Fallen Angel

Part 20

Mark gawked at how bright and clean Sean's wings looked. He had forgotten how beautiful they were. The way they glimmered and seemed to glow with a pure light. Mark reached out to Sean's shoulder, stroking his knuckles across Sean's shoulder and then off to slide up along his wing. Sean turned his head, his cheeks reddening as his wing extend to prolong Mark's touch. Mark gave him a smile, asking softly. "How did this happen?" A dark brooding voice, answered seriously. "I think I can shed some light on this." Both Mark and Sean jumped, but it was Sean who shuffled his feet and mumbled out respectfully. "Metatron... I didn't see you." Mark locked eyes with Metatron's dark emotionless eyes. Metatron gestured them to start walking. Sean bowed his head and started to walk. Mark felt compelled to do the same, only as he past, his wing shot out and smacked Metatron. 

Mark flinched awkwardly as the angels in the hall gasped. Sean inched back to his side to take ahold of Mark's wrist. Metatron closed his eyes, then glanced at the other angels that suddenly scrambled back to their jobs. When he turned back, Mark held his breath. He was waiting for Metatron to turn him to ash or something. Instead, Metatron sounded calm as he told him in a rasher casually voice. "Calm yourself, boy. What will your panic accomplish?" Metatron chose to lead them and Mark marveled at his huge wings. They were folded so neatly behind him and looked so incredibly strong. Sean squeezed Mark's hand, whispering to him. "It can't be all bad... He hasn't killed us." Metatron glanced over his shoulder then to add in like he had heard them clearly. "Yet." Sean swallowed nervously. Mark shrugged, asking Sean in a normal tone. "Who is he?" Metatron stopped, opening a door and gesturing them inside as he bluntly answered. "I am Metatron. I and I alone am privileged with the matters of the universe as directed to me from the Lord and Lady."

Mark slipped into the room with Sean, mumbling awkwardly under his breath. "Oh... So, Someone really important." Inside the room, Mark's jaw dropped. He had expected an office with a desk and chairs. This looked like a beautiful Zen garden with a huge beautiful tree in the center and a picnic blanket at the base. Mark's gaze followed the huge trees lush flowery branches up to a glass ceiling. Outside it was dark and raining. How long had they been in this place? Metatron closed the door behind them, strolling past them without a word. Sean rubbed his arm, anxiously addressing Metatron. "Am I to be judged? Cause I-" Metatron turned to face them, cutting him off to say still in a strangely casually voice. "There is nothing you can say that I don't already know. One of the perks of my job. I'm well informed." Sean's wings drooped to the ground. Mark felt the need to pipe in and draw the attention away from Sean, asking boldly. "Then you know about Anti and why his dark half didn't merge well?"

Metatron gave a brisk nod, telling them carefully. "Yes. Just as I knew Michael's fate... As sad as the loss was on us." Mark shrugged, stepping closer to him to snap out. "Why didn't you do anything?! Why did you wait?!" Sean grabbed Mark's arm with worry, turning wide fearful eyes on Metatron. Metatron was unfazed by the outburst, simply saying. "You couldn't possibly understand. I've seen the universe change as if it were seasons of the year. I've seen more things die and be resurrected than you have seen in hours of your life. I can see the lifespan of everything and see the importance of every creature and thing. My job is to guide and advise. Not to intervene and upset the balance." Metatron's eyes drifted solely on Sean as he added in a bit more seriously. "Your decision to save this human has disrupted the balance. You've put us all in danger. The disrespect to go over my head and summon the Lord and Lady for such a selfish-"

A soft woman's voice rustled through the tree leaves as if it was the wind itself, gently intervening. "Metatron. Be nice." Metatron bowed his head toward the tree respectfully, changing his tone to a lighter one. "My apologizes. I spoke beyond my means." Mark scanned the tree, trying to find the person. Sean intertwined his fingers with Mark's, as the soft woman's voice answered. "As privileged as you are, Metatron. I am allowed to break my own rules. They are all my children." Metatron nodded again and Sean nudged Mark to bow as a wispy form of a woman stepped out of the tree. Mark nervously bowed, unsure why he was bowing exactly. The woman's fingers felt as light as a gentle breeze, upon lifting his chin and sweetly telling him. "Mark. It's good to see you again. How are you liking earth?" Mark raised an eyebrow, asking wearily. "You know me?" The woman laughed with a pleasant tone, chuckling out. "Of course. I know all my children. Every human, animal, plant, and organism in the universe is of me. All are my children." Mark glanced at Sean, who mumbled out over his shoulder. "You'd know her as mother nature."