Everything is Wonderful Now

Chapter One

The angel stretched his wings as he sat atop the church. The humans filing in at the break of dawn were none the wiser, regardless of how much they liked to think they understood. The small family, especially, that crossed the threshold last was particularly ignorant.

The angel Umabel paused. He'd nearly overlooked it, but such a small human was usually no more than an ant to his kind. He appeared among them with curly blond hair glistening in the sunlight, and his blue eyes expanded as he followed the trio into the old building. It stunk of moldy wood and sin, and he could feel the hypocrisy dripping off of the man who called himself a prophet — a pastor — that joined the family in question. He was tall and handsome in a brown suit, and his wife stood obediently at his side in a skirt and sweater. They all seemed to know each other. The pastor smiled at the child and Umabel zeroed in.

"I'm so happy to see you with us this morning," the pastor said as he held out a hand. The child shook it loosely. "Will you be joining us for service after Sunday School?"

The girl nodded and held up what appeared to be a quilted purse, but it opened to reveal a small book with tissue-thin gilded pages. "I brought my Bible."

"And did you do your homework?" the pastor's wife asked, knowing all too well the answer.

The girl smiled shyly.

The mother spoke up. "No, she didn't. Getting this child to do homework is like pulling teeth."

Umabel cringed. Humans were peculiar creatures, but even more so was this child. He cloaked his presence and drifted around her. There was a darkness seeping from her that was very telling, and he knew instantly the stench that surrounded her.

Hellish darkness. She'd been claimed by them and she went willingly. For one so young this was surprising, but Umabel dug deeper. As the humans chattered like birds chirping in a tree, he sank to his knees before the girl and stared into her dark brown eyes. When the angel found what he was searching for, rage bubbled up inside him. Of course.

Heaven was a mere blink away as Umabel retracted his wings — all four of them. He marched across the white marble floor, his white dress shoes clacking loudly as the other angels stood aside. They knew not to try Umabel's temper.

"Gabriel!" Umabel boomed as he entered the library. He scowled as the equivalent of a Golden Retriever in angel form smiled back at him.

"Umabel, hello!" Gabriel's light voice was filled with joy as he stood to greet his brother. "To what do I owe your presence?"

"Byleth." Umabel's aura darkened and he clenched a fist. "He's claimed a child. Apparently, he's doing just fine for himself down there."

"Oh, wonderful!" Gabriel clasped his hands together. "I was curious about how he was doing. I've heard the fall can be very painful."

Umabel backed Gabriel against a wall and slammed his palms against the white and gold marble. This silenced the jovial angel and he stared at his brother with wide eyes that were nearly white. Umabel held no signs of compassion for him or his former relationship.

"A child, Gabriel. Byleth has claimed a child and is walking among them. You know as well as anyone that we're not to meddle with humans, let alone their offspring. What is he planning? Why is God allowing him to walk on the earth unchecked?" Upon Gabriel's intimidated silence, Umabel shouted, "Tell me! You're God's messenger. You work directly with Metatron. What has Father to say about this?"

"If I may," Gabriel said and slipped free from the angel's arms. "Metatron hasn't exactly been himself lately. I can't get much more from him than the old Enochian language he reads from the prophet Solomon's books when he's irritated—"

"Solomon was a tool," Umabel sneered. "We tried to use him as an ambassador between Heaven and earth, but the lunatic just lost his mind."

Umabel paused and reflected.

"Although upon further thought, humans weren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed during that era," he continued.

"To be fair," Gabriel said with caution. "Father didn't allow humans much in the way of scientific knowledge."

"My point, brother, was that Byleth is breaking a fundamental rule here." Umabel fell into thought before continuing. "Unless that child is some kind of Antichrist..."

"The Antichrist is a silly myth among humans, Umabel," Gabriel chuckled.

"Regardless," Umabel snapped. "Denizens of Heaven and Hell are not to meddle in the affairs of humans. God has made that clear."

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. He'd thought his brother would have been aware of recent developments concerning God, but Umabel was quite distracted most of the time overseeing order within the Heavens. If anyone was to be ratted out for going against God, they did well to avoid Umabel's ever watchful eye — the one that existed in the angel's forehead that could see all, even an angel's innermost secrets.

Gabriel took a deep breath. "Speaking of Father..." He paused. "He's stepped out. For a bit."

"Stepped out?" Umabel quirked a brow. "God doesn't just 'step out.'" The stern angel backtracked as soon as he'd spoken, and for the first time in a while, his demeanor shifted to one of defeat. "Wait, are the rumors true?"

Gabriel nodded with his eyes on the ground. His blond fauxhawk, a fashion statement he'd grown fond of from the humans, drooped and tickled his forehead. "I'm afraid so," he said solemnly. "He's been gone for a short time now, although no one knows where he's gone." Gabriel finally looked up at his brother who had gone paler, if that was even possible. "He left no message. Metatron has been searching for clues through all of Father's old books he'd dictated."

"Then Heaven will go into chaos." Umabel ran a hand through his hair. "No, no matter. I will have to take things into my own hands."

"To find Father?" Gabriel asked.

"No, you idiot. Byleth!" Umabel turned and his four wings flicked out sharply. "I'm sick of that ex-angel thinking he can get away with anything. Father showed him mercy after kicking him from Heaven, which he didn't deserve. And now he's recruiting children!"

"Perhaps Byleth is lonely." Gabriel shrugged. "He did have a soft spot for humans more so than any of us."

"No one cares about your love for Byleth that you still hold, Gabriel. I know that's why you're being sympathetic." Umabel ignored Gabriel's blush and waved a hand in the air.

The earth greeted him once more, and he approached a moderate home in a developing city. The family of three had become four with a teenage boy who hadn't attended church with them that morning, but the boy wasn't of use. The angel crept into the living room where the parents sat with their daughter while watching an animated film. He smiled.

Probing their minds was child's play he didn'teven need his third eye for. It was obvious that the child's path had beenpredetermined by a twist of fate, but now that God was missing, it would bemuch easier to interfere.