Celestial Matters

"Undo it." She said.

"What?"

"UNDO IT!" she screamed. "Change me back, make me human again." She sounded hysterical

I was confused ... she wanted to be human? ... Interesting.

"You're much better off now," I said, while slowly easing off the stalagmite.

Wet sounds of gore echoed off the cave walls. I tried not to look at my destroyed body.

"No, no no no no," she cried. "I was normal, I had life all figured out," she blubbered, tears fell full force down her flushed cheeks.

"You were a prostitute," I said nastily, "That's hardly having life figured out."

"But it was my life," she shrieked, "I climbed my way up from the gutter as an orphan. And I worked for years as a scullery maid til one man offered me ten silver for a night with me. The money was so good that the next day I tried to get into all the brothels in Paris." she was sobbing again, the anger had left her voice.

"I sold my body so I could eat ... so don't you tell me what I don't have figured out."

There was a lull in our conversation. The candle had almost burned down. Leaving the cave in a faint orange light. Water droplets pattered down the rock walls. Maria shivered, and clutched her arms to her chest.

With one last effort I pulled myself free of the stalagmite, however, my weak knees promptly deposited me onto the cave floor. I grunted as my back met the ground.

She looked out from behind her tangled blond tresses. "You know, for a demon you're pretty pathetic." she said. She seemed to have gotten over her terror of me. Now she made fun of me like I was her brother.

I liked the terror better

"It took a lot of my powers to awaken you, you little trollop." I said, trying once again to get my footing. I managed it this time. But I leaned against the cave wall to catch my breath.

She looked at me puzzled. "That wound would have killed a man."

I tentatively poked the hole in my stomach. "Yes it would have, but for me, it is merely incredibly painful."

She eyed my wound now. "Will it heal up?" she asked.

"Yes."

"When?"

I sighed. "It would have started immediately if I had all my powers," I said, "in my current state it will probably take all day."

She looked startled. "You mean it's day time?" she said, sounding shocked. "I've been asleep all night!"

I couldn't help but smile at her.

"No dear," I said. "You were asleep for five days."

She looked faint again.

I really couldn't blame her.

-------

-Maria-

I was just a little bit dizzy.

Five days ... but it seemed like just minutes. I glanced down at my hand again.

The blisters had healed.

I was still shocked that I got them from touching a pentagram. Apparently that's something else I can't do.

I looked past my hand to the groaning demon on the floor. He was lying face up, staring at the roof of the cave. His hand was gently resting on the dinner plate sized hole in his stomach.

He suddenly coughed, and spit up a large amount of blood.

"Gross," I said before I could stop myself.

He turned his head slightly so he could make eye contact. His red eyes pulsed with displeasure.

"Oh, I'm sorry mademoiselle, but maybe next time you could not strike me into pointy objects during a perfectly polite conversation," he said.

He apparently hadn't lost any of his sardonic charms.

"Sorry," I replied. I could hear my voice shaking. "But, I thought ... well I mean you flew so far ... and." I trailed off.

He winced. "Enhanced strength is part and parcel of your knew state of being. I've been trying to tell you what it means to be an Aethling and belonging to the Light." He said. "If you weren't too worried about missing something as insignificant as a shadow I could have told you that."

He paused.

I smiled. "I like the way I made the discovery much more..."

He coughed up more blood. "Yes I imagine you did," he said.

"Anything else I should know about?" I ventured.

He smiled, "Don't try and lie." He said mysteriously.

I blanched. "Why?" I demanded.

He smiled again. "Tell me a lie then, my dear." He said sweetly.

My mind drew a blank, how often did someone ask you to lie to them?

"Um, I don't know, what should I say," I asked quietly.

He paused. Then a big toothy grin appeared on his all too perfect face. He cleared his throat of excess blood.

"My dear," he began, "tell me that you enjoy being a lady of the night." His smile was positively evil now.

He looked at me expectantly...

I was not worried.

I couldn't keep track of how many times I had told fat slobs that they were gods beneath my sheets. I couldn't remember how many times had I told men too drunk to become erect that they satisfied me.

I drew myself up.

"Monsieur," I said, "I enjoy being a prosti..." The words died in my mouth. My throat felt dry, and a dizzy spell had come over me.

I put my hand against the cave wall to steady myself.

