Just a visit (Saraqael)

[Uriel]

March 3, 2012
Twilight Court

Another day in Heaven.  There was no other word for it, really.  It was absolute; complete and perfect.  However perfect wasn't even quite it or near the word.  Words were not enough, as cliche as the saying even was.   Blue eyes sifted through the world of the above with determination.  She was seeking out her 'brother'.  Well at least one of them, anyways.  She hadn't seen him in a long time- definite time was not established to her since all time was sort of a blur.  After so long it all was one day string together without definite time behind it.  What was longer than centuries or eons?  Her wing tucked behind her as she walked gracefully upon a cloud.  

She was unexpected.  The angels about were giving her the oddest of looks, but her own two followers of the day stalked with silent threats that anyone bother her.  Her presence was always such a contradiction.  Her body radiated warmth and peace, while her angels were aggressive and almost snarky.  The exchanges of glances were not at all kind.  'Snow' twirled around them as if that were some sort of danger.  At last they would reach where she could walk in and speak with him.

She stopped outside a door and knocked lightly.  "You two stay out here."  her voice was a command which was met with displeased looks.  She shook her head. "I should hardly have a trouble seeing one of my kin, should I?"  Her glance was pointed and slightly amused.  Both of them shrugged and gave a distraught smile.  It seemed they had submit to whatever it was she believed.  Outside the doors, they would wait, while she slid in.

"Saraqael."  Her face beamed at him.  "It's been a while!  You've been cooped up in here far too long!"  A slight teasing was pushed into her words.

[Saraqael]

Black claws, golden quill beneath their grasp, flew ferociously over the countless scrolls that laid out before them. A creature most would not see fit to be called an angel, let alone an Archangel, kept its face composed and calm all the while. Saraqael may have been many things, a judge of souls, the surveyor of those mortals who came to pass, a tempest of divine trial chosen by the hand of god, but he definitely wasn't beautiful. Not to say his appearance wasn't breathtaking in its own right, just as his many brethren, but more so in an... intimidating way.

Today was like the rest for him. He had no calls to cease his work, he had no time for breaks. All of this he was quite used to by now, and he definitely didn't expect any visitors. No, to him today was like any other. A day for judgment. A day in which countless souls would pass into Inferis, and he could do nothing to stop it; nor did he want to, but that's another point entirely.

"Saraqael." The voice of another, a familiar voice, awoke him from his duties at last. Someone to converse with, someone he was able to converse with! Oh, glorious day! Though Uriel was not the sort he'd expected to see first, he definitely would not complain to this abrupt meeting. How long had it been since he had actually spoken to someone? It felt like eons. "It's been a while!  You've been cooped up in here far too long!"

"THAT..." He stopped himself. His voice did sound like that, didn't it? Did he even remember how to properly speak to someone? No matter, he continued all the same, just as a stray dog receiving attention after being kicked from its home to fend for itself for too long. "THAT IT HAS SISTER." Setting down his quill, the beast's wings lifted it, and he stretched his arms. A half-howl, half-yawn passed his maw, and the archangel looked to the other with what passed for concern over its wolf-like face.

"I DO HOPE THIS MEETING IS NOT ON BAD TERMS." No, no, no, that came out all wrong! He did not mean to sound as if to inspire fear. Hopefully Uriel would understand this, but little of anyone ever did. "I HAVE MISSED CONVERSING WITH YOU AND THE OTHERS, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY DISPOSITIONS IF THEY BE THE CAUSE." Not even a break or pause to show his true emotions concerning the matter. Oh, woe is the beast, how wretched his existence. Still, he would not let himself be brought down by such negativity! Saraqael was their Father's judgment! Beauty in its own right!

