How long had I stood here in the darkness? How long had it been since my banishment? How long had I been made to watch as the world I had once known drift farther and farther away? I still remember the pain as the darkness had shred itself through me, and I would never forget the voice of the one who had imprisoned me. How could I forget it when the voice was one that I knew as well as I knew my own?
For ages I had lived amongst them, teaching and guiding them. Then I had made the mistake that I swore I'd never make. I'd fallen in love, and for the first time in my life I can remember being happy. Finally I had a partner, someone who felt the same way that I did, or so I thought. They say that love is blind, and now as I look back at that time in my life I realize how many things I should have seen that I didn't. It was because of this that my betrayal was even more complete.
I still remember the battle. For years there had been a growing darkness in the world, and finally I had discovered the culprit. For days the battle raged, both of us calling down the elements on each other. Then when I was just about to beat my enemy, I felt a pain unlike any I'd ever felt. Looking down I saw first the knife stuck in my side, then the hand, and then finally the face of the one that I had trusted with my life. Instantly a fury unlike any I'd ever felt overwhelmed me and force that flew from my body was strong enough to knock him away from me. As I dropped to a knee, I heard the words that came from his mouth and realized that he was about to cast a forbidden spell. With the last of my strength I threw forth my might, and watched in horror as flame consumed both him and my enemy. Even as the flames reached him, I heard him finish the last of the spell. I watched in horror at the transformation over took him, and all I could do was scream as the pain hit me. That was the last thing I remembered until I awoke in this void that has been my prison since.
Since then I've had a lot of time to look back at my life. I've had the chance to examine everything I did, and how I would have done it different. However the one thing I've never been able to understand is why? Why did Dorn betray me? How did he know the spell he used? Perhaps the most disturbing question of all though was why couldn't I stop loving him?
"Gaibreal," a voice said out of the darkness, "Gaibreal wake up. You are needed once more. Gaibreal, AWAKE!"
With a jolt I was awakened from my memories. As I opened my eyes I immediately closed them again because the light was blinding. Opening them slowly again, I saw a figure that I had not seen in a long time.
"My lord," I gasped out as I reached out a questioning hand. "Is it really you, or have I finally lost what was left of my sanity?"
"Awake my champion," the voice replied. "The world needs you once more. The times are dark and growing darker. Once again the world needs a champion. You are the one they need. For ages I have searched for a way to free you and now take my hand and all that you once were shall be returned to you."
Barely believing what I heard I slowly reached out a hand towards the One that I had always served. As I touched his hand, I felt the power flow back into me. Basking in the radiance, I closed my eyes and then felt my body give a great shudder. With a cry I opened my eyes again and jumped from the ground. Instantly my wings opened to hold my weight and for the first time since my imprisonment I was awake and was in control of my powers once more. After pulling my staff out of the air in front of me, I fell to my knees in front of the one I served.
"Tell me my Lord, what is it that I'm to do?" I said, my voice already growing in strength.
"Go forth my friend, and live. Remind the world that there is still Light in the darkness, and show them how to reach for it. Show them that there is hope instead of despair. Teach them how to love again, instead of hate, but most importantly teach them about the Law."
Then the light grew brighter and when I could open my eyes again he was gone. At first I thought it was all a dream until I saw a glimmer of light that stretched out in a path in front of me. I knew instantly that was my way out and as I grabbed the ribbon of light in front of me I was jerked once more into the world of man.
The world had changed since I was here last. Gone were the forests that I had once roamed. Gone were the mountains that I had once climbed. Instead there were great cities where people lived literally on top of each other. It should have been mans greatest moment, but it wasn't. Everywhere I looked there was death, destruction, and perhaps the most disturbing was a sense of despair that seemed to ooze through the very air that they would breathe. One of the first things that I could feel was the taint of evil that seemed to fill the world around me. It was very familiar to me, and with a start I realized why I could recognize it.
"Dorn," I thought, "After all these years you are still here." My thoughts turned inwards towards the last time that I had seen him, and it was as if by thinking of him that I called out to him.
"Gaibreal," a voice whispered in my mind, "How nice to see you again. I thought that you would be trapped in your prison for ever." The voice seemed to ooze through my mind and with it came the image of the man that I had once known. He was still as beautiful as he was when I knew him. His black hair hung further down his back. His skin was darker, and he was dressed in modern clothes, but other than that he was the same person that I had known. The only difference was that now I could sense the evil that surrounded him. Why I hadn't felt it before, I'll never know, but it was an evil that I was very familiar with.
"Azreal," I whispered as my mind went numb. Too long had it been since I had sensed him, too long had it been since I had thought of him. The one who knew me better than anyone and the one that had turned his back on me, the one that I knew as brother. "Azreal," I whispered again. After a millennia here was proof that my brother was still alive. Was this why my lord had called me back? Was this why he had strived so hard to break my prison, because he knew that Azreal was here? That meant that it was Azreal who had given Dorn the words to the spell that had induced my imprisonment.
"Yes, it was your brother who gave me the spell. It was your brother who gave me the knowledge that I used to betray you. You were weak Gaibreal, and I had hoped that the wound that I gave you would have killed you, but I didn't fully understand. It wasn't until Dorn explained to me afterwards that I understood the spell that I had cast on you. I thought I was killing you, not imprisoning you."
"Why," I thought, "I loved you."
"Love is for the weak. You should have been ruling the mortals instead of letting them rule you. You should have broken them and controlled them. You could have done it, instead you were too weak. You let yourself be trapped into the one emotion that all humans carry, the one weakness that they have always carried and still do, love."
"Love isn't a weakness Dorn. Azreal could never understand that, and I guess you never did either."
"Did I ever understand love? No I didn't. I still don't. Lust I understand. Lust is what allowed me to fuck you the many times you begged me to. Do you remember those times Gaibreal? I do, I remember them very much."
In my minds eye I watched as Dorn ran his hand up and down his body until finally it rested on the bulge in his pants. It was a bulge that I was very familiar with, and as images and memories washed over me I broke the mind contact that Dorn had established, sending just enough of my will behind it to cause Dorn some discomfort as I did. As I surveyed my surroundings again it was apparent to me that no one had noticed me or the conversation that I had had.
As I steeled my mind to the task before me an image came to my mind. It was an image of a man with golden hair and tan skin. He was surrounded by people, and it appeared that they were having a good time. As I watched this vision play out in front of me, he looked up and I was captured by his eyes. Most humans have simple colors for their eyes, blue, green, brown, and the occasional hazel thrown in. It was his eyes that caught my attention, they were golden, and instantly I knew him. "Michael," my mind whispered, and as the name went through my mind it was like he heard me. He turned his head looking for the source of the whisper and for a second his eyes and mine met, and even though it was just a vision I knew he was seeing me as well as I was seeing him. I watched his eyes widen, and then the vision was gone. "Who was this man? Why did I know him?" I thought, and then "Did he actually see me?"
As these thoughts raced through my mind, another voice entered my head. One that I knew as well and one that I was eager to talk to.
"Gaibreal," the voice said, "You must find him and you must protect him."
"Who is he Lord," I asked.
"He is the one who could save us all," the Voice said as it faded away.
As the voice faded, I realized that I could still sense Michael's presence. It was like there was a beacon drawing me towards him, and I knew that I had to follow it. Allowing myself to fade into view, I made sure that my mortal form was clothed in modern clothing, and as I pulled the trench coat closer around me I settled in for a long night and possibly an even longer day.