The Wayward Son

Remiel strode across the clouds casually, his cut Greek gown tied off in an awkward knot at the shoulder. Smiling at the peace Paradise had about it, Remy walked in the direction of the healing tents to see an old friend.

The walk took a lot longer than Remy remembered. As he stepped away from the practice ring, he passed by the base of the Throne and through the Asphodel fields, the endless stretch of dimensional rifts holding each soul’s personal heaven.

Circling the fields, Remy saw the tents. They looked like any other military medical tents, though they were made of silver silk rather than green nylon. Through the thin silk coverings of the tents, Remy could see the healing light flash every so often. Someone was being treated.

As soon as Remiel walked inside, he stepped back just before a healing angel rushed passed him. A lot of angels were being treated. Remiel saw dozens of wounded sprawled out across the bed with sword wounds, burn scars, and broken wings.

“Move!” another angel screamed, running passed Remy again.

Remiel did as told and stepped out of the tent. Thinking that his friend could wait, he took a step towards the fields, only to stop to the sound of his name being called out. “Remiel!” the voice called. Turning, Remy saw Amitiel running his way, her black wings stained with spots of golden blood. Amitiel skidded to halt as she reached Remy and crushed him in a hug. “When did you get back?” she asked.

“Yesterday. Did you not know? There was a funeral earlier. Eight angels were killed,” Remy explained.

Ami sighed and pushed aside a strand of her solid black hair, “I’ve been stuck healing for a week now. More and more angels are getting carried in each day.”

“What is happening? I’ve never seen so many at once.”

“There is some sort of fight going on in Norway,” Amitiel explained, “I’m not sure what about.”

“I am,” Remy mumbled. “The Bifrost is there.”

Ami raised an eyebrow, “The Bifrost? That bridge the Norse believed led to Asgard?” Remiel nodded in conformation. “Isn’t that a myth?”

“So are we,” Remy said with a smile.

“Touché,” Ami replied, “What are you thinking?”

Remiel’s smile dropped, “That I have to leave again.”

“You just got back.”

“I know, but the Bifrost is real. And it doesn’t lead to Asgard.”

“Where does it lead?”

Remy’s blue eyes glimmered, “Here.”

Amitiel fumbled back. “How? What? Why would it even still be around?”

“I don’t know how, but we can’t destroy because we didn’t make it. It isn’t ours to remove.”

“Who did make it? Who even could make it?” Ami prattled on, “That much power. I didn’t think any angel but…” Ami caught on. “Oh.”

“Yeah. We thought it was hidden well enough that no one would find it, but I guess we were wrong.”

“How do you know so much about it?”

Remy smirked, “Don’t you remember my little stint in Norway as Loki?”

Ami laughed, “Oh yeah. You, Michael and Gabriel were running around down there trying to stop those creatures the demons created.”

“Try?”

“As I recall, you didn’t finish off the wolf. You tricked him.”

“Minor detail,” Remiel replied sarcastically. Kissing Ami on the cheek, he turned away, “I have to leave now.”

“They won’t let you go,” Amitiel screamed as he started through the fields.

“Like they can stop me,” Remy yelled back with a wave, “Tell Amesha I’ll see her when I get back.”

Ami’s smile fell as she watched Remiel walk away. He’d just gotten back to Paradise and was already rushing back to battle. “That angel is going to get himself killed,” she mumbled under her breath and headed back into the tent.

*******

“How many squads do we have to spare?” an angel spoke with a commanding tone. His eyes scanned over a table littered with maps of a Norse shore line and mountain pass.

“Not many, sir. We are holding them in a ravine, but I’m not sure that will last long. They seem to have all their attention focused on this,” another angel replied.

“Well find more! Pull guardians off their principals if you have to!”

“Yes, sir,” the soldier angel said with a bow and ran off, only to be stop by the hand of an even more frightening angel.

“Don’t you dare start putting humans in harm’s way because your soldiers can’t hold back some demons, commander,” Remiel said, his eyes shining with rage.

“Not all of us care about humans as much as you do, Remiel,” the commander spoke.

Remiel dragged the soldier back to the table with him, “That’s why I’m here to stop you from making stupid decisions. I’m going down.”

“No, you’re not,” the commander ordered.

“I’m curious if you’re willing to try and stop me,” Remy threatened.

After a minute in a staring contest, the commander surrendered, “Fine. Go. What happens to you if you get back is not my fault.”

“Never said it would be,” Remy smiled out and started to walk towards the line of waiting squads. “Oh,” he stopped and turned back to the commander, “If I come back and find that you’ve pulled guardians from the humans, I’ll kill you.”

The commander didn’t reply, yet Remy could see his hands clenching the maps on the table.
With a smirk, Remy turned and grouped up with the other angels. They stood there for a minute as the light returned back to Paradise. Remiel’s eye lit in nostalgia as it did. Billions of colors flashed before them, opening and spinning in a rift between dimensions.

‘The Bifrost,’ Remy thought as he stepped into the multicolored stairway.