Descending to the floor below his judge's stand, he bowed before his sister and looked up to her. How he longed for her beauty, that which he could never obtain. This was what brought forth the bow, not that she outranked him among their kind. No, he felt all need and reason to bow before someone closer to the magnificence Lucifer once held than he could ever dream himself to achieve. This also inspired a fear in him, for he knew that as the blackest of sheep that resisted with all his might to stray from the holy flock, that it could all the more be he who should be cast from them before another. Even Gabriel, as idiotic as his tendencies were at times.

[Uriel]

"THAT..."  His voice boomed and nearly knocked her over.  It had been so long since she'd heard from him, so the level of speaking was astonishing.  She supposed it was what happened when was away from others for a while.  The initial shock faded away and her eyes returned to soft smiles.  He began to speak once more.  "I DO HOPE THIS MEETING IS NOT ON BAD TERMS. I HAVE MISSED CONVERSING WITH YOU AND THE OTHERS, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY DISPOSITIONS IF THEY BE THE CAUSE." She giggled but only inwardly.  He sounded like an excited puppy.  Of course, she would never tell him that.

He was different than the others by far.  Sometimes she wondered if he felt that way all the time so he isolated himself.  Then again, she sort of knew the feeling.  Her work had her mostly on earth; building the numbers of the saved, so a lot of times she felt lonely.  She barely knew her brothers, in fact. She surrounded herself with her guardians and that was usually about it, however, this wasn't the time to debate on what she felt.

Her lips pulled into a gentle smile as he bowed.  Strange, but she curtsied in turn, since she had robes on that made it a bit awkward to bow.  As she stood back up, she wondered why he had to, anyways.  Manners, she supposed.  It wasn't like she was higher up than he was.  "No, No."   She responded with a shake of the head to prove her point.  "I just know you've been in here a while, and I haven't seen you.  I just decided to drop by and make sure you're alright."  Strange for an angel.  Maybe human customs were rubbing off on her.  Her eyes looked about the area with intrigue, but only briefly, since she didn't want to seem like she was imposing.

[Saraqael]

His sister curtsied to him, and in return the other angel stood. He really did tower above her in this form, which was distressing to say the least. He'd been made so big, to intimidate those who he judged and keep them from daring attack him. Though, in his heart, he never felt such a size. Small. That was how he felt.

"No, no." Uriel shook her head, and at first he thought he had done something wrong. As she continued, his feet pressed more firmly to the ground in relief. "I just know you've been in here a while, and I haven't seen you.  I just decided to drop by and make sure you're alright."

Saraqael let out what could be considered a small laugh of him. What it was, however, seemed more like a bark, though a happy one. He shook his head and backed away from her so that he could turn without his wings hitting her. As he did so, he knelt down once more and leaped upward, landing atop his judge's stand and straightening his papers.

"I AM FINE, SISTER. I KEEP MYSELF BUSY IN MY WORK, BUT I DO ENJOY IT. IT IS THE ONLY COMPANY I HAVE HAD FOR YEARS, AND IT WILL DO." A humble gesture, that it was, no matter how his voice betrayed it. He sat himself back down and looked down to her, trying his best to appear happy as the others tended to. "BE THERE NEWS OF ANY SORT? WHAT OF YOU AND OUR BROTHERS?

[Uriel]

"I AM FINE, SISTER. I KEEP MYSELF BUSY IN MY WORK, BUT I DO ENJOY IT. IT IS THE ONLY COMPANY I HAVE HAD FOR YEARS, AND IT WILL DO. BE THERE NEWS OF ANY SORT? WHAT OF YOU AND OUR BROTHERS?"

His voice boomed through the room. Was it shaking? She could have sworn the whole room was experiencing tremors from it. She had a bit of a wide-eyed expression; but not from fear. No. She was more surprised to hear his loud vice after the calm. It was sort of like thunder after complete silence. Still, it was amusing to say the least. He couldn't control his level of noise.

His question struck her hard, though, because she had no idea. "I- do not know of our brothers." Sadness glinted over her eyes and she shifted. "I have been on Earth a long while, and have yet to here from them. It was only recently I returned home." Weird to her, her oasis was strangely empty at times. When she came there, it was silent- which she did enjoy, but it never helped her feeling of being odd- being around humans more than her kin.

