Divinity

Chapter 31

Stepping through the portal had never felt quite as comforting as it did in that moment - I had chosen Entilin as my destination, unsure of where else to go... only knowing that I needed to get away from Heaven, if only for a little while. The murky water that surrounded me was as vile as ever, despite that fact, it felt like home. 

I had been here only once in recent times, with Liam. It hadn't felt so welcoming then, knowing I wasn't able to see anyone that I knew, for fear of putting them in danger. But now, I knew that even if I found no one else, I could reunite with my mother, at least. 

Still, it seemed I didn't need to worry. As I lowered myself onto that hidden walkway that lay below the surface, I could see two figures stood on the boardwalk ahead. 

The walkway felt completely solid beneath my feet now - for which I was glad, because it meant I could run the short distance to them. 

Noah grabbed me the moment I was within reach, pulling me in close to his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me. This was it - this was home. The water had left me with a slight chill, I was thankful of the tingles that spread across my skin from his touch - they made me feel warm. He rested his head atop of mine, breathing a sigh of relief. 

"You're alive." I heard him say - his words muffled by my hair. "We didn't know."

"I'm glad you're safe." I heard Andrew say. Noah released me in response, so that I could see him - though he kept his arms loosely around me, as though he were afraid that I might leave. 

"I wish I could have come back sooner." I told them sincerely. It was true - though I hadn't allowed myself to think of him much, I had missed Noah deeply. It felt like an eternity since we had been together. 

"What happened?" Noah asked, his arm still loosely holding my waist. Andrew stood off to the side, looking somewhat uncomfortable, yet still intrigued. 

"They restored my place in Heaven once they saw I was an angel." I told them, thankful for just how easily the council had been convinced. "They wanted to punish me for freeing Acacius, but they pardoned me as thanks for returning the sword to them."

"Let's hope it doesn't find its way back to Lucifer." Noah commented, frowning. I hoped the same - I had witnessed him kill angels on his own side, he should not be the one to control the sword, no one should. 

"It won't." I told him, "The angels are trying to destroy it."

"What?" Andrew interjected, "They want to destroy it?"

"They say it shouldn't have ever existed in the first place. God should be the only one to decide who lives or dies." I explained.

Andrew seemed displeased. "Just one being in the entire world? Not a chance. I cannot support that." 

"Hold on, Andrew." Noah began, "I can see why you think that way, but... the sword can kill angels in less than a second, angels who don't deserve to die. At least if God is in charge, only angels will die who truly deserve to." 

It was easy to forget that Andrew was on Lucifer's side, it was even easier to forget the reason why. Andrew had been tasked with killing Nephilim like myself, when they were still a baby. Perhaps he had even had to kill a pregnant mother... He had already experienced what it was like for God to decide who lives and who dies. 

"God already has this power." I reminded him. "He can already kill an angel, if he wishes. How often has he needed to use such a power anyway? How often does an angel have to die?" 

I thought about the many angels trapped in the sword... how many of them had been killed with good reason? How many were simply victims... 

"How will they do it?" Noah asked, seeming nervous. "Angel light?"