Post by Bene Elohim on Feb 8, 2024 15:08:26 GMT -8
How long had he sat alone in the command center? An hour? Maybe a little less. It was long enough that the weeping had all but stopped. Pushing himself up from the chair he glanced behind him and found the thick bodied balding Alistair standing in the doorway. Motioning him inside Alistair crossed the room to stand before him and began to kneel when he shook his head violently.
Lord Lucifer: “No….I don’t need that. I never did.”
Alistair: “Sire?”
Lord Lucifer: “Go home, Alistair….”
Alistair: “To my room?”
The confusion in the man’s voice was enough to bring Michael from his chair and he shook his head and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder.
Lord Lucifer: “You have done all you can do, Alistair. It’s up to me now to finish this.”
Alistair: “...Are you sure?”
Lord Lucifer: “....”
All Michael could do was nod and the man left, stopping in the doorway to give one final look back at the man he had served for so long and then he was gone. Michael stood with his back to the door staring at the faces of Anthony and Valdemar staring back at him when the heard the scuffle of shoes on the floor.
Lord Lucifer: “I told you to go home….”
Female Voice: “And we regretfully refuse.”
Michael slowly turned his head letting his eyes fall on the four bodies behind him.
Ramiel.
Ananiel.
Sariel.
Ani.
A single tear touched the corner of his left eye when he saw the foursome standing in the doorway with their arms crossed. However it was Sariel who walked around the table and stood before him, her eyes searching his face.
Slowly she reached up and touched her palm to the side of his face. Her thumb running along his cheek to caress the tears both new and old. Her voice was a soft whisper of amazement and shock.
Sariel: “..M...Michael?”
Lord Lucifer: “....”
Sariel: “My god…. How long?”
Lord Lucifer: “....Since the beginning?”
Sariel: “...Lucifer never came back at all, did he?”
Softly Michael shook his head and looked down at the floor. The asian woman took his face in her hands and lifted it to look him in the eyes.
Sariel: “You have carried this all these months in secret? Pretending to be him?”
Michael Rivers: “Maiko….”
Ramiel: “..Mother needed someone….”
Ananiel: “....To protect her from….”
Ramiel: “....those horrible men. She needed….”
Both: “...A Guardian Angel.”
The twins were there behind him, one on each side, each with a hand on his shoulder with Ani standing over her lovers shoulder.
Aniel: “Her pain called out to the part of you….”
Sariel gasped suddenly and looked from Aniel back to Michael.
Sariel: “The part of you that protected the Doll for so many years.”
Michael Rivers: “I couldn’t let her end up like Dahlia did, Sara. I couldn’t fail Dahlia twice.”
Ramiel: “That is why…”
Ananiel: “....You sent them away. You couldn’t risk….”
Ramiel: “...Her being hurt.”
Aniel: “Maiko?!”
Sariel softly shook her head and looked over at her sister, her voice a barely heard whisper.
Sariel: “Xaria.”
Sariel looked up into the face of the man she thought was her God and it all clicked in her head. Having them build the cabin here, out in the open like they did. Bringing Johnny Dawkins here without any concern.
He wanted to be caught. He wanted Zachary to get sucked into his pain and Xaria to think he had used her. Ashley to snap. He wanted them all out away from all of this.
He was protecting them.
Sariel: “You can’t do this alone Michael….”
Michael Rivers: “I don’t have a choice, Sara. I won’t risk anyone else’s safety for my mistakes.”
Ramiel: “You are….”
Ananiel: “...Misunderstanding her.”
Aniel: “It’s not possible.”
Sariel: “And we won’t let you.”
Michael looked from one face to another taking in all of the memories the faces brought with them. Sariel, Ramiel and Ananiel had been beside him, in one form or another, for almost ten years now.
They had always stood beside him. Always looked up to him. Obeyed Lucifer without question and offered so much in the way of tenderness and affection without ever even trying.
They deserved to know the truth.
Michael reached up and cupped the face of the young asian woman standing in front of him, running his own thumb across her cheek as she had done his own and then looked over each shoulder at the twins and Aniel.
Michael Rivers: “You were more than servants. To me and to him. You were the closest thing to family that I ever had. The three of you have been here through it all. Standing beside me either it was me or Lucifer. You are my brothers ...my sister….You are my family.”
