Chapter 10: Oracles and Questioning II
"So, at last, you find yourself at the edge, trembling at the very threshold you so easily forced others across. Do you feel it now, the weight of every life you took, every soul you tore apart?"
"W-who… who are you?"
"Who am I? I am the one who stands where light falters, who gazes into the depths of darkness with clear eyes. Some know me as an angel; others, as a tormentor. But for you, I am here to bear witness to what you have brought upon yourself."
" I—please, I didn't… I had no choice. It was—they forced me, the world turned its back on me. What else could I have done? I wanted a better world.."
"Ah, yes. The refrain of all who stand before their end, dripping in the blood of the innocent. The world forced your hand, did it? Tell me, were your victims given that same mercy? Did they plead, as you do now? And yet, their cries were silenced. Their blood cries out from the ground, demanding justice.
" What… what will happen to me?
"You ask now what awaits you? Very well. Let me grant you a glimpse. Imagine a place where fire does not consume, where the flames sear but never burn away the flesh. You will feel every pain, every agony you once inflicted, but magnified a thousandfold. There, suffering is a language spoken without end."
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Samael taunting Hitler's soul in Fuhrerbunker, Berlin.
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"So, we are to accept the creation of these Endless without question? Are we to believe they simply emerged from creation itself, or is their existence proof that the Almighty finds us… lacking?"
My line of question shocked everyone within the hall and brought out the doubts that plagued them, doubts they could not speak of. Azrael, Raphael and Uriel, looked towards Gabriel for an answer, yet in that moment, the messenger himself went silent.
Michael suddenly shifted his gaze to me in a moment, and the cosmos shook, yet I was unconcerned, disgusted even. Did he think I was a weakling like Jophiel or Raphael?
"Watch your words, Samael. The Almighty's will is beyond questioning." His voice boomed across creation, yet it only forced a wry smile to my face.
"Is it? The Almighty has, for untold ages, entrusted us to be His messengers, His guardians, His instruments in the divine order. And now, out of the ether, these Endless appear, embodiments of forces we were once tasked to uphold. Tell me, then—is it truly beyond question to wonder if we are being replaced?"
My words were sound, without a hint of anger or blame, genuine, and it struck the hearts of everyone present.
"Samael, the Almighty has spoken: "The purpose of the Endless is not to replace but to complement. They are born from creation itself, aspects that sustain the cycles which bind the multiverse together.' This is not a matter of replacing one servant with another. The Almighty's design is vast; each of us fulfills a unique purpose, as do the Endless."
Gabriel spoke with resolve, reading out the oracles, yet even he did not believe what he read out to us, and neither did we.
"Complement, you say. Is it complementing us to give the role of Death to another? To leave the vast expanse of Dream and the collective unconscious to one who knows no loyalty, no duty to us? If we are so essential, why did He suddenly require these forces to act outside of our own power?"
My words were not meant to stir strife, it came from a place of genuine curiosity, but deep down I wanted to stir curiosity in the hearts of my brethren. If truly Father was unsatisfied with us, then he was not worthy of our worship.
" Samael, the Endless are not beings of hierarchy." Raphael suddenly chipped in, attempting to soothe the tensions, yet the others were not having it.." They do not act as we do, nor do they claim duties we failed to fulfill. Their purpose is deeper, intrinsic to creation itself."
"Intrinsic. That is a convenient word, Raphael." I nodded. "Yet, have we not for eons upheld the boundaries between life and death? Have we not safeguarded creation, ensuring the balance endures? Why, then, must there now be entities—untouchable, unquestionable, unaligned with the order of Heaven?"
I chose my words carefully in order to draw out the deep grievances within the hearts of the my brethren.
" Samael, this line of questioning edges on defiance. The Almighty's words were clear: "The Endless are not created to perform the duties of angels, but to embody the eternal laws of the multiverse. You, my angels, are My messengers, My guardians of will. The Endless simply are—they are neither replacements nor servants, but constants." Gabriel spoke firmly, ready to defend Father's words with his life, yet I paid no heed.
