Book of Ivory Chapter 1

Freemont Street, Las Vegas

The street buzzed with life. Under the massive screen canopy, hundreds of people milled around, admiring the lights or the entertainers. Two figures walked down the street, one in a gray hoodie, the other a grey t-shirt with rainbow striped undershirt.

“Arael, don’t eat that.”

The angel turned away from the vendor, frowning. “Why not?”

Adriel folded his arms. “All that butter and salt, it’s bad for you.”

“But we’re angels! We don’t get sick. Please?” She looked at him pleadingly with big, turquoise eyes.

Adriel stared back with cold silver eyes. “No. We’re angels used to an all manna diet. Remember the last time you ate something like that?”  

Arael rubbed her stomach. “Oh, never mind.”

Adriel sighed and fished a wrapped-up bun from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here. It’s only got a little cinnamon on it. You should be fine.”

Arael smiled and gave Adriel a quick hug, unwrapping the bun and taking a large bite, giggling at the spice of the cinnamon.

“Sense anything?” Adriel noticed nothing unusual, but his companion was much better at sensing auras, so she might pick something up.

Arael swallowed another bite. “No. Why is it so important that we find him, anyway? Seems pretty clear he wants to be left alone.”

Adriel took a deep breath. “Gabriel is the only one who can begin the Final Judgement. The Book of Ivory makes it clear that ‘the cry of the messenger shall clear the way, and Heaven shall descend upon the Earth’. The End needs to come, whether he likes it or not.”

“But why? Why do we want to end the world?”

“We’re not ending the world, we’re...repairing it. The Earth has grown polluted and corrupt. It needs to be washed clean. That’s what we’re doing. We’re not ending anything.”

Arael looked around. “But they seem so scared of it. They talk about fire and pain, and everyone dying. Why are they so scared if it’s a good thing?”

Adriel looked away. “They...I...it’s not going to be easy. There will be fire, and pain, and death, yes...but it will be the last time any of these things will exist. It always gets worse before it gets better. But after, there will be no more pain, or death. ‘All of these things will be forgotten.’”

Arael closed her eyes. “And if good people die, they go to Heaven, they’ll be ok.”

Adriel nodded. They spent the next few minutes in silence, walking across Freemont Street and sensing for Gabriel. After a time, Arael spoke up.

“Why would he be here?”

“He loved light and music, festivals were his favorite. He’d love a place like this.”

Suddenly, a hand was on Arael’s shoulder. “Watcher and Cherub, finally found you.”

Adriel spun around to face the speaker. He appeared as a young man, with black hair that hung over his forehead, in a purple shirt and pants two sizes too big. But Adriel saw more, he saw the ram horns curling from his head, the indigo wings folded against his back, and the empty space above his head where a halo belonged.

Adriel quickly swung his fist, slamming it into the demon’s head. The demon crumpled, Adriel catching him as he fell. Several bystanders stopped to look, bewildered by the unconscious man. Adriel just smiled. “He’s not feeling well, too many bright lights give him headaches. He just needs a rest.”

A short time later

Back at their hotel room, Adriel and Arael changed back into their angelic clothing, prepared for a fight. Arael wore her Watcher attire: a white, flowing dress with turquoise trimming, arm-length gloves and a white bow in her dark grey hair, her grey wings folded behind her. Adriel wore the white tunic and yellow sash of a male Watcher, and underneath the white metal armor of a Cherub. Above his blonde-haired head hung a golden ring of light, and a shaft of the same golden light came from his hand to form a blade, and his gold-brown wings spread out threateningly as the demon stirred.

“Oooww...Who?!” The demon’s eyes snapped open, his arms struggling against the ropes around them. He paused, and looked over his surroundings. He looked up at Adriel and Arael and managed a weak. “Hi.”

Arael managed a small wave before Adriel positioned his blade inches from the demon’s face, which managed to pale, impressive considering his ashen complexion. “You...you can put that down. I don’t want a fight. I want to talk.”

Adriel’s wings folded back, but his arm remained steady. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“Well, yes. You know what, just hear me out, ok? After that, whatever. If you don’t want to help, I’d be better off dead.” The demon’s shoulders sagged.

Adriel’s expression softened. “What...happened to you?”

The demon sighed. “I was wrong. About everything. In the beginning, when Lucifer started his rebellion, he made it sound so...ideal. None of Adonai’s laws, no orders or rules, just the freedom to do whatever you want. We would come down to Earth and enjoy its splendor without him holding us back. I was still sure during the Fall, when we made Hell our home and began our ‘perfect society’. But that kind of system doesn’t work, it never could.”

He shook his head sadly, but then face brightened a bit. “Then Hastur met you two, and you tried to convince him there was still a chance we could redeem ourselves, and...I just want to go home...”

Adriel’s arms fell to his sides as he looked the demon over, his voice surprised. “I’ve never heard a demon admit he’s wrong and ask for forgiveness before. So you were convinced by this Hastur, you said we met him?”

Arael spoke up. “I remember, The Devils we fought last week. He seemed nice. I can’t believe he actually tried to... Where is he, did you get separated?”

The demon looked down. “He never made it. They’d found out about what we were trying to do, and Hastur managed to get me through the Gate up here. I’d imagine he’s dead by now.”

Pain flashed across Arael’s face. “I’m so sorry. He didn’t...”

Adriel leaned down, his blade flashing again as he cut Phenex’s ropes. “You figured we’d be able to help you get back into Heaven?”

The demon got to his feet and stretched. “Yes. Will you?”

Arael ran forward and wrapped him in a hug. “Of course we will! Right, Adriel?”

Adriel smiled and offered his hand to the demon. “I don’t see why not. You’ve probably figured out I’m Adriel, she’s Arael. What’s your name?”

He shook it eagerly. “Phenex.”

Arael hugged him again. “What’s your real name? The one you had before you Fell?”

Phenex shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t deserve it until I’m in Heaven again. I’m still Fallen, I don’t have any right to even say...”

Arael smiled. “You want to be an angel. You escaped from Hell to be a good guy again. I think you’ve earned it.”

Phenex paused. “My name...is Camael.”

Adriel chuckled. “’He who seeks God.’ Fitting.”

End