And then his eyes fell on Aniel and he turned, brushing the hair from her face. Aniel looked down, suddenly uncomfortable by the attention and physical touch. Michael however wanted to make one thing clear.
Michael Rivers: “Never ever let anyone tell you who you are Ani, if you are good enough. It doesn’t matter if you were born female or not Aniel. You are who you want to be and Naani loves you just the way you are.”
Beneath the hair that usually hid the woman’s face she flashed a smile and cast a glance over at Ananiel who blushed and gave her a smile.
Sariel moved around him to stand by Ramiel’s side, sliding beneath his arm and looked up at Michael.
Sariel: “So...what do we do?”
Michael Rivers: “I have to stop Anthony, Sara. I’m the only one who can.”
Sariel: “Then that leaves the traitor and his Hell to us.”
Michael Rivers: “You?!”
Michael stared at the woman as if she were suddenly holding a live snake. The twins each gave a nod by way of answer.
Sariel: “You have to deal with Sathanas, Michael. You are the only one who can match his speed and maneuverability. You don’t have his skill, but you may be faster and more agile, if anyone can beat him it’s you.”
Ramiel: “And if you are….”
Ananiel “...Handling Sathanas? Then we…”
Ramiel: “....Have to hit Valdemar at….”
Both: “The same time.”
Aniel: “Give him no time to adjust.”
Michael Rivers: “....You’re sure?”
Sariel: “You aren’t the only one who feels the way you do, Michael. You are all we have. All we have had for many years now. There is no way we are leaving you alone to finish this on your own.”
Ramiel: “You gave so much….”
Ananiel: “...To protect us. Now it’s…”
Ramiel: “Our turn to…”
Both: “....Protect you.”
Michael felt the tears welling up in his eyes but there would be time for all of this later. He needed to tell them what he planned.
Michael Rivers: “I need to reach out and get a message to the Kingdom.”
Sariel: “The Kingdom?!”
Ramiel: “Why go to…”
Ananiel: “...So much trouble…”
Ramiel: “...To send the others away….”
Both: “...To bring in others?”
Michael Rivers: “I don’t intend to bring them in.”
Sariel: “Then what?”
Michael Rivers: “I need Jasmine Matthews to give Lilith Meadows a message for me.”
Lord Lucifer: “No….I don’t need that. I never did.”
Alistair: “Sire?”
Lord Lucifer: “Go home, Alistair….”
Alistair: “To my room?”
The confusion in the man’s voice was enough to bring Michael from his chair and he shook his head and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder.
Lord Lucifer: “You have done all you can do, Alistair. It’s up to me now to finish this.”
Alistair: “...Are you sure?”
Lord Lucifer: “....”
All Michael could do was nod and the man left, stopping in the doorway to give one final look back at the man he had served for so long and then he was gone. Michael stood with his back to the door staring at the faces of Anthony and Valdemar staring back at him when the heard the scuffle of shoes on the floor.
Lord Lucifer: “I told you to go home….”
Female Voice: “And we regretfully refuse.”
Michael slowly turned his head letting his eyes fall on the four bodies behind him.
Ramiel.
Ananiel.
Sariel.
Ani.
A single tear touched the corner of his left eye when he saw the foursome standing in the doorway with their arms crossed. However it was Sariel who walked around the table and stood before him, her eyes searching his face.
Slowly she reached up and touched her palm to the side of his face. Her thumb running along his cheek to caress the tears both new and old. Her voice was a soft whisper of amazement and shock.
Sariel: “..M...Michael?”
Lord Lucifer: “....”
Sariel: “My god…. How long?”
Lord Lucifer: “....Since the beginning?”
Sariel: “...Lucifer never came back at all, did he?”
Softly Michael shook his head and looked down at the floor. The asian woman took his face in her hands and lifted it to look him in the eyes.
Sariel: “You have carried this all these months in secret? Pretending to be him?”
Michael Rivers: “Maiko….”
Ramiel: “..Mother needed someone….”
Ananiel: “....To protect her from….”
Ramiel: “....those horrible men. She needed….”
Both: “...A Guardian Angel.”
The twins were there behind him, one on each side, each with a hand on his shoulder with Ani standing over her lovers shoulder.
