Luciel's Children

*

Jon woke in the pre-dawn grey, alone in his bed, no sign of Nessa anywhere, and no sense of her presence.

"Ness..." he called softly, and receiving no reply, climbed out of bed to look out of the window.

There, in the garden, was his sister, talking with Uriel; it had to be Uriel, although he looked different yet again; gone was the black suit and the glossy black hair; now his hair was a deep chestnut brown, short and practical, and he was dressed in what looked like some kind of silvery armour, although Jon couldn't focus on it properly, for some reason. For no reason at all, a sense of foreboding swept over him; what was Nessa talking to Uriel about, and why the armour?

He ran downstairs and out into the garden, the sense of foreboding growing, coupled with a deep disquiet. Nessa turned her head when she realised Uriel wasn't looking at her any more, an expression of sorrow mixed with determination flitting across her face before she schooled her features into an impassive mask.

"Ness, why's Uriel here, what's going on?" demanded Jon, and his heart sank when she looked away, refusing to meet his stare.

"Ness, what's happened? What have you done?" he demanded, a sick certainty growing in the pit of his stomach that he already knew. He went to hold her, and suddenly a barrier snapped into place around her, insubstantial as smoke, stronger than steel, preventing him from approaching her. From the corner of his eye he could make out the suggestion of black wings, huge pinions enfolding her, keeping him away from her.

"Jonny, please, I have to do this, please don't try and stop me!" she said, her voice soft but laden with emotion. Jon wasn't prepared to listen. Instead he raged against that impenetrable barrier, those smoky pinions enfolding her.

"What have you done, Nessa, please, tell me..." he begged her, almost sobbing in his fright and the sick certainty that he knew, but he had to hear her say it.

Nessa looked away, at the lone figure of her father, as always, alone and unaware in his own private hell.

"I offered myself in exchange for daddy. I did this to him; I owe him this; if I take his place, he'll be free, he'll be forgiven, and he can rest forever. I owe him, Jonny, what happened to daddy was because of me; this is how I make amends!"

Jon sank to his knees, his imploring look at Uriel meeting only stony silence.

"Please Uriel, don't let her do this, she doesn't understand what she's doing, please, don't..." he sobbed, but Uriel only raised one eyebrow.

"The bargain has been struck, Jon Stewart; I didn't come to her and persuade her, she summoned me; Vanessa has made this decision, all I can do is open the way and fulfil the bargain; your father for her. This is the way it has always been, and I cannot intervene, only carry out her wishes. I'm sorry."

Jon looked at her beseechingly.

"Please Ness, don't, please..." he sobbed, but Nessa refused to meet his gaze, looking only to where their father stood, while tears ran down her cheeks.

Jon looked from Nessa to Uriel and back to Nessa, and then it came to him; he could save her, he could stop her doing this, there was a way!

"Uriel, I offer myself in place of my sister! I will take my father's place if you will release her from the bargain. I know this is in your power. I will take my father's place!"

"Done!" drawled a soft voice, and Jon and Nessa both spun around to see another figure standing in the garden, in armour like Uriel's, but glowing so brightly they could hardly make out his features, except that he was almost impossibly handsome, with silvery-white hair cut in a warrior's bowl like Uriel's.

"Hello my brother!" murmured Uriel, while Jon and Nessa stepped back in confusion; another archangel? Why? Who?

"Uriel, it has been too, too long; it is lonely in exile, and I am glad to look upon your face again after so long!"

Jon and Nessa edged closer together; there was something about the newcomer...

Uriel smiled, and suddenly his wings, those barely seen barriers, snapped into view, huge and glossy black, graceful and majestic.

"Jon, Vanessa, this is my brother; this is Luciel, the Lightbringer, the Morning Star, brightest of all angels."

Jon looked at Nessa, terror beginning to grow in her eyes as realisation dawned as to just who was standing before them. The newcomer smiled sardonically, and also snapped his wings open, huge and bright, glorious in their brilliance, but with a hint of eye-searing black, painful to look-on, but impossible to ignore.

