Camael's Battle

Angelic Hosts Series, Episode 6, Part 2

The plot thickens…

“Michael!” Camael stormed into the mountaintop temple. Gabriel followed looking around and checking behind him.

“Michael! Come out of your hiding. I will not be ignored!”

“He’s not going to answer, Cam. Let’s get out of here and see if we can locate that blade. There has to be something we missed.” Gabe clapped Camael on the back.

“We already looked, Gabriel. There was nothing inside that chamber. It was a fool’s errand and I want to know why. The only place I’m going from here is to tear this world apart stone by stone until I find Hannah.” Cam turned and yelled into the cavern once more. “Michael!” His voice echoed in the silence.

Gabe spread his arms palm up indicating the empty space. “See? Michael is too cowardly to face you.”

The blast of the horn was so loud that both Camael and Gabriel fell to their knees. The mountain shook, and rocks bounced off the walls after being knocked loose by the vibrations.

A deep voice shouted, “Hold your tongue, angel!” Michael, filled with righteous anger, appeared in a burst of light. He landed directly in front of them, but his focus was squarely on the dark-haired warrior kneeling closest to his booted feet.

Gabriel’s face contorted into an expression of annoyance. He stood up and stepped a foot closer to Michael. “Don’t like hearing the truth?”

Camael watched the two face off. Gabe was known for being the troublemaker of their ranks. How he got away with it was baffling, but he’d never once witnessed it in person. He stood up slowly moving off to the side, but within distance of the two. He was angry with Michael for not helping him earlier when he needed him, but he was also loyal, and if Gabe pushed the situation, Cam would have Michael’s back, although he didn’t think his leader needed any assistance.

“Funny hearing that word pass your lips, Gabriel. You seem to have a little trouble with the definition.” They circled each other like hawks.

“And you are still struggling with it yourself, Michael.”

“Stop, both of you!” Camael stepped closer and pushed Gabriel back. “I don’t know or care what your problems are with each other.” He turned to his leader. “Where have you been? Why have you ignored my call? I needed you, and you just disappeared. Have I not always been loyal? How could you do that? Hannah has been taken and her life is in danger. And instead of being able to rescue her, I’ve been sent on a wild goose chase for the Blade of the Morning Star!” Cam stared at Michael waiting for an answer. His ire was so great, he was literally shaking.

Michael’s anger cooled. He didn’t like seeing Cam in so much pain. Knowing he was the cause of some of it tore at his heart. “I am truly sorry, brother. I would help if I could, but I cannot.”

“Always the lackey.” Gabe sneered.

“Shut up, Gabe!” Cam pointed a finger at him. “This isn’t the time. Work your miseries out on each other some other day. I need answers.” He turned back to Michael.

“You’ve already been given the answers allowed. You said it yourself. You’re to retrieve the blade. Go do so. Once you have it, I’m sure the next step will be revealed.”

“But that’s just it. I did go where I was told, and it wasn’t there.” The frustration in Camael’s voice was obvious. “Zaureliana sent me to the Temple Mount itself. We looked. There was nothing in that chamber. Nothing at all. She sent me on a fool’s errand, and fool that I was, I let precious time be wasted.”

Michael’s head cocked slightly to the side. “Zaureliana sent you?”

“Yes. She was the messenger sent by Him. Why?” Cam placed his hands on his hips and eyed his leader.

Michael shook his head and turned his attention back to Gabriel. “And why were you there? Don’t tell me our father included you in this quest because I won’t believe it.”

Gabe chuckled with derision. “No, he certainly did not. Cam asked for my help, and I was happy to oblige.” He executed a courtly bow.

“Altruism? From you? Since when?” Michael mocked him, knowing that the rebellious angel never did anything without expecting something in return. There was a selfishness in Gabriel, and it was constantly at odds with his calling.

“Since today.” Gabe offered no more.

Michael locked eyes with him for a moment longer and then turned back to Camael. “You said Zaureliana sent you to Solomon’s Temple? She gave you the specific location?”

Cam sighed. “Yes. She said the blade was in two pieces, that I would find the hilt in the sealed chamber beneath the temple, and the blade in the tomb of the risen dead. We searched the chamber. There’s nothing there but dirt and cobwebs.”

Michael knew something wasn’t right, but he wasn’t sure exactly what that might be. He found it unusual that Zaureliana would be sent to impart the whereabouts of a weapon known only to two individuals; Zaphkiel and God himself. To send anyone else would be to put that information at risk. Camael was right. He was sent on a fool’s errand, but why? He was also concerned about the help Cam enlisted. Why in the world would he ask Gabriel of all angels for help? He paced. It seemed the obvious answer was the simplest. Camael needed someone who would fly in the face of orders, and no other angel of their ranks would disobey orders faster than Gabriel.

“Have you yet checked the tomb of the risen dead?”