"Though, I did know you had been in here from before I left." It was true as far as she could remember. Why did she choose to visit Saraqael? Well- she honestly wasn't sure. It just seemed like he was the one most likely to spare a moment- not that he didn't work. "As for me, I am well, I suppose. The oasis is quiet as always, so there are no worries. It seems my job gets harder as days go by. Less and less wish to believe in our father." Her eyes fell and again that sadness rolled over her. "I have to rest a little before I go back, it does get tiring when I'm away too long."

[Saraqael]

Saraqael's tail began to wag involuntarily at the thought of company being here longer. Yes, he had his own host of angels that resided here, but a bunch of floating shields didn't exactly make the best of company. He grabbed his tail beneath his seat and thought for a moment as to what to say.

"IF YOU REQUIRE LODGINGS, THEY CAN BE PROVIDED TO YOU." He looked around momentarily before snapping. One of the Archangel's Principalities soared over to him, and Saraqael placed his claw upon it gently. "URIEL WILL BE RESTING HERE BEFORE MAKING HER FLIGHT BACK TO THE ELYSIAN OASIS. BE SURE TO MAKE HER FEEL AT HOME." He howled, confirming his statement to be done, and a flash of light from the shield next to him confirmed it to be good. His word, as always, was law.

"TELL ME SISTER," The beast rose from his seat once more, taking a large scroll and tucking it beneath his arm and wing, and flew down to her. "THE HUMANS. ARE THEY WORSE OFF THAN YOU ARE LETTING ON?" Saraqael drew a single claw gently across his chest, a strap finding its way around him to keep the scroll in place. "FATHER ALWAYS WISHED THE BEST FOR THEM, BUT I FEAR THEY KNOW NOT THE EFFECTS OF THEIR ACTIONS AT TIMES."

[Uriel]

Thup, thup, thup. What was that? Uriel blinked as she could the quiet, gentle noise. Thup, thup, thup. OH! Right! Her brother had a tail. And- it was wagging. Buwaaa so cute. She just wanted to scratch his ears. NO. It took all the restraint in herself to stand there and resist the temptation. Her hand twitched like it were to defy her. She refused to subject her brother to that, though. He was a proud being!

"IF YOU REQUIRE LODGINGS, THEY CAN BE PROVIDED TO YOU." And with that, he decided she'd be staying the night. Well- that worked. She blinked in honest surprise, but to say she was flattered was an understatement. Her lips curled into a genuine smile. "Thank you, Saraqael. You didn't have to.."

"THE HUMANS. ARE THEY WORSE OFF THAN YOU ARE LETTING ON? FATHER ALWAYS WISHED THE BEST FOR THEM, BUT I FEAR THEY KNOW NOT THE EFFECTS OF THEIR ACTIONS AT TIMES." Aahh.. work discussion. Her eyes were pained and the happiness flitted away briefly. Hope- that's what she needed. Putting on a brave face she nodded. It was true. Human DIDN'T understand consequences, despite having been around for thousands of years- but that had to do with Lucifer.

"I fear that those below hold a tight grip upon the earthen realm. Sometimes I wonder if I'm going about it right. However, there are still some to be saved; but the fact remains I am only one." Was it underestimation or truth? She may have been an archangel, but she still could only really be in one place at a time and it felt as soon as she moved to save one, a demon snuck behind and snatched another away. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just chasing my tail-." Her voice stopped abruptly with an awkward realization. She had to gauge his reaction. "Sorry." Sheepish was the only way to explain her smile.

[Saraqael]

A booming laugh echoed out about the large courtroom. "DO NOT APOLOGIZE, SISTER URIEL. I UNDERSTAND FIGURE OF SPEECH JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE WOULD." He continued to let out a low, ragged chuckle as he stepped forward. The doors to his golden palace exploded open, the light of heaven pouring in in waves. Such a beautiful sight it was to behold, even with Inferis now below. Soon, hopefully sooner than even that, they would be rid of Lucifer's filth. Then the law of God would be final; all would be right.