"I am also known as 'Lucifer', 'The Lord of Misrule', 'The Lord of Futility', and various other not so nice names, but I prefer 'Luciel'; if you need to address me, then that is how you will address me. And now we have business to transact. As I recall, a bargain was struck, and I have accepted the soul of Jonathan Kier Stewart in full payment for the release of Richard Kier Stewart, who will, as per the original agreement, be expunged of any trace of sin. Your father has already departed, so now I will take my payment."

Jon looked at where their father had been, and sure enough, he was gone. Nessa stared at him in horror as he took that first, faltering step toward Luciel, and an eternity of damnation, but Jon was determined to go through with it; he'd made the bargain, and saved his father and his sister, this had to be.

One more step, and then suddenly a figure barred his way, huge and hot, his armour glowing as if red hot, a flaming sword in his hand.

"This cannot be!" boomed the new arrival. "I cannot allow this!"

So saying, he planted his feet wide and thrust his sword point into the ground, his huge hands wrapped around the hilts as he leaned on it, his red hair and blazing golden eyes feeding the illusion that he was made of fire. From the corner of his eye, Jon saw several other figures materialise, their armour shimmering and rippling with their own unearthly radiance, naked swords glittering like stars in their hands, with their huge wings unfurled, barring his way and rooting him to the spot.

Luciel looked annoyed at the intrusion.

"The bargain was made and accepted, Michael, you have no say here! I own the soul of Jonathan Stewart. This is all in accordance with The Great Bargain, so leave, and take these others with you; they have no business here today either!"

Michael shook his huge head slowly.

"The soul you are claiming has no smirch of sin upon it; by The Great Bargain you are compelled to release such souls! Do not force me to defend this boy, because I will. I will!"

Luciel began to glow with an ever greater brilliance, that tinge of eye-searing black now even more brilliant, a deeper, more lustrous black than the world had ever seen, sickly, malignant, and evil, the colour of horror, madness, and damnation. The sword he unsheathed was so black it seemed to absorb light and reflect none back, a sword-shaped hole in time and space. He glanced at Uriel, who had also unsheathed his sword, and a cynical, bitter smile curled his lip.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you, my brother? Was this your plan all along? Because I feel no hesitation in fighting for what is mine. I have my rights by law. You have resorted to trickery to deprive me of what is mine by right; I thought better of you, my brother! Now the gang's all here, Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Ariel; even Chamuel and Zadkiel are here, so who's first?"

Michael raised his huge fiery sword, even as "No, Michael, don't!" rang out. Michael lowered his sword to look sideways at an Archangel in pale blue armour, but with his sword still sheathed.

"What now, Gabriel, am I supposed to back away from this honey-tongued charlatan, the father of lies? Remember what happened before! If I'd been allowed to kill him then, none of the things that trouble the world and shake the Thrones would have come to pass!"

Gabriel shook his head sadly.

"That was meant to be; the Eternal does not reveal anything about what might have been, or should have been; Luciel is my brother, he is your brother; casting him out was merciful, and necessary, and trying to kill him now will shake the Thrones much worse than anything that has gone before! We must weather this, or none of us will survive. We are Archangels, we are instruments of The Eternal, just as he is, and we do not brawl like a gang of ruffians!"

He looked at Luciel, enthroned in his terrifying nimbus of evil light, signifying his readiness to do battle, and shook his head.

"Don't do this, Luciel! You are the lord of punishment, he who cleanses the souls of sinners, but what will you do with this soul? There is no sin there, only minor venial sins that would not condemn a soul to the pit, so if you take this soul, what will you do with it? Punish it for sins it has not committed? Be gracious my brother, I beg of you. It has been too long since you have been gone, a million, million years since the fall of the Grigori; you, I, all of us, we know what happened was fore-ordained, and still your brothers feel your absence with every day that passes. You tell yourself you revel in what you have become, but inside, you are still one of our brethren, and you too feel the loss we all feel. Does that not move you?"