"Not so easy is it?" He said lightly.

I glared at him, and took a deep breath, and tried again ... I didn't even get the first syllable out. As soon as I even thought of lying my stomach did flip flops. Before I knew it I was throwing up. Not having eaten for five days, there wasn't much.

The demon was practically giggling.

"Let's try not to do that again, my sweet." He said playfully. "This cave floor is already filthy enough," he said, eying the circle of blood around the stalagmite.

I was beyond furious now.

"Why can't I lie to you?" I screamed. I was balling my fists and carrying on like a little girl ... but I didn't care.

He took a breath. "Lying, is another thing that those who belong to the Light can't do," he said. "At first you just become short of breath, then as it would appear you become sick." He continued. "I imagine if you tried to lie again you would pass out."

I was beyond shocked. I was trying to imagine a life where I could not lie ... ever. It did not sound like a pleasant existence.

"Is there ... well, anything else I should worry about?" I asked ... afraid to know the answer.

He shrugged. "I don't know of any other physical draw backs to being an Aethling or belonging to the light..." he said.

"But there are some benefits that you might be interested in."

I didn't care about my benefits ... my shadow was gone, I couldn't lie, and I had to be careful not to touch any demonic jewelry.

"What are the benefits?" I asked glumly.

He smiled, "Well, for starters, eternal life."

Eternal life ... wow I thought...

"You mean, I won't ever die?" I asked.

"Correct, you will never age or die ... unless something kills you." He said.

I paused, thinking.

"Wait, you mean I'll be eighteen for the rest of eternity!" I shouted.

He looked sheepish..."Correct."

I fumed at him..."What else?" I asked.

He thought for a moment.

"You probably have some sort of 'holy' powers at your disposal ... but I couldn't tell you what those are," he said.

I rolled my eyes ... he was no help at all. The demon slowly picked himself off the ground ... and staggered his way across the dingy cave. He collapsed into a black armchair. A chair that I was sure hadn't been there before. He put his head in his hands.

"This is more trouble than I thought it would be," he said quite pathetically.

I felt like fighting...

"Why? Am I more effort than you thought I was going to be?" I growled..."Don't want to put up with me anymore?"

He looked up at me with unfocused red eyes.

"No, it's not you," he said. "Though you're certainly not behaving yourself."

"What then," I said sarcastically.

His head returned to his hands...

"Well," he said, "It's just that there is an Angel outside ... and if I am reading her right, she's not very happy with me."

"Oh," was all I could say.

-------

Visitor

~May the enemies of the Dark find no place of rest in the dreaded day. May they never know carnal pleasure, or the beauty of a cold night. May they be cursed with a mortal life. May they be chained to the bidding of an uncaring God.~

Prayer of the Dark Acolytes

-------

-Devnik-

This truly couldn't have turned out worse. I thought, as a stared at my lone candle lighting the cave from my chair. There was an Angel outside. That was certainly bad. There was an angry angel outside ... that was really bad.

I took a few deep breaths, which only served to aggravate my wound.

The gaping hole had dwindled from dinner plate size to roughly tea coaster size. There was no way I could fight an angel when I was drained of all power and sporting a stomach wound.

Strangely, however, she had made no move to enter my little cave. I searched for her with my mind ... she was sitting peaceably next to a stream just outside the entrance.

I leaned back in my chair.

I glanced at my little rebellious Aethling. She was crouched in a corner, staring at her feet. She hadn't said a word since I told her we had a visitor.

The Angel seemed rather ... calm ... I thought ... though even from here I could sense an underlying fury. I wonder if she knew who I was. Hopefully she didn't, that could lead to more than one problem ... if possible I would wait out the day. My wound would hopefully be healed by then, and the sun would not be an issue.

A voice suddenly rang out in my head.

{Send her out}, the voice said with barely contained rage. I winced telepathy always gives me a headache.

I tried to summon enough power to communicate.

{What business do you have here little angel, } I said, trying to sound as intimidating as possible.

{Just send her out, I have not come to do battle.} The voice replied, suddenly sounding weary.

I thought for a moment ... my experiment was in all actuality concluded. I had satisfied my curiosity of whether or not an Aethling could be awakened by a demon ... Though as I thought about it, angels must have quite a bit of raw power. I still felt rather drained after performing my little Awakening. The sniveling girl curled up in the corner of my cave suddenly felt like quite a burden.

