Chapter four

IT IS THE YULETIDE BET NIGHT

The long-awaited last day of the year is finally here. Both humans and Angels have been longing for the end of this year, except for one angel who couldn't help the anxious feeling that has been following him around for the past two days as the bet night drew nearer. He had tried overworking himself just to occupy his mind with something other than the bet, he had tried watching the humans when he is not working, trying to focus on their problem rather than his own. But his troubles are like glue, attached firmly to his mind that he can't shake it off. He can't help himself dreading another failure. It rankles him that he is being judged for failures that are not his fault, and if not that it is against their nature he would have resented the humans for putting him in such situations, but try as he may he can't find it in him to resent the humans. To him, there is just something special about the creator's special creation.

So why his fellow angels paraded in and out of the kingdom in the festive mood just like the human world below them, he is in a funky mood as the humans call them.

It was time for them to depart for the Bermuda triangle a no man's land that neither accepts magic or has any magic, a place where both parties are powerless and are on equal footing. Call it a neutral ground. The only people invited to this party are the high ranking angels. In their case, he and his six brothers will be going. The Creator always sends his son as his representatives, while the emperor of hell will be present with his six princes of hell.

He was on his way to the throne room where they will all gather, before departure. He was about to open the door to the throne room when a hand beat him to the handle, but instead of opening the door, the hand held it firmly close, and then he was looking into the pale glassy blue eyes of the second-ranking archangel.

The angel who hasn't bothered to hide his displeasure at accumulated losses they have suffered over the years. His disapproving eyes always following him everywhere he goes like a tool of judgment, judging and declaring him guilty and responsible for the failures, and right now the same look is present in those judgemental glassy glowing blue orbs.

The blue-eyed archangel, with overflowing white hair giving him the appearance of a beautiful woman, that oversees healing of human disease and wounds and transportation of the prayers of the saints to the father was just about to enter the throne room when he encountered the angel whom as far as he was concerned was responsible for all the mess currently in the human world If not for his losses Father wouldn't have granted their fallen brothers freedom to come to the earth raking havoc as they seem fit, and his nemesis Asmodeus will not be prancing about feeling like he is the ultimate and nobody can challenge him, including the higher angels. If not for the ban placed by the Creator prohibiting the destruction of their fallen brothers till the end of time he would have ended the bastard years ago, and that will not be their first fight.

He had encountered Asmodeus the first time when he had possessed the spirit of a young woman named Sarah, making her kill her seven husbands successively because he had been jealous and had wanted the woman only to himself to satisfy his distasteful urges. He had been summoned by the Father to aid the young man who the Creator had destined to be her rightful husband in exorcising the parasite demon.

Their fight had been a strong one but they had emerged victorious sending the demon running back to the pit of hell where he came from. But with their recent winnings, it had empowered the demons to be more daring on earth, polluting and defiling it with their degenerate ways creating a lot of problems and messes for him to clean up, like the virus Covid 19, rampaging through earth right now. Since he can't target his ire at the humans, there was only one target left to blame and that is the angel standing in front of him.

The angel was about to pass him without any words of acknowledgment, but Raphael wasn't having any of that not when the bet night is here. The angel needed reminding that their side need not suffer any more losses or else the universe will not be enough for them and their fallen brothers.

"Try not to pick weak humans like yourself tonight, I don't think Father can take us losing any more. "

"You mean you can't take us losing any more," Jegudiel mumbled at the higher ranking angel. Raphael has always taken pride in defeating Asmodeus and in being one of the four angels that battled the second-ranking cherubim, archangel Lucifer, the new emperor of hell, and to him, it is slight to their side to be losing to their fallen brothers every year of the bet, and he blames me for that.

"Just make sure we don't lose again, Raphael said ignoring his mumble before walking into the throne room, leaving the other angel to follow after him.

Jugdiel sighed wearily, feeling tired of his older brother's high and mighty attitude, wondering how he is going to prevent his side from losing when they aren't allowed to interfere. Yes, he fought in the war, so did he. That his contributions weren't recognized doesn't mean that he hadn't done his path and he dislikes his older brothers treating him like he is nothing or that he is weak just because of the God damn bet.

He waited a few seconds after Raphael left him with the stench of his disapproval to get his feelings together before joining his brother inside.

Jegudiel walked straight to the throne which was currently being held high by Phanuel's angels and portrayed to the father, Father he acknowledged before rising to his feet, and joined four of his brothers already present, including Raphael.

The whole throne room was alight with the beautiful malicious voices of the Seraphim angels as they rendered praises to the Creator.

Phanuel who was standing on the left of Raphael threw me a smile which I acknowledge with a nod of my head in his direction, before nodding to the two angels, Selaphiel and Barachiel, who have made space for me to slide in between them as we usually stand according to ranks. As for Raphael, he didn't move to acknowledge me.

I felt the Creator's regards on me, and looked up to behold his face which was full of brightness that no particular image is seen, the brightness was blinding but I forced myself to withstand it and not look away.

