The Wrath Of The Forgotten, page 2
part #4 of The Fallen Angels Series
There was also the ongoing issue of Egypt, which had turned into a very bloody battlefield. They had lost a surprising amount of their Ascended and Lesser, but they had reaped many a Demon with Divine blood. And the net was tightening on their self-proclaimed queen and her Gods. Egypt was the one place that they were seeing substantial turns in their favour. But would it hold?
Her eyes fell on her husband in his place of shame. It was strange to see an Arch Angel humiliated so, but Michael well deserved it. His actions had resulted in Pakistan and Bangladesh being handed to Brigid on a silver platter. It had also resulted in the loss of a substantial number of Ascended and Lesser as well as the inexcusable loss of Elder.
Surprisingly he seemed unperturbed by his special seating. Then again Michael was a warrior, and they were remarkably stoic in enduring their punishments, and her husband was a warrior through and through.
She raised a glowing pink hand, and the assembled Elder fell quiet almost instantly. They knew from past experience that she was not to be crossed. Her voice rung out through the silence filled with the authority that was so natural to her. “The tides are beginning to turn in our favour and now is the time to strike. Egypt is ours for the taking but only if we are quick and ruthless. Our power is spread thinly across the globe, and we are fighting on too many fronts. We need a decisive victory to remind the Gods and Demons that we are to be feared.”
Uriel stood to speak “And pray tell how we are to obtain such a decisive victory? As you have said, our forces are spread thinly around the globe. Ariel battles the Hell-spawned forces of Hera, Raphael is busy uniting Israel and helping the Caliphate grow. Our religions have deep set hatreds of each other, and now we are trying to unite them. Azrael is away doing his own thing, Michael has been stripped of his authority. Jophiel is uniting all the forces of Europe for our planned invasion of Britain while overseeing the rapid militarization of Russia. And you have been busy overseeing the creation of the Constantinian Empire, starting a civil war in the Dragon Empire and helping Raphael with the developing Caliphate.
How are we going to suddenly turn this around?”
She smiled, one that was well known to all the political powers of Heaven for it meant that she had won. “Europe will be left in the care of Joan, leaving Jophiel free. The two of them have well-laid plans for Europe that will take several months to bear fruit anyway. Jophiel will join with Raphael and me as we drive the Caliphate through the Sinai and annex Egypt back into the Arab world. With the four of us, we are as strong as the Egyptian Gods and their Demon Queen.
Many of our plans will take some time and can be left to our underlings while we take to the battlefield. Egypt is within our grasp but only if we strike soon. Delay too long and the Gods will gain the upper hand. We will lose a valuable country and all its faith.”
“Invade Egypt? That will not go down well with the generals or the populace.”
“What do we care for the populace? We already have brought one of the generals into the Caliphate’s fold, he will lead the assault into Egypt. It will be seen as both liberation and annexation into the holy empire.”
“But what of Britain’s presence in Africa?”
“They will be stalled by Abaddon and his hordes. We have a strong buffer, we can use the time to strengthen Egypt’s, and the Caliphate’s, borders. Should Britain manage to reach Egypt’s borders we will be well defended and waiting.”
“What of Michael?” a voice called from the gallery.
“He will be left to defend Heaven with his Cherubim.” A real slap in the face to him, for Heaven never needed defending. It was probably the most secure place in the world. But he has shamed himself with his actions, and all of Heaven was keen to see him humiliated. She had no desire to, but there was no way the Council was going to approve any real power being handed to him. He was to remain in Heaven, housebound for his failures and foolish pride.
It troubled her what this would do to their marriage. She was still the most powerful Arch Angel, but he no longer stood at her side. He was the lowest of the Elder until such a time as he had redeemed himself. He was hers to order around as she saw fit, not that she would, nor would the other Arch Angels. They were not fools, Michael would redeem himself and regain his position. And when he did he would remember all who had abused him.
How much strain could their marriage take? It had weathered all obstacles and the many bumps in the road. While they were well matched, they were not the same. He had his damnable warrior’s honour while she played by another set of rules. If it was worth fighting for, it was worth fighting dirty for. It was a mentality by which she lived her life. She got what she wanted through any means necessary, and she didn’t care who she had to step over to get there.
On many things, they did not see eye to eye. Sariel had been one of those, it had taken her months of manipulation to bind Sariel and take her power. It had taken all her skill to chip away at his honour, but in the end, he had come to enjoy the use of Sariel’s power. She had been disturbingly powerful, but then she came from impressive bloodlines so it was no surprise. She had easily been more powerful than Michael, again of no surprise, magic always ran deeper in the maternal bloodlines, and they had powerful parents.
She watched him leave as the Council came to an end. As emotionless as a mountain he left as though he did not see the looks he got. Perhaps he didn’t see them, Michael could be pretty oblivious sometimes. She doubted it, though, he was too much of a warrior not to be aware of all potential enemies. No, he was showing that he was not defeated, that he would take his shame with his head held high.
He confused her so sometimes, but then she confused herself sometimes.