Luciel lowered his sword, the nimbus of awful light surrounding him dimming to nothing. With a clash that made the teeth sing in Jon's head, he thrust his sword back in its sheath, and folded his arms, staring at Jon and Nessa, enfolded and protected as they were in the graceful, impenetrable wings of the other Archangels.

"So, Jonathan Keir Stewart, it appears I have no claim on you. Very well, there is no bargain, and I will not reclaim your father. However, I am owed redress. You have agreed with Uriel that you will move on once the last of your blood has departed; so be it. However, you will accept reincarnation, both of you, and, if you do not find each other in your reincarnated lives, when you pass-away, you will both belong to me. Is that merciful enough, Uriel?"

"Done!" barked Uriel, before Jon or Nessa could either agree or object. With that, the figures surrounding them clustered around Luciel, all the brothers joining one last time, then, one by one, they melted into a column of light that rose and blended with the dawn.

Jon sighed as the overwhelming sense of presence dissipated, and then there was just him, Nessa, and Uriel grinning at them, armour gone, and his usual natty black suit and silver adornments in evidence.

"So what now, Uriel, what do Ness and I do now?" asked Jon, and Uriel grinned at them.

"It's over. Stay here, move on, it's up to you. You can leave here now, you can go where you want, come back when you like; you're no longer tied here. Just don't go trying to touch your mother, or letting her know you're still around; that's still a no-no! I'll look in on you from time to time; remember, if you need me, just call; whether I like it or not, you're still my responsibility."

He smiled, and this time there was no trace of sardonic mockery or indulgence in his smile.

"Be well, kids; go and have some fun now, see the world, you can do that now; perhaps you should go and visit Jemma first and see how well she's doing. Bye for now!"

*

Now that they could leave, Jon and Nessa chose to remain near their mother; the recent events, and their eventual outcome, had lightened the atmosphere considerably in their home; even June could feel it, although of course, she couldn't know why her home felt so light and happy again, after all the years of sorrow and regret.

She still heard noises at night; she still found things moved around or subtly out of place, and the occasional sense of her children's presence would make her stop and suddenly look around, hoping against hope that she would catch a glimpse of them. As time passed, June gradually came to accept that perhaps her children were not so far away after all and that they were somehow watching over their home and loved ones.

For their part, Nessa and Jon spent their time falling deeper and more profoundly in love every day, their bond slowly tightening into an unbreakable connection. Their lovemaking grew more varied and inventive as they grew together, their joy pervading and enlivening their home, filling it with lightness even on the darkest, grimmest of winter days.

June felt it, even though she didn't know what she was feeling, but still she basked in the embrace of her children's love and joy as they loved each other and watched over her.

Uriel, watching from a distance, was well pleased; this was going to make what came next a lot easier.

Finally the day came when June passed away; she'd chosen to spend her last days in the house where she believed her children still lived, and it was with emotions impossible to describe that Jon and Vanessa watched over her passing. As her spirit prepared to depart, she finally saw her two lost children, and when she smiled at them and raised her hands for them to take her with them, they reached for her, but instead a hand appeared on each of their shoulders.

"No children, not this time; this is for someone else!" said a soft voice, and when they looked around, Uriel was there, still as debonair as ever, but that sardonic grin was gone; now his smile was warm and gentle. As Jon and Nessa moved apart, Richard was suddenly there between them, reaching for his wife, to take her hand and hold her to him.

"I thought...after what happened..." she murmured, but Richard stilled her with a finger to her lips.

"Our children saved me, my love; they offered themselves in my place, and they saved us all, and so I have come for you today."

With that, he turned to gently cup Nessa's chin, to brush his fingers across Jon's cheek, and gently brush away the tears on both their cheeks, before turning once more to June.

"And now my darling, will you come with me?"

