In The Arms of an Angel - 28. Chapter 28 You Can't Do That To Me

Passa’el and Uzzi’el ignored the outraged cries of the sentenced angels and linked hands. Once more the rainbow coloured light poured from them and surrounded the prisoners. Soon their cries were silenced and they were lost in the maelstrom of colour.

After what seemed like a long time to those who watched, the two angles dropped hands and took a step back. All four prisoners were kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed, no longer bound. They looked – different.

Slowly Micha’el raised his head and glared at Uzzi’el, his eyes burning with anger and hatred that bordered on madness. He got to his feet and stumbled. Surprised, he looked down at himself, studying his hands as if they belonged to someone else.

“What have you done?” he growled, his voice low and threatening.

“What we said we would do. You are now human, Michael. Go learn what it’s like to be human. As your body grows old, remember what you have done and repent of your evil ways. If you can purify your heart sufficiently there may still be a place for you when your human body dies. If not, then you will turn to dust as you deserve.”

“No!” Gabri’el cried out. “Uzzy, please. Please don’t do this to me.”

“It’s done Gabriel.”

“Please, not this, not a human. I can’t stand it. I would rather die.”

“That’s in your hands now. Your life is yours to do with as you please. If you choose to take it then remember this – unless you redeem yourself your body will turn to dust and your soul will be freed to join with the universal source of life. Only if you work hard at being human and make yourself a good one, will you have a chance of regaining what you once were. Learn humility, Gabriel, or disappear forever.”

“You can’t do this to me. You can’t—.”

“As I said, we already have. Now leave. You may collect your belongings from the camp. If you wish you will be taken there and on to anywhere you please. After that you’re on your own. I’d wish you good luck if I didn’t think the words would be wasted.”

Gabriel continued to plead and curse while Michael and the other two angels remained silent. The two lesser angels appeared resigned to their fate but Michael was simmering, already plotting something. Pasha had no confidence they’d make anything of their chance, neither did he have any doubts they would find a way back eventually. But that was for another time. For now, he put his arm around Uzzi’el and they turned away.

From the droop of his shoulders, Pasha could tell Uzzy was as exhausted as he was. Ignoring the shouts and curses from behind them the two tired angels walked across the courtyard toward the low, L shaped building that was serving as headquarters for the rebel angels, who, it appeared were rebels no more.

By the time he registered the change in the tone of shouts and heard the crack of gunfire, Pasha turned just in time to catch the flat of Michael’s hand in the middle of his chest, sending him staggering back a few steps.

“Uzzy,” he cried, too late, as Michael grabbed Uzzi’el and pulled him against him with a gun jammed against his ribs.

“Get back,” Michael called and the angels who had been running towards them slowed to a standstill. “If anyone so much as twitches, I’ll splatter his guts all over the courtyard.” He jabbed the gun sharply into Uzzi’el’s ribs, making him twitch and gasp.

“Let him go.” Pasha knew full well Michael had no intention of letting Uzzi’el go, but he had to try. Uzzi’el smiled at him, his eyes alight with love. Even now.

Michael laughed. “Not a chance, little demon. Give me back my wings. Return what you took from me and I will return what I took from you.”

“I can’t.”

“Oh, I think you can.”

“Then you think wrong. We can, but I can’t.”

Michael frowned, considering. “Alright. Come closer. You can touch him but make a single false move and I’ll pull the trigger.”

Pasha moved closer and took Uzzi’el’s hand. They gazed into each other’s eyes, non verbal messaged flying between them.

“Do it.”

Passa’el and Uzzi’el nodded in unison and the rainbow began to build.

“Don’t try pulling any stunts,” Michael growled, jabbing Uzzi’el again and making him cry out.

“If you keep doing that,” Uzzi’el said calmly. “I won’t be able to concentrate to do anything.”

“Get on with it.”

Uzzi’el took a deep breath and started to glow again. The rainbow grew and grew until it was blinding, obscuring each of them from each other and everyone else. Passa’el held tight to Uzzi’el’s hand and let him lead, following him along the paths and the currents of their own personal rainbow. It didn’t take long to realise that Uzzi’el had no intention of restoring Michael.

Passa’el fed his energy into his mate as Uzzi’el carefully spun it and gathered it ready to release into Michael. He was somewhat surprised that Uzzi’el intended to destroy him but he wasn’t about to argue after what Michael had done to him, to both of us.

What happened next was so fast Passa’el couldn’t really have said in precisely what order they came.

Uzzi’el got to the point where he was ready to release the energy into Michael, effectively atomising him and sending his essence back into the universal life source. At what must have been precisely the same moment Michael realised he was being deceived and pulled the trigger. There was an enormous, but silently contained explosion of energy that literally blasted Pasha off his feet. He flew backwards and landed so hard he was winded.

Struggling for air, he managed to roll over and raise his head. Uzzi’el was on his back in the dirt about two hundred yards away, but there was no sign of Michael.