Sex, he would need sex. It had always been her way of showing that she loved him, desired him and it was her silent question. He knew that she was pleased or not by what happened, or didn’t in the bedroom. He could also tell if she was concerned for him, and that she offered silent strength until he was ready to mention whatever plagued him.
Yes, she would love her husband and remind him just how important he was to her, and that in her eyes, he was still her only equal.
Chapter 3
Gabriel was surprised to find Michael standing on the balcony staring out into space. She hadn’t seen him for a few days while she had been busy on the Surface manipulating and commanding mortals to get off their arses and actually do something. If things didn’t change Mecca might suffer under a rain of Heavenly Fire. She didn’t care what she had to do, if she had to burn Mecca to the ground to rebuild the Caliphate, then she would.
Mortals irritated her so. Then again so did many of the Angels regardless of what kind. There were just so many fools in the world.
She came up behind Michael, tentatively reaching out to touch his shoulder. He glanced over and smiled at her. “You look tired.”
She felt tired. Angels might not need to sleep, but they had to compensate for it in some other manner. Gods had no need to sleep, but it could become necessary after channelling vast amounts of magic. That seemed to be all she did. She was constantly channelling her own powers, the powers of the Desiccated Vestiges under her control, the powers of the imprisoned Divine, the faith powers granted by the billions of followers. It seemed endless and yet she knew that despite how much power she was channelling it wasn’t enough. If she were to get into a battle with Brigid, she felt sure she would lose.
“I feel tired, it has been a long week.”
“You have been very busy of late Gabriel, I have barely seen you.”
“I know” she cupped his face in her hands “it is a common fault in our marriage, but we will prevail. Won’t we?”
He closed his violet eyes and leaned into her hands. “Fear not Gabriel, I do not blame you for my predicament. It is my cross to bear, and I will endure it. But I do have some information that might be of use to you.”
“Oh and that is?”
“We still have believers in Pakistan. They were not all killed.”
“But Brigid destroyed Pakistan. I haven’t seen devastation like that since Atlantis.”
“Azad Ali is still alive, I can feel his lifeforce. He and his people could be of great use to you.”
She studied him as she started calculating. This was Michael’s honour flaring up, he felt to blame for what had happened in Pakistan. There was no doubt he was to blame, there was no one else, he was where the decisions had stopped at, and he had made the most disastrous. Yet the guilt was plaguing his mind, it tarnished his honour. He was seeking retribution for his failures in whatever way he could. He would not normally try to use her to soothe his honour, they both knew they saw things very differently, but he knew that he could appeal to her scheming mind.
Azad Ali could be of great use, she already saw potential open up. Whether she followed through on these plans remained to be seen, but new options had appeared.
“They could be. His trace please.”
She felt magic flow into her hands still wrapped around his neck. Once in her, her powers analysed the trace and was already scanning the globe. Michael was right, she could feel Azad Ali, strangely still strong of faith. Then again Humans were a strange race, hardship seemed to make them believe more. She could also feel powerful faith around him though it was flickering. If she were going to use it, she would have to do it soon.
She felt Michael relax, he had done all he could to appease his honour, now he would bear his punishment with a sense of misplaced pride. Her husband was a strange man, she loved him, but sometimes she really didn’t understand him. But then she doubted he understood all of her, not even her brother and mother had guessed at just how far she would go. While Ariel might be a kindred soul, they still had their differences.
She was something unique into herself, in oh so many ways.
She was marginally surprised when she felt his arms and wings wrap around her. He pulled her close and leaned his head against hers. She had been correct, he needed sex to feel more like a man, but more than that she felt that he just needed to be reminded of his worth. And to her he was the most valuable thing in the world.
Her arms wrapped up around his neck, it was just the start, but she would show him just how much he meant to her. Even in his lowest position.
Agrat studied the Human held within the containment cell. Her eyes were closed while she slept, her hair floated idly around her as the machine filtered the water. The woman would never wake again, she was not long for this world. It was clear to all that she had contracted a horrible disease, hundreds of painful looking blisters distorted the skin all over her body, in some places her skin was almost unrecognisable. Many of the blisters had started to crust, ooze an opaque fluid or haemorrhage.
She had indeed contracted a terrible disease, one of the worst to have ever plagued Humanity and the other Mortal Races. It was one of Mankind’s oldest and most dangerous enemies, killing billions all throughout history. It was a merciless slaughterer that had swept through all the corners of the Earth. But Humanity, with its strange brilliance, had struck back with vaccinations and health campaigns until it was eradicated in 1977. The world had breathed a sigh of relief and Humanity had been surprised at its monumental achievement.
But she had brought smallpox back from eradication. Not only that, she had modified it to be even more aggressive and increased its ability to infect. She had turned a merciless killer into a near unstoppable destroyer.
The body in the next tank attested to that. Within floated the blighted body of a young Nephilim, metallic streaked blood hung thick around his lesions. It was clear that he would haemorrhage to death if he did not succumb to one of the other symptoms. With what she had done to the disease, it was anyone’s guess as to what would kill him first. She had taken all the worst and destructive qualities of smallpox and refined it into an even more fatal variation of the disease. Then she had made it capable of infecting the Lesser Divine.