“No. What’s the use? It’s obviously another ruse.” Cam swung out and punched the wall. “I have to find her, Michael. There’s no other way this can go down. I get it that for some reason, I was pulled out of the way, but I can’t let her die. She carries our child. I can’t let it happen.”

“If it is her time, then there is nothing you can do.” Michael crossed his arms over his powerful chest.

“No! I do not accept that!”

“He’s young and in love, brother, and as you can see, nothing is going to keep him from finding her. If there’s something you know, you may as well confess it. He’s not going to do as bid this time.” Gabriel spoke softly, coming to stand behind Camael in support.

“You know I cannot help him, Gabriel.”

“No, I know you won’t. You wouldn’t help me then, and you won’t help Camael now.” He gave Michael a pitying look. “Always the apple polisher.”

“Always the one to upset the apple cart.” Michael and Gabe glared at each other.

“Come, Cam. Michael isn’t the only font of information.”

“Where are you taking him?” Michael moved to grab Cam’s arm, but he was quickly jerked out of reach in the opposite direction by Gabe.

“You think I’d tell you after you refused to offer him any information? Go stare into your basin, Michael. Maybe it will give you your answers. And if it does, you’ll do what you always do – nothing.”

Michael stood stoically watching as Gabriel dragged Camael to the entrance. Cam looked back at his leader, regret and pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Michael.” Gabe pushed Cam over the side and jumped off after him.

As soon as they were gone, Cassiel materialized. He bit into an apple and tossed a second one at Michael. “All that talk of apples gave me a craving.”

“You have quite a sense of timing, old friend. So you heard all that, did you?”

“Yes. Seems rather strange.” Cassiel continued to chomp on the fruit.

“I thought so, too. Zaureliana. Who do you think sent her? It couldn’t have possibly been Him.” Michael took a bite of the crisp, red apple, and then looked at it. He never needed to eat or even drink, but now and again, he did enjoy some of nature’s bounty. Fruit was his favorite.

“No. He did not. That was all Zaphkiel’s doing.”

“Zaph sent her? But why? He doesn’t need anyone to find that blade. He knows where it is.”

Cassiel gestured to Michael to follow him. He walked to the seer’s basin and pointed. “That’s why.”

Michael looked into the crystal-clear water and then stopped chewing. He had to work hard to swallow the lump of half-eaten apple down. The vision reflected back showed Camael and Gabriel coming out of the catacombs beneath Solomon’s Temple. As they flew off, two more heads came up through the hole in the ground. Piras and Helion emerged taking off after them. This was a look into the past. If they followed his brothers from Jerusalem, then it was clear the two Dark Ones were on their trail even now. “They’re looking for the blade!”

Cassiel sat down on his favorite boulder. “Yes. Dagon is gathering all the materials needed to perform the ritual to release Lucifer from the pit. He has everything he needs now save for that blade.”

Michael aimed and threw the apple out through the entryway of the temple. “Why is he doing this? Why now? Because it’s time? We all know that whole thousand years thing is meaningless.” 

“The younger ones don’t know. This is their battle, the one meant to forge their purpose. It’s Camael’s Battle. Oh, and it’s not Dagon organizing this epic event. He’s just the means.”

“Then who?” Michael leapt onto the boulder and sat down cross-legged across from his friend.

“Astarte.” Cassiel ate the remainder of the apple and then tossed it out of the cavern.

Michael blinked. “Well, no wonder Gabe is in the middle of it all. He just can’t let go.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“How so?”

“Well, it’s more than a simple case of jealousy. It’s actually quite twisted. Gabriel never did like being compared to Lucifer as you may recall, and Astarte knew what buttons to push to keep him on the hook. But now she has Dagon swinging in the breeze, too. She’s promised him the position of high general in Lucy’s army. How do you think Gabriel will react once he knows that he isn’t competing solely with Lucifer?”

Michael laughed. “You mean he doesn’t know?”

Cassiel’s dark eyebrow rose an inch. “No.”

Somehow, this news gave Michael joy. He knew it was wrong, but Gabriel was ever a thorn in his side. It occurred to him that he might be able to stir the pot in Camael’s favor.

“Gabriel wants that blade.”

Cassiel nodded. “Yes.”

“But not so Lucifer can be released.”

“Nope.”

“He wants to make sure ole Lucy never gets out.” Michael continued to think out loud.

Cassiel confirmed his musings. “Exactly.”

“So, in a strange, round-about way, he’s still on our side, and that’s why He allowed Gabe to be enlisted as help.”

“Yes. Gabriel, as always, is never without an agenda of his own.” Cassiel looked Michael in the eye. “We all have our roles to play, brother.”

Michael patted his friend on the shoulder. “Have I told you before how wise you are, Cassiel?”

“I believe it came up the last time we spoke.” His lip curled up on one side. “But I’m willing to listen if you’re wanting to extol my virtues once again.”

“I think I’ll hold off. Your head is growing too large.” Michael laughed at his friend’s expression, and then he lapsed into silence as he plotted his next move.

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