"DO YOU SEE THEM DOWN THERE?" Another howl blasted forth from the beast's maw, targeted below the Skyhaven at the wretched that lay beneath the holy land. "IS IT NOT TIME FOR ACTION TO BE SENT FORTH? WHY DOES MICHAEL STILL MY JUDGMENT?" He growled once more before silencing himself. His nerves were steel, but this thought rusted at them day-in and day-out.

"FORGET I SAID THIS, IT WAS OUT OF LINE. ONE THOUSAND APOLOGIES." His eyes flickered sadly, and Saraqael stepped onward. It was only right to introduce his sister to where she could rest. Honestly, this was a first for the archangel. The others hardly ever needed the time to recuperate, and if they did Saraqael was the last to learn of such things.

[Uriel]

Saraqael went on to asking about why Michael was saying no.  In all honesty, Uriel knew just as much as he did.  It wasn't an exciting thought for her, though.  She wasn't looking forward to fighting.  That usually ended with innocent people being harmed and the apocalypse- she wasn't really ready.  There were so many people she hadn't reached yet.  so many souls needed saving and all she could do was stand in place and gasp for breath.  Maybe she was weak, but it was just exhausting to a point when all she did was run on a wheel- or chase a growing snowball.  The human race repopulated in the blink of an eye and out of 3, only 1 usually wanted saved.  

Her eyes closed and she nodded.  Let him vent.  He wishes to exterminate and the others are ready, but where the armies?  Only so many souls could fight, while others had to defend the territories.  What was she supposed to do?  Her head ached.  As he finished, his voice boomed with apologies.  

"Think nothing of it." Her eyes pulled into a smile.  She was here, but at the same time, she was miles away.  Her mind was on him.  The one she'd lost her wing for. He was gone now- but that wasn't what bothered her.  Uriel feared archdemons now and by a small extension, she feared demons.  She wasn't all too excited to go to war for that along with the fact she was a passive person in nature.  

Quietly, she followed her brother down the halls.  It was strange that her brothers all sought out lies that were near each other, but completely perpendicular to the next.  How could they all be so different when they were all cut from the same cloth?  Her thoughts wandered.  What was there to talk about?  They both normally worked (especially Saraqael).  "Have you heard any news?" She guessed not, but it never hurt to ask.

[Saraqael]

Saraqael thought for a moment as he continued to walk down the golden streets of the Twilight Court. What news had he heard as of late? Passing his judgment upon souls brought to him kept him rather busy, and the archangel rarely heard anything more than pleas for mercy. His wings fluttered inward and he stopped at an unmarked door.

"THE MOST I HAVE HEARD IN PASSING WORD AND WHISPER IS THAT THERE MAY BE PLANNING IN THE WORKS TO FAIL THE MIGHTY MOLOCH." The door opened of its own accord as he spoke and stepped inward, not seeming to wait for his sister. "HUMANS. THE BLOODLINE OF HUNTERS. I FEAR THAT THEIR PLANS MAY BACKFIRE."

Who were they to believe they could destroy such a creature? Mere humans, no matter their power granted to them behind the tears they moved through, could not even begin to imagine how mighty an Archdemon was. The beasts were strong enough to kill even him and his kind, this would be no simple task for them. Still, he thought, there was some hope to be garnered from the fact that God's prized crafting could see just how big a threat the life of a Hell Prince was to them.

"I DO HOPE THESE LODGINGS WILL BE SUITABLE," He quickly changed the subject as he turned to her. "I WANT NOT MORE THAN TO PLEASE." Saraqael's wolf-like head nodded in a short bow, and he awaited her opinions. He could only guess that she would agree to where she was being offered to stay all the same, but the Archangel of Judgment was ever-humble in his work.

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