It had taken all of her skill and power to manage it. It had even required the assistance of Persephone and Hera. Typically the Divine were immune from all diseases, it didn’t matter what level of Divinity one had, even if it was just one drop they were safe from nearly all diseases. They were only ever vulnerable to the God created diseases, and they only killed those with the smallest trace of Divinity. What she had done was push boundaries no one had thought traversable or wanted to cross. She had done the impossible and made a disease capable of killing half-Divine.
If a person had even one drop more than half Divine blood then they were safe, no disease could harm anything that was more than half Divine. It was one of the absolute truths of the world. Her variation of smallpox preyed on the mortal half of the Divine body. If it were to succeed with anything more than half Divine it could only increase their Divinity by stripping them of their mortal constraints. It was a risk she was willing to take.
What was one or two demigods or Nephilim gaining immortality when hundreds if not thousands of others would die? She had a biological weapon the likes of which the world had never seen before.
It would wreck utter devastation no matter where it went. The Gods and Angels would be safe, as would all the Maenads and presumably most Demons. But everything else was at risk of infection and death. All the supernatural races risked infection, for they had diluted their bloodlines to survive the Angels’ purges. But then so too where the vast Nephilim armies the Angels seemed to easily raise and used to deadly effect.
She would strip the Angels of one of their most useful and destructive assets. Dead Nephilim were of no more use than dead Humans. Though unfortunately the spirits would return to the Angels’ fold, they were nowhere near as useful as Lesser Angels. Lesser Angels were little more than servants, messengers, and cannon fodder. Nephilim were a highly versatile and useful race that had always served the Angels well. They were far more powerful alive than dead, and could potentially Ascend. Not that the Angels usually allowed that to happen.
It was not just the Angels’ forces who were susceptible to this new strain of smallpox. All nations and empires would be infected eventually. There was no way to stop the spread of a disease of this magnitude. The Daemon races of the world would die just as easily as Humans, with very few exceptions. This would strip Britain, the Dragon Empire and Great Babylon of their power. It would even strip the Greater Demons of their power bases. Smallpox was going to dramatically shift the power balance of the world in Hera’s favour.
She turned to look at several more tanks, each housing a different species within. There was a Human, Incubus, Werecat, Vampire and even a Wendigo. All looked relatively healthy except for some discolouration of their skin. What rashes that had been present had all but faded. Her vaccine had worked very effectively. While powerful Divine could heal the sick, it would be time-consuming and require a lot of power. Power that would be better used to defending borders against invaders.
Her vaccine had worked on all test subjects, which was necessary if she was going to prevent the Heradmantium Empire being stripped of its own power. It had been difficult to create one that had to be so broad spectrum, but magic could do things that science never could.
Her job had been made easier because she had been able to exclude several races. The Maenads had all been granted full Divinity as part of Dionysus’ legacy, they were in theory equal to any Elder Angel. Not that they had the age or learning to rival the Elder Angels. The Elites had also been created fully Divine, they were Hera’s extraordinary warriors and unquestionable servants. She had also raised the Forsaken to be more than half Divine, not the full immortal Divine of the Maenads or Elite but enough that they could kill any Angels they found.
Her biggest difficulty had been crafting a vaccine for the undead Vampires. She hadn’t quite realised that her strain of smallpox would be able to infect undead hosts and cause death, but it had. It didn’t seem feasible, but somehow the disease was able to destabilize the lifeforce enough that it severed the connection between the spirit and its host. It made her want to laugh at the horror it would cause the other Vampires around the world. She wondered if they could contract other diseases as well.
Now that it had been proved that the vaccine worked she could begin mass production for the Heradmantium Empire. Then once the immunisation program was complete, the disease could be unleashed on the world.
Smallpox would be back with a vengeance.
Gabriel studied the man that Michael felt honour-bound to protect. The same man who had been the driving force behind the Angels’ successful invasion of India but who had also put nuclear technology within Michael’s hands. She now understood part of why Michael felt compelled to protect him. He was a faithful servant who even after the collapse of his nation and the destruction of so much of his world still believed.
Then again Michael had granted him wings, he had good reason to be a strong believer. Not that that translated to those around him. They saw his wings, but they questioned and despaired, many had all but lost their faith. There were even some that were nursing bitter resentment, resentment that was festering into hatred. Azad Ali would in all likelihood be murdered tonight.
For Michael’s sake, she couldn’t let that happen.
Azad Ali stared in surprise at the beams of sunlight that solidified into the body of an Angel, but this was not the Angel of Death and Justice, this was another one. The armour was slightly different, and his wings were not black but gold and white. Pure white flames enshrouded his form and cast stark light and shadows around the camp.
All around them his people fell to their knees before the Angel of God as his voice rolled through all their heads. The devout should not wallow in self-pity and doubt. You should be striving to reach Mecca and pass on all you know to the rising Caliphate.
