our sacred utopia. Nobody who was able to make it to Heaven had any ill intent or negative thoughts, and the afterlife was the safest place for any human soul to be.
That is, until today.
"Brother Gabriel!" a boy with fiery-red hair exclaimed as he shoved the heavy brass door open, rushing to the side of the bed that lay within the chamber. The beautiful orange of his irises was diluted by the tears that were dripping from his eyes as he bent over to check on his brother. From his outward appearance, he couldn't have been more than nineteen years old, but one could tell that he was muscular and fit under his clothes if they looked closely enough. Six other people were in the room before him, one of whom was lying on a royal bed in the center of the elegant chamber.
Archangel Gabriel lay on the bed, his eyes unmoving below his closed eyelids. His long blue hair was laid out on the bed, blood soaking the gauze that had been wrapped around his shirtless body.
"Who could have done this to you?" the boy muttered under his breath, his brows furrowing as he posed the question.
"That's what we're trying to figure out, Uriel," answered a low, female voice. The flame-headed boy looked up from his grieving to lock eyes with the tall woman from whom the voice had originated. Her blonde hair came down nearly to her waist, her slim body covered by an elegant, form-fitting dress. Her piercing green eyes stared back at him solemnly, full of thought and wisdom.
"Remiel," Uriel said, with respect in his voice. Remiel took a step forward, gazing upon Gabriel's unmoving body. Her stony expression was impossible to read. Uriel stood up from his kneeling position and moved back to join his brethren in a semi-circle around Gabriel. The first to speak was the largest man in the room, the first Archangel and the leader of the seven Archangels, Michael.
"Now that we've all gathered here, I think an extensive conference is in order," his deep voiced boomed, echoing through the tall walls of Gabriel's room. His hazel eyes were stone cold, showing no sign of emotion, but the six standing Archangels knew that he was feeling the same things as the rest of them. Confusion, worry, sorrow, and anger were only a select few of the expressions that could be used to describe what each person was experiencing in that moment.
"As of right now, Heaven is in a state of emergency. Not only was someone of ill-intent able to enter the afterlife, but they were able to get close to and ultimately stab Gabriel in the back with a poisoned dagger, causing him to end up like this," Michael continued.
"Our safe haven for the greatest souls of the world has been invaded by evil, and an attempt on the life of the leader of one of the Seven Kingdoms is what has come from it."
"But that's simply not possible!" came an interjection from another woman. She was also young, probably in her early twenties, and her brunette hair was cut straight right above her collarbone. She wore a similar gown to Remiel, but she was significantly smaller in stature. She was even shorter than Uriel, who wasn't tall to begin with (much to his dismay).
"But clearly it is, Zerachiel," a calm voice said from the opposite side of the circle. This soft, soothing voice belonged to none other than Raphael, who, despite being one of the taller out of the seven, had barely any presence in the room. He was quiet and outspoken, yet one of the most fearsome warriors that the kingdom of Heaven had ever seen. His hair was as white as snow, his silver eyes reflecting the light that shined through one of the few windows in the chamber.
"Regardless of what we have previously known, this incident has proven to us without a doubt that the safety of Heaven has been compromised, and that violence has become possible."
"B-but how? No regular human soul should have the raw power to lay a finger on one of the seven! Nobody but his closest assistants should even be able to get near him without becoming incapacitated from the strength of his spiritual energy! The only people capable of that are… are…" Zerachiel trailed off as she realized what she was insinuating.
"You're exactly right, Zerachiel," said the final angel. This man was Raguel, similar to Michael in stature but built more like a track runner than a bodybuilder. Although he stood next to Michael, his jet-black hair made Michael's dark brown hair look like it was glowing in comparison. Everything about Raguel was diluted. His clothes were all of neutral color, his coat black with specks of white in the buttons. His dark brown eyes showed nothing but concern, slowly scanning each of the Archangels up and down.
"The fact of the matter is that one of us in this room tried to kill Gabriel," he said coldly.
The silence that followed this proclamation was absolutely deafening. Uriel could hear his heart pumping blood through his head. None of the six standing Archangels moved a muscle, afraid to break the silence.
"So," Raguel finally said, his voice shaking slightly. "Who was it?"