{I will do as you ask, } I replied mentally.

'Hurry.'

I stood up quickly. I was pleasantly surprised that my wound hurt less. I pointed at Maria.

"The angel wants to speak with you, my dear," I said.

Maria looked up at me, dried tears clung to her face ... she looked exhausted.

"Is she here to take me to Heaven?" she asked, in a monotone.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Oh" ... she said..."Is she here to send you back to Hell?"

"No," I replied..."She just wants to talk to you." This entire conversation was becoming tiresome.

"Which way is out?" She asked.

I pointed to a gap in the rock wall that led to the entrance. Without response, she slowly trudged out of the chamber, and disappeared into the mouth of the cave. I slowly sat back down in my chair, and leaned back.

Feeling quite relieved.

I quickly fell asleep.

The candle went out.

-Maria-

The passage out of the cave was long and winding. I constantly tripped over loose crags as I tried to navigate my way to the surface. It was getting lighter though. With every step I took I felt as if a burden was being lifted from my shoulders. I was invigorated. I marched with a new determination, eager to get out of the demon's cave. And even though I didn't like the idea ... I was happy to meet someone who was the same species as I was ... well, half the species I was.

The light blinded me as I stepped out of the cave. Everything seemed so bright. Everything seemed so beautiful. The air was crisp and clean. The warmth of the sun bathed my face, and gave energy to my limbs.

I took a breath of fresh air and sighed.

{Seems you've been in that cave too long.} came a voice ... from ... inside my head?

I quickly scanned the small field. A young woman with strawberry red hair was sitting on a bank, dangling her feet in a nearby stream.

I made my way across the field, until I stood directly behind her.

"It's nice today, isn't it?" she asked. Her voice had a dreamlike quality to it.

A candor that could put you to sleep.

"Yes, it is..." I agreed. "I wonder why I haven't ever stopped to appreciated days like this." I said. I looked up at the clouds in sudden wonder. They were white fluffy things, moving slowly in a breeze I couldn't feel.

"Sit with me," she said, her voice soft.

I pulled up my rather dirty white shift to my knees, and sat down next to her. I put my feet into the stream. The water was cool. My body tingled.

The woman still hadn't looked at me.

"The water is refreshing isn't it?" She asked.

I simply nodded.

I was looking at her face. She was staring off across the stream, but I could still see the side. She had very pale cheeks, along with flowing locks of light red hair. Hair that seemed to move even without the aid of the wind.

She had silver eyes.

"Would you like to know my name Maria?" she asked calmly. Her gaze was still fixed on the other side of the bank where sheep grazing. In the distance a sweaty farmer was painting his barn.

"Yes," I said, "I would like to know your name."

The conversation lulled for a minute. Birds flew overhead, trilling sweet songs as they flew to warmer climes.

"My name is Cariel..."she said.

Another pause...

"Are you an Angel," I blurted out.

Her face remained tranquil at my outburst.

"Yes," she said in her dreamlike voice. "I am what humans call an Angel."

We stopped talking again. For a time we watch the trees rustle, and listened the gentle sounds made by the lambs across the water. Everything seemed so peaceful. Everything seemed so perfect.

"Do you know why I'm here Maria?" She asked

"No Cariel," I said..."I don't know why your here." I felt like I was in a trance. Her presence made things seem ... less real.

She turned her face to the sun.

"I'm here because something awful has happened," she said, her tone never wavering, her voice impassive.

"What?" I said, already knowing the answer.

A fish jumped out of the stream, startling me.

Cariel seemed unaffected.

"Why ... you were awakened Maria ... you were awakened far before your time ... the scripture says that no Aethling shalt ever be Awakened before two decades since birth ... lest they be a child forever," she said. Her tone sounded as if she were reading something incredibly tedious.

I swallowed hard.

"So, um, I've broken the rules of Heaven?" I asked tepidly.

Her face finally turned, her silver eyes met mine.

"No, dear child," she said. "The Demon is fully to blame for your misfortunes."

"But, being eighteen forever won't keep me from Heaven ... right?" I said.

Her eyes showed something close to pity ... then it was gone.

