Chapter Thirty-Two

 

Enter Michael

 

“Things are going to start happening quickly now, Annaleah," Gabriel said softly. "The Dark Ones, as well as the ones who walk in the light, will be able to pick up on the energy you sent out to heal your uncle. The dreams of the war in Heaven that you have had all of your life will give you a good idea of what to expect. Though you may have believed that your part in this war would be to wield a sword and slay the enemy yourself, this will be far from your main goal. Should it come to that, we all want you to be able to defend yourself, and so you will be armed. However, your main purpose, sweet Annaleah, is to call the fallen to repent. You also have another very important mission, but for now, redemption is your main objective."

Annaleah's brow creased, her heart full of worry. "How am I supposed to do that, Gabriel? Don't they already know that they can be saved? Why am I so important?"

"I don't have the time to answer that question for you, I'm afraid. Uncle John is out of the woods, but still needs medical attention. I’ll take him to the hospital in my human form. You’ll have the divine protection of our brothers and sisters of the light, so I don't want you to feel alone. You will be protected. I’ll return once your uncle has been admitted."

Once more standing to the full enormity of his height, Gabriel seemed to fill the entire room with light, wings and purity. From his luminous robes he withdrew a gilded trumpet, both simple and elegant. Placing it to his lips, he played one long, blaring note. The sound was somber and deep, reverberating through the room, through the walls, through every atom of Annaleah’s being. Her intuition told her that this was undoubtedly his calling to his angelic brothers and sisters that the war had begun.

Annaleah's golden wings unfurled from her back, seeming to fill what space that Gabriel's wings did not occupy. She felt the electric arcs of light pulsate from beneath her skin, and with a quick glance she saw how her skin, like his, was alabaster and flawless. Her transformation from human to angel was complete.

"I'm frightened," she confessed. "What if I fail? I haven’t trained. I should have let you teach me more, instead of being troubled by the mundane issues in my life."

"Now is not the time for self-doubt," Gabriel said tenderly. "Your role was well thought out by the Goddess Herself. Your destiny is unfolding, sweet Otherling. It's okay to be afraid; it will keep you on your toes." He began to transform back into his human form as he spoke. His wings folded against his back, his hair growing shorter as his body seemed to change effortlessly back into her best friend.

Now in human form, Seth turned to the window and looked out expectantly. The rain had stopped. The moon and stars had reclaimed their place and shared their light as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"The Light Ones are coming, but so are the ones of Darkness. Michael will give you a sword, but I don't think you will have to use it."

A sword, she thought, panic prickling in her heart? She had never held a sword in her life, how was she supposed to defend herself with one? What if the demons took it from her and used it on her? Going further into her fear, Annaleah tried to imagine what the demons she was about to fight would look like. She had seen the Jorogumo and the demon that had attacked Uncle John, but all her other knowledge of her enemy had been gleaned from books. She felt woefully underprepared. What would happen if she was unable to defend herself? What if she lost a loved one in battle?

Gabriel had told her there was no time for self-doubt, but it was hard to heed these words. With great effort, she swallowed as many of her concerns as she could, knowing that it was time to fulfill her destiny. With a deep sigh, she smiled, trying to build as much courage as she could.

She watched as Seth bent down and effortlessly lifted Uncle John into his arms. To see him do so was a bit strange to Annaleah, even knowing he was an angel in human form. Seth's body simply did not look as if it had the strength to lift Uncle John with such ease.

Reaching the doorway, Seth turned before leaving to look at her. "Be strong, and know that I believe in you." He flashed her a smile before carrying Uncle John out the door.

Now alone in the room, Annaleah stood, her heart thundering. From beside the window she saw a small sphere of deep indigo light flicker into existence and begin to expand. The beautiful light undulated and began to form the shape of a large man with wings even larger than her own. The light grew denser until a glorious angel stood before her, his light so bright that it was hard to make out any of his features. His energy was powerful, and the light was so intense that everything in the room took on an indigo tone. Annaleah, feeling this angel's importance and energy signature, bowed her head and knelt before him in reverence.

"Do not kneel before me, Annaleah." The voice was melodic and deeply masculine. Though he spoke plainly, his voice was so beautiful that it sounded to Annaleah as if he were singing. "All adoration and acclaim should be saved for the Creator Herself. Rise and face me as your equal."

Annaleah looked up and saw that the angel had lessened the brilliance of his light, so as not to bewilder her with his presence. His long wavy hair was a deep shade that reminded her of the midnight sky, as were his eyes. Though most of the angels Annaleah had seen had delicate elven or pixie like features, the angel before her was different. He looked as if he were built for war, with defined musculature and pronounced masculinity. His jawline was square, his arms bulged as if he had been weight-lifting for eternity. He smiled at her benevolently, as she took in his physique.

"I am the archangel Michael. It is my pleasure to meet you, Annaleah." He held out his large hand to her in a most human gesture of meeting. With quiet awe, Annaleah took his hand and shook it, looking into his deep, beautiful eyes.

"I am honored to meet you, Michael. I only wish it were under better circumstances," Annaleah said, her voice only a little louder than a whisper. She watched as one corner of his mouth curled up into a smile.

"Likewise. Though this is our first formal meeting, I have been with you and your uncle for quite some time now. We have no time to reminisce, however. There is a portal opened, and the Dark Ones are using it to cross over to your world. For as long as humanity has walked the Earth, there have been dark entities living among you that have been cursed and Hellbound. They use these portals as ways to evade their prison and walk on the Earth. Ever since the Jorogumo was able to find you in your Dream Time, she has been hard at work expanding on the portal.

"I have been instructed to give you a weapon. Though you have not been taught how to use it, should the need arise you will find, intrinsically, the knowledge already there. Do not fear the sword, but respect it. We will be guarding you so that you can do that which you must do."

He held out his arms to each side, and a light began to glow in each. In his left hand the light became a long, slim bladed sword, and in his right, a simple belt and sheath. He handed these to Annaleah, who somehow knew exactly how to put the belted sheath around her and place her sword within it. After she had done so, she looked again at Michael, confusion in her golden eyes.

"Come to me and I will take you at once to the clearing in the woods. I can feel that they are already breaking through from there. It was once a sacred place, but now I fear, because of them, it has been profaned."

Michael opened his tremendous wings, beckoning Annaleah to him. Annaleah hesitated, still overwhelmed by meeting one of the most well-known angels of all time. He looked at her, compassion in his dark eyes.

"Do not underestimate yourself. I know it has only been a short time that you have been aware of who and what you are, but your Holiness is written in your DNA. Your spirit is that of an angel, one of us. Though there are many races and classes of angels, we are all holy and divine creatures. You were made for this, Annaleah. If anything, it is I who should be in awe of you. Now please, come. We must go."

Annaleah took in what he had said and nodded wordlessly before crossing the short distance between them and pressing herself against him. He embraced her gently, enfolding her in his arms, and then encircling her in his beautiful wings. He bent down and whispered in her ear.

"Now hold onto me tightly. This may be disconcerting for you. We are going to teleport ourselves there. Think of it like traveling in Dreamtime; often there is no recollection of how you got from one place to another, but suddenly, you find yourself there." Michael paused for a moment to let Annaleah take in what he had said.

"Are you ready?"

"I think so." As soon as she said this, Annaleah felt an intense force pulling at her, as if every atom of her being were being vacuumed and pulled. Thankfully, it only lasted a moment before she found herself on the path that led to the clearing.

There in the clearing, was where she thought Hell itself must be.

The forces of Heaven and the Hordes of Hell were already at war.