Aniel: “Her pain called out to the part of you….”
Sariel gasped suddenly and looked from Aniel back to Michael.
Sariel: “The part of you that protected the Doll for so many years.”
Michael Rivers: “I couldn’t let her end up like Dahlia did, Sara. I couldn’t fail Dahlia twice.”
Ramiel: “That is why…”
Ananiel: “....You sent them away. You couldn’t risk….”
Ramiel: “...Her being hurt.”
Aniel: “Maiko?!”
Sariel softly shook her head and looked over at her sister, her voice a barely heard whisper.
Sariel: “Xaria.”
Sariel looked up into the face of the man she thought was her God and it all clicked in her head. Having them build the cabin here, out in the open like they did. Bringing Johnny Dawkins here without any concern.
He wanted to be caught. He wanted Zachary to get sucked into his pain and Xaria to think he had used her. Ashley to snap. He wanted them all out away from all of this.
He was protecting them.
Sariel: “You can’t do this alone Michael….”
Michael Rivers: “I don’t have a choice, Sara. I won’t risk anyone else’s safety for my mistakes.”
Ramiel: “You are….”
Ananiel: “...Misunderstanding her.”
Aniel: “It’s not possible.”
Sariel: “And we won’t let you.”
Michael looked from one face to another taking in all of the memories the faces brought with them. Sariel, Ramiel and Ananiel had been beside him, in one form or another, for almost ten years now.
They had always stood beside him. Always looked up to him. Obeyed Lucifer without question and offered so much in the way of tenderness and affection without ever even trying.
They deserved to know the truth.
Michael reached up and cupped the face of the young asian woman standing in front of him, running his own thumb across her cheek as she had done his own and then looked over each shoulder at the twins and Aniel.
Michael Rivers: “You were more than servants. To me and to him. You were the closest thing to family that I ever had. The three of you have been here through it all. Standing beside me either it was me or Lucifer. You are my brothers ...my sister….You are my family.”
And then his eyes fell on Aniel and he turned, brushing the hair from her face. Aniel looked down, suddenly uncomfortable by the attention and physical touch. Michael however wanted to make one thing clear.
Michael Rivers: “Never ever let anyone tell you who you are Ani, if you are good enough. It doesn’t matter if you were born female or not Aniel. You are who you want to be and Naani loves you just the way you are.”
Beneath the hair that usually hid the woman’s face she flashed a smile and cast a glance over at Ananiel who blushed and gave her a smile.
Sariel moved around him to stand by Ramiel’s side, sliding beneath his arm and looked up at Michael.
Sariel: “So...what do we do?”
Michael Rivers: “I have to stop Anthony, Sara. I’m the only one who can.”
Sariel: “Then that leaves the traitor and his Hell to us.”
Michael Rivers: “You?!”
Michael stared at the woman as if she were suddenly holding a live snake. The twins each gave a nod by way of answer.
Sariel: “You have to deal with Sathanas, Michael. You are the only one who can match his speed and maneuverability. You don’t have his skill, but you may be faster and more agile, if anyone can beat him it’s you.”
Ramiel: “And if you are….”
Ananiel “...Handling Sathanas? Then we…”
Ramiel: “....Have to hit Valdemar at….”
Both: “The same time.”
Aniel: “Give him no time to adjust.”
Michael Rivers: “....You’re sure?”
Sariel: “You aren’t the only one who feels the way you do, Michael. You are all we have. All we have had for many years now. There is no way we are leaving you alone to finish this on your own.”
Ramiel: “You gave so much….”
Ananiel: “...To protect us. Now it’s…”
Ramiel: “Our turn to…”
Both: “....Protect you.”
Michael felt the tears welling up in his eyes but there would be time for all of this later. He needed to tell them what he planned.
Michael Rivers: “I need to reach out and get a message to the Kingdom.”
Sariel: “The Kingdom?!”
Ramiel: “Why go to…”
Ananiel: “...So much trouble…”
Ramiel: “...To send the others away….”
Both: “...To bring in others?”
Michael Rivers: “I don’t intend to bring them in.”
Sariel: “Then what?”
Michael Rivers: “I need Jasmine Matthews to give Lilith Meadows a message for me.”