"I noticed that you have been combing through the human world for the last two days, have you picked the individuals that will be the chosen ones for this year bet? His voice boomed across the room in question, with a curious inflection, showing he was merely enquiring and not judging.

Jegudiel mind went to the humans he had noticed his first day traveling around the earth, not on duty, but he shook his head at them being a wise pick, and he wasn't even sure that they will be taking any vows this new year seeing that some of them are already spiraling down the dark path, he thought as the image of the woman he saved from the bridge flashed through his mind.

"No father," he answered, his lack of enthusiasm for the subject clear in his voice.

The Creator nodded his head at his creation, still sensing his disillusionment at the ability of the human race to come through this year. The Creator knew he can't change the way his creations feels every of his creation He has giving freedom to feel, freedom to react, and freedom to believe whatever they want to believe with no interference from him. He was about to send them off for the bet night but they were still missing two of their brothers who he had sent on a mission to discipline some demons that were creating disturbances at the far human borders.

Jegudiel was still occupied by the thoughts of the humans he encountered during his journey not knowing why he was still thinking about them, when the throne room door opened and his two remaining brothers, archangel Michael and archangel Gabriel, the Creators warriors gilded in their battle gear made an appearance.

They must be coming from battling the demons Jegudiel thought watching the two angels as they boldly and dauntlessly made their way to the Creator's presence.

Their confidence obvious in their bearing. Jegudiel regarded them with slight envy in his heart wondering when he will be able to carry himself in such a confident and bold manner, but not if he continues being blamed for these failures that are for damn sure.

The two angels made their way to the Creator without any acknowledgment to their brothers, they portrayed before Him and rose to their feet before coming to stand with us their feet apart and their hands behind their back.

Micheal was at the head as the first ranking archangel with Gabriel being the third and falling in place between Raphael and Phanuel.

The creator regarded every one of us, before waving his hands for us to depart, no words were necessary, because we have been doing this for decades and knows how it works.

The son who has been seating calmly on his right hand highlighted from his throne geared up in all-white garments with no sort of decoration or design. He leads the way for us to proceed.

Asmodeus was not a happy demon, he has been confined to his quarters with no contact with anybody or the outside world as a punishment for picking a fight with one of the higher angels. The emperor had made it a law for us to stay clear of the high ranking higher angels to avoid tipping the Creators hand into destroying us before time, but he hadn't been the one to start the fight even if he had been happy to respond when the angel blasted him with his power. He had tried explaining to the emperor that the fight wasn't his fault but he had been less open to his side of his story having already been fed with the bullshit side of things which he is sure that bastard of glutton demon cooked.

The door to his quarters which the emperor had barred from the outside opened. Asmodeus turned to see Astaroth standing tall at the door, he was the tallest among them all.

"The emperor says is time to depart." The demon said flatly with a mean face before turning on his heels and disappearing out of sight.

"Finally," Asmodeus muttered releasing himself from the shackles of boredom that has pierced its tentacles into his body, focusing his face on his mundane ceiling. It felt good to be free he thought making his way to the great hall which is the biggest space in the underworld surrounded by huge mineral dark rocks and red glowing stones that houses the throne of Lucifer, the emperor.

when he entered his six brothers were already, including the tattletale, who Asmodeus threw an evil eye and he just responded with a smug grin in his direction, which he was forced to ignore by the entrance of the Emperor flanked by his two hounds.

Without saying a word to the six princes, Lucifer matched towards the entrance for another meeting with the righteous. He never enjoys these meetings but only goes for the amusement he gets seeing their sour faces at losing to them, it rankles him that the Creator doesn't deem these meetings necessary enough for him to attend that he just sends his son.

When they arrived at the no man's land, a land filled with nothing but deserts shrouded under the cover of darkness, and no source of illumination, which was perfect for him and his group as they were already used to operating in the dark and has never needed the light. What makes this place remarkable is that is the only place on earth that had rejected the Creator's power by not being able to sustain life.

He wasn't surprised that they were the first to arrive, the righteous ones have always made them wait on them for being more superior which he knows annoys the hell out of his princes as he saw the scowl squeezing their foreheads as they realized that they are the first to arrive once again.

He had just finished thinking about them when bright lights highlighted the sky above before the seven higher angels began to descend in their glowing glory with the Creator's son leading them.

The first to land was Micheal, the first warrior and a thorn in Lucifer's hide, his bearing majestic and aloof, followed by the son and the rest joined them.

"And the righteous pricks make it finally," Mammon, the 5th prince muttered loudly in a mocking tone, a taunting smirk on his dark face, causing his brothers to laugh.

"What did you say?" Gabriel asked hotly, his eyes glowing brighter as he advanced in the direction of the demon, fire in his eyes.

The Son quickly put a hand to his, stopping him, turning him to face him where he tried to calm the angel down by infusing tranquility into him, when he saw the glassy green eyes assume it's warm glow he released him and turned to the cast outs.

"I am sure you do not want to linger in our presence any more than we want to linger in yours so without wasting time why don't we begin."

He received a nod of go-ahead before he raised his right hand with a wave the bottomless bowl appeared.