"No, being eternally ten and eight will not be what keeps you from Heaven." She said. "There are two Aethlings in history who have been Awakened before their times ... they were accepted lovingly into the fold. One was ten and nine. The other ten and one.

I was confused. "Then, what keeps me from being like them ... why can they go to Heaven?

I caught another glimpse of the pity in her eyes.

"Your Awakener, is what bars Heaven from you. She said.

"So I was awakened by a Demon, what does it MATTER! I shouted..."I am just the same as any other Aethiling ... right? I ended hesitantly.

"Physically yes. But differences lie elsewhere." She said.

"So whats the problem?" I asked. "STOP being so vague!" I yelled.

Cariel sighed.

"Relax my Sister in Light, for you to understand, I must wax you a story." she said ... I grumbled. "Several thousand years ago the first Aethling was born. His name was Yadrial ... Yadrial was born just as you were. Human in every aspect ... until on his twentieth birthday his mother visited him. She was distraught and angry. She had never been able to see her son, or even talk to him. Her superior officers would not allow it. So she traveled down to Earth one night, during the winter solstice, when Heaven is always at its weakest. And she met her son.

He was a Sheppard, but he was discontent. When he met his mother, he lusted after her angelic powers. His mother, upon examining him found he had powers. Powers as strong as most of the angels. It was just sleeping. It needed a taste of power in order to emerge." She paused, and looked down at the stream.

"And so the first Awakening took place. Yadrial's mother placed her hands on his face, and kissed his forehead, all the while feeding him her Angelic powers. Yadrial's powers did indeed awaken. And he became as if he were an angel. But yet he was not. He had none of the obligations an Angel had. He did not have to obey the Arch-Angels, and he would not adhere to the word of The Lord. His 'Holy Powers' were used for his own selfish gain."

I was trembling slightly..."What happened?" I asked.

She lay back on the grass.

"He burned the village he grew up in. And he didn't stop there. He defiled churches and women, and blasphemed against the prophets, and even God himself..." She paused.

"So he was hunted. One day Michael couldn't stand the sight of Angelic power causing so much misery in the world. So he hefted his sword, and ventured down to Earth. Where he fought, and slew Yadrial. After that day the Arch-Angels acknowledged that future half-breeds might occur, as it was impossible to police all the Angels in matters of taking human lovers. So they worked great magic for over a year.

They wrought so that any awakened Aethling would be obedient to the Angel that Awakened them. This would be to preserve order..."

She paused again.

"To lessen the blow they added that the Awakener would be the Aethling's lover and spouse, so that the Aethling might find happiness with their Awakener, and not come to hate them for their control over them. So it has been in angel society. That an Aethling should live on Earth for two decades, where they could grow older and wiser. Then, an Angel without a partner would be chosen, and come down to Awaken them. From thence they would go to Heaven, and live happily, and spread Gods word."

I slowly unraveled her story.

"So you mean." I started ... too scared that my assumption was correct.

"Yes," she said, "the demon that awakened you now has a certain amount of control over you."

I began to cry..."But ... I want ... you mean I can never go to Heaven because some filthy Demon can control me?" I shouted.

She nodded. Her face still impassive.

I became desperate.

"Can you change me back?" I asked, spluttering slightly. "Make me human again?"

"No," she said. "Such a thing has never been done before." She looked puzzled though. "Certain precautions were made against this." she said. "Your powers should have had a barrier encasing them, so that until the one selected by Michael could Awaken you, you would be human. To Awaken you this demon would have had to break the power of an Arch-Angel..." she said. Her voice for once, sounded slightly uneasy.

She glanced at the entrance to the demon's cave.

"Whatever demon lives in that cave could undo what was created by Michael..." She trailed off.

It was getting dark ... crickets began to chirp their nighttime interlude. A cool day had turned into a frigid night.

Why did you even come?" I asked miserably. "Just to tell me that paradise is forever lost to me?"

She closed her eyes. "No, We take care of our own, I was to come check on you, ensure your safety, and explain your situation."

"Thats it?" I asked tersly.

"If possible, I am supposed to discover the identity of the demon in question," she said, looking at me. "How many eyes does he have? Are his hands similar to hooves? Are his teeth like that of a bear?

None of these described the twisted perfection residing under the earth.

"No," I said. "He simply looks like a very handsome black haired man ... with red eyes."