Gabriel's Armada

Chapter 3: Dina

Gabriel closed his eyes as he felt the void around him, muttering prayers like he had never done before against the monsters he was likely to encounter.

After what felt like an hour went by and he was still in one piece, he peeked out of his left eye and saw his two companions.

They were relaxed as one could be while falling and were giving him ridiculous stares.

“What?” He asked defensively.

Neither one of them replied. Gabriel felt ticked, he hated it when he was ignored.

“Where are we going to?” Gabriel asked.

“I have no idea.” James replied, “The void is a transport for angels. Only they can control it.”

“What does this void do?” Gabriel asked as he still peered around, looking out for anything that looked suspicious.

“It is a means of transportation, obviously. What makes it unique is that only an angel or those who have the permission of an angel can use it. Now, while we are in the void, no demon can trace or attack us.” Dina replied impatiently.

“So, where are you taking us?” Gabriel shot another questioned and earned himself a glare from Dina for it.

“I'm taking us to the only place where we will be safe from those evil creatures.” Dina said fiercely.

“And where is that?”

“Is there no end to the questions that come out of your mouth?” Dina asked angrily.

“Calm down,” Gabriel retorted, “It was just an innocent question. No need for you to blow your top.”

Dina snarled in reply and James interjected, “Now, now, there's no need to fight.” Changing the topic, he asked Dina, “What have you been up to? How's Ariel?”

Gabriel watched as Dina's face fell. She looked away and mumbled quietly, “Empyrean has fallen, Ariel is dead.”

“No!” James exclaimed, “How could this have happened?”

“We have no idea how Beelzebub is creating an unstoppable horde of demons. For every regiment you decimate, there's five more to take their place. They are as vast as the skies and as fierce as nothing I've ever seen before.” Dina answered, something akin to wonder present in her voice.

James looked shocked, “Then why did the demons attack the outpost?”

“It's clear they don't want people to make it to heaven again. They want to corner everyone who comes through the outpost, thereby increasing their population.” Dina explained.

“This goes against the rules of the Afterlife. The outpost is not affiliated with either side of the Afterlife and shall not be turned into a colony or a territory by any side.” James said, quoting an unwritten rule.

“Well, it seems Beelzebub doesn't care for the rules of the Afterlife anymore.” Dina replied.

“What will happen to the other guardians of the outpost?” James asked desolately.

Dina didn't reply. Instead, she said, “We're here.”

A scant second later, the void vanished and they found themselves falling into a deep dark hole. Gabriel and James screamed as they hit the ground while Dina flapped her wings to steady herself and landed gracefully on her feet.

* * *

Teres, the underground city.

Home to the Celestial Resistance.

Dina did not pay the two men any mind as they got up and dusted themselves, complaining about broken bones.

She walked on, heaving a sigh of relief when she made it to the gates of the city. Built in an underground tunnel, Teres consisted of a few buildings built with mud.

There were torches everywhere, to help people see in the dark.

At the gates, two fierce-looking warrior angels with painted faces greeted her, “Welcome, General Dina!”

“Thank you, Soldiers!” She said. She pointed at James and her other obnoxious companion and said, “They're with me.”

The Angels nodded and open the wrought-iron gates. The three of them walked through, and Dina smiled when some children ran up to her, chanting her name enthusiastically.

“Who are these children?” She heard her annoying companion ask. She turned and glared at him, regretting it immediately. Whenever she looked at his face, she was mesmerized by his ink-black slicked back hair, his obsidian eyes, Roman nose, full lips and the most sculpted bone structure she'd ever laid eyes on, and she'd seen many handsome angels.

“They're the survivors of the attack of the demons.” Dina replied, angry at herself for noticing his fine features. This was no time to indulge in that. She had to avenge Ariel, nothing else mattered.

The children led her to one of the largest houses in the little city.

When they entered, she saw Zachariah sitting on a stool, writing on a scroll.

He looked up when he saw her and smiled. He dropped his quill and raising his big frame up from the stool, he bounded over to where she stood and gave her a hug.

“Shalom, Dina. How are you?”

“As fine as I can be, given the circumstances.” Dina said as she removed herself from Zachariah's embrace.

Zachariah was another angel of war, who had fought alongside Dina and Ariel numerous times. He was huge with cream-colored wings, and closely cropped blond hair.

Dina watched as Zachariah's face hardened when he finally saw the people she'd come with.

“And who are these people?” He asked, folding his sinewy arms beneath his chest.

“This is James, a guardian of the outpost and this is . . .” Dina paused, realizing she didn't know the younger man's name. She turned to him and asked him, “What's your name?”

“Gabriel,” He replied with as much uninterest as he could muster.

At the mention of his name, Dina felt her heart convulse with shock.

* * *

Gabriel wondered why they were looking at him as though he'd had s*x with them and told them he had the clap.

What a bunch of weirdos, he thought to himself.

“Did you say 'Gabriel'?” The huge angel asked, narrowing his eyes.

Gabriel wondered if the man had an eye defect.

Serves him right, he thought. Staying in a place without electricity.

“Yes, Gabriel.” He affirmed, “Why do you ask?”

The man ignored him and turned to address Dina, “Do you know what this means?”

Dina shook her head and bit her finger nails. It was Gabriel's first time seeing her agitated. In fact, in the small time they'd been together, it was his first time of seeing her as anything other than slightly annoyed and unflappably cool.

“We can't jump to conclusions, Zachariah.” Dina replied him.

James nodded and added, “Yes, it's a common enough name on their world these days.”

“But then, what else could it be? Coincidence?” Zachariah asked before answering his own question, “I think not. We prayed, and he was sent.”

Gabriel looked at Zachariah and wondered if the man was a little insane. He was actually speaking like a crazy person.

“What are you talking about?” He asked Zachariah.

To his annoyance, Zachariah ignored him and placed his hand on Dina's shoulder, “This is what Ariel fought and died for. This is an absolute miracle!”

Gabriel clapped his hand and asked in a louder voice this time, “What are you guys talking about?!”

Dina rubbed her glabella furiously for a moment before she replied, “We're talking about you. Apparently, you are the one to lead us to victory.”