June stared at him, her eyes shining, then nodded, a long, slow smile curving her lips. Richard leaned down to kiss her, then, as they turned to smile at their children, the light around them intensified, then died away, and they were gone.

"What happens to them now?" asked Jon, and Uriel grinned, once more his old, sardonic, slightly cynical self.

"I told you once before, Jonny, a long time ago; that's something I don't know; I can't know, in fact, you could say not knowing is part of what makes me what I am. Wherever they are, whatever they're doing, they'll be happy, that's all I know. Maybe they'll decide to come back and do it all again; whatever they do, it's their choice now."

*

Jemma and her family remained at the house, and again, Jon and Nessa watched over her all the days of her life, and when it was her time, they were there for her, their last remaining family.

Jemma smiled with joy as she once again looked upon her long-lost older siblings, and when they took her and embraced her, she smiled as the years fell away from her, until she was no older than them, young once more in the company of her ageless brother and sister. As she breathed her last, her children and grandchildren gathered around her bed wondered at the calm, joyful smile on her face.

And now Jon and Nessa's blood was all spent, none remained on this earth; they had taken their sister through to the place where the light had claimed her, and so it was time for them to move on, as they had agreed so very long ago.

"Are you ready, children?" said a well-remembered voice, and there he was, Uriel, the Angel of Death, no longer humorous, witty, cynical, or sardonic; now he had come for them, calm, majestic, magnificent, his true nature finally revealed.

"We have a bargain to fulfil. Do not worry, there is world enough, and time, for you to find each other again; just trust yourselves, and trust your feelings."

"I'll find you, Ness, I swear; wherever I go, whatever I have to do, I will find you, I love you so much!" Jon promised desperately, kissing his sister one last time, while Uriel watched them indulgently.

"I love you too, Jonny, I love you so much, I'll find you, I'll search until I find you, Jonny, I promise!" she whispered, kissing him back just as desperately, loss already rising inside her as she clung to him. Uriel put a hand on each of their shoulders, gently urging them forward.

"Come with me, children, it is time. Do not worry; you will find each other. Be brave now, and follow me, you will come to no harm, I promise you."

*

Epilogue:

The two mothers met for the first time outside the primary school on the first day of school. They felt drawn together, possibly because they were a little older than the other young mothers bringing their little ones for their first day.

As is only natural, they began talking about their children, both happily discovering that their children were 'miracle' babies; after trying for years, and despairing of ever falling pregnant, they had finally conceived, and their children were born just a few weeks apart.

As they chatted, one of the mothers pointed out her daughter.

"Look, that's my little girl over there. Her father's so proud of her; she's the image of his grandmother Jemma, and she's just the apple of his eye!"

The other mother agreed that the little girl was indeed gorgeous, and looked around until she spotted her little boy. As she saw him, he saw her and waved happily. Even from that distance his bright blue eyes were noticeable. The little girl was even more eye-catching, her brilliant green eyes and mane of chestnut hair striking and immediately noticeable

Both children ran to their mothers, eager to tell of their first day at school, but when they spotted each other, they stopped dead, their eyes wide, then, to the astonishment of their mothers, they took each other by the hand and ran to a corner of the playground and began playing together, completely ignoring the other children around them.

"Well, I've never seen her do that before!" exclaimed the little girl's mother, and the boy's mother nodded in agreement.

"I've never seen him take to anyone so quickly. What's your daughter's name?"

"Her name's Vanessa, but everyone calls her Nessa or Ness; how about your boy?"

"His name's Jonathan, but he likes to be called Jonny."

*

In the small and unremarkable black car parked on the corner, where they could see the school playground, Uriel grinned at Gabriel.

"See, all they needed was a little help! I don't think Luciel's going to be too fussed; he practically told me to do it. But just in case, I think I'll watch them for a while; it might be fun being a Guardian Angel! We're done here, let's go."

The car whispered down the road, pulled into a nondescript alley, and faded from view.