"And yet, if these constants are suddenly required, it does raise the question of why. Perhaps the Almighty saw that even His highest creations could not grasp the full depth of His design. Or perhaps He found our devotion lacking, our efforts… insufficient."
My gaze was shadowed, and subconsciously, a smile crept up to my face. It hurt me to even think this about our Father, yet it was the truth and I revelled in the lost expressions on the faces of the brethren.
"That is enough, Samael. This is not about devotion or insufficiency. We serve with loyalty and purpose, and the Almighty's will for us is unchanged."
Michael's voice boomed with demiurgic power, and divine forces raged angrily. The sword sheathed at his waist slowly lit up with divine flames as he rested his eyes on me.
Yet I was unmoved. I was not scared by his little display, and even he knew he needed far more than a simple explosion of divine forces to intimidate me.
"Then explain it, Michael. If our purpose is so secure, why must Death now exist as a force beyond Azrael? Why must Dream shape creation when we were once entrusted with vision and prophecy? If these powers are essential, why did He not entrust them to us?"
I pulled Michael into the fray, bringing him into the spotlight. He had to answer to soothe everyone's hearts as this was not a situation that could be resolved with brute force. And this was where I excelled. Michael might be more intimidating, but I was smarter and far more intelligent.
"Samael, you misunderstand. The Almighty's plan is boundless. The Endless embody cycles we could not possibly bear in their entirety—forces too vast, too fundamental, even for angels. These beings are as unyielding as time itself, neither bound by loyalty nor need for command. Their existence does not diminish ours; it only reinforces the fullness of the Almighty's design."
Gabriel's voice was tinged with sorrow as he addressed me.
"A design where we are forever second to these… these constants. Am I alone in thinking this implies our limits have been reached?"
I pulled everyone else into the fray now, forcing them to think and sowing the seeds of doubts within their hearts. With this, they questioned themselves inwardly.
"Samael, perhaps it is our own pride that cannot accept the existence of another, separate purpose. The Almighty's love is not limited by role or rank. We are each crafted with a specific purpose. We remain the guardians of order, the messengers of His will. The Endless do not take this from us."
Uriel let out a sigh. He compromised, but at least he was realistic. Even if they disagreed with the creation of the Endless, nothing could be done about it.
" Samael, the Almighty has placed trust in us, just as He has trusted the Endless to fulfill their own purpose. It is not a matter of replacement or insufficiency but of harmony—different forces upholding creation's complexity."
Raphael joined him, also accepting the status quo. My plan had backfired. It was starting to lose my grip on their resolve.
" Perhaps, then, it is I who sees this matter most clearly. For all the words, I still question whether we are being cast aside, our purpose eclipsed. And if the Almighty's love is boundless, as you say, then why not seek all that lies beyond, just as these Endless do by their very nature?
It is in the same way, these Primordials of Khaos run around in our jurisdiction operating in our realm and yet we tolerate them because of an agreement made before we were even created?"
Silence reigned for several minutes and the brethren looked around at each other..
"Samael"..
Gabriel met my gaze with sorrow.. "your mind seeks answers that may not satisfy the heart. The Almighty's love encompasses all beings, yet each must find purpose within the place they have been given. "The Endless do not seek nor serve; they are embodiments, beyond aspiration or ambition." To emulate them is to misunderstand their nature and, perhaps, to forget our own."
Michael who had gone silent also whipped the best he could with an audible sigh.
"Samael, heed Gabriel's words. This questioning spirit blinds you to the truth: the Almighty's design is not a competition for favor. We serve because it is our purpose, not because we are the only ones capable of service. To seek more than what has been given is to step away from that purpose."
I couldn't help but shake my head, as I reverted to my mundane form. "Very well, then. But remember this—if the Almighty Himself creates forces beyond our reach, then why should we not reach beyond our bounds to understand what else there is? If the purpose of the Endless is eternal, perhaps ours should be… just as boundless."
Leaving those words behind, my figure slowly dissipated into particles of aether and disappeared from the council room.
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