Ghost In The House
With a whisper of thought, Gloriana appeared in her Guardian's quarters. Since it was semi-sentient, she affectionately called it "House", which amused most of her fellow Guardians to no end. Whenever it was brought up, she calmly shushed them. The Guardian Quarters were tied directly to their occupants, the link between them acting as a kind of "portable" home field advantage, allowing Guardians to draw on more power than they normally could. The quarters also had the advantage of being heavily warded against attack. Guardians in the past had been brutally attacked in their own homes, due mostly to their charges being highly influential. The dark forces that are ever moving seek to take these charges for their own, and sometimes find success in destroying and taking the place of a Guardian. The wards on each Guardian's quarters were keyed to make sure that only the Guardian could get through, others needed express intent from the occupant. In other words, the Guardian needed to will their guest through the wards. It was quite effective.
That's how Glory knew something was wrong. She sensed she wasn't alone just before House told her, with the characteristic feathery touch in her mind. While the familiar sensation gave her comfort, she also felt the urgency in that gentle connection. With House’s touch flashed an overview of her quarters, sparse but comfortable, indicating where the intruder was. Glory was not the most powerful of the Ascendant, which is what the beings in this existence called themselves, not by a wide margin, but neither was she the least of them. An “ordinary” Ascendant, if you can call an Ascendant ordinary, has limited power, but enough that they would look like a very powerful being to humans. For an Ascendant Guardian, power is measured by the years they have been on this side of the veil. In Gloriana’s case, she was 100 years Ascendant. She didn’t rank very high in the political power structure, but her power as a Guardian was that of a being of twice her Ascendancy. There were only two beings who knew this about her. Herself and the intruder.
Glory strode into her siting room angrily at this intrusion, knowing who it was almost as soon as House showed her where he was. She stopped in front of the figure looking out her windows and crossed her arms. “What are you doing here, Gabriel?”
The figure turned his head. Even without knowing you were looking at an archangel straight from the Bible, he cut an imposing figure. Of course, one of the Anunnaki could look any way they wanted. “I think you are the only one I let get away with that.” A crooked smile softened the already light rebuke.
Glory always winced at his first words. His voice more like a soaring chorus that she could hear with her ears and in her mind. Still, she didn’t back down. “I have asked you to not just let yourself in, have I not?” She arched a brow at his amused expression.
“If I did, I wouldn’t have the pleasure of riling you, now would I?”
She sighed. It was an old game. It had gone on since she was an Initiate. He was quite hard on her in the beginning. Like all Guardians, she was one out of penance. Like all Guardians, she still carried the hurt, pain and regret of her sin. “What is it?” She waved him to a chair opposite to the one she sank down into.
His eyes, though solid black, went serious. “The Council is still deciding what to add to your penance for revealing yourself.”
“I’m surprised. Usually old Phanuel has no problems deciding what to do with me.” She laughed bitterly. She tended to be more proactive than other Guardians, and the Council of Archangels did not look kindly on that.
“He argued hard for revoking Guardian status and handing you Below.”
Glory swallowed. “He wouldn’t! That’s against everything we know!” Sending an Ascendant Below was as good as handing that being’s soul over to the Dark.
“The rest of the Council rejected that out of hand. The penance up for review now is a demotion in power.”
She nodded. That was more like what she had expected. Though both her and Gabriel knew it wouldn’t matter much, the Council didn’t. Though the Council hadn’t gone that far to rebuke her yet, she always expected it.
It was Gabriel’s turn to sigh, a bit of starling blue bleeding into the full black of his eyes, “You have to be more careful from now on Glory. We cannot let Phanuel know your strength.”
She nodded, “I’m sorry, Master. I’m not sure why I slipped this time.” She paused. “I think the girl reminds me of my own daughter.”
Gabriel nodded sadly. As her patron, he alone knew, aside from Saint Peter, of course, what her sin was. In her young ignorance, she married an outlaw, thinking of the “romantic” life they would lead. For her, it was blissful as she helped rob a few targets with him. It turned sour quickly when she witnessed him kill an innocent. Shortly after, she learned she was pregnant. She knew she couldn’t leave him, but from then on, she refused to pull jobs with him. It was pleasant for her for a few years after their daughter was born. Soon, her outlaw husband spiraled into drunken rages, ranting about her helping him again. When she refused, he slurred out that it was that damn child. He got his rifle and meant to kill her.
Gloriana regretted many things from her time with her husband, but never stepping in front of that gun to protect her child. Unfortunately, at close range the bullet went through her chest and into the neck of her young daughter. In a sudden panic, he murderous husband ran from the cabin and left her to die. And she did, but not before watching her own child die in her arms.
Gabriel put a massive hand on her shoulder, “It is okay, Little One. I do not blame you.” He sat back and bowed his head. “Despite the Council’s wishes, this may be a blessing in disguise.”
That's how Glory knew something was wrong. She sensed she wasn't alone just before House told her, with the characteristic feathery touch in her mind. While the familiar sensation gave her comfort, she also felt the urgency in that gentle connection. With House’s touch flashed an overview of her quarters, sparse but comfortable, indicating where the intruder was. Glory was not the most powerful of the Ascendant, which is what the beings in this existence called themselves, not by a wide margin, but neither was she the least of them. An “ordinary” Ascendant, if you can call an Ascendant ordinary, has limited power, but enough that they would look like a very powerful being to humans. For an Ascendant Guardian, power is measured by the years they have been on this side of the veil. In Gloriana’s case, she was 100 years Ascendant. She didn’t rank very high in the political power structure, but her power as a Guardian was that of a being of twice her Ascendancy. There were only two beings who knew this about her. Herself and the intruder.
Glory strode into her siting room angrily at this intrusion, knowing who it was almost as soon as House showed her where he was. She stopped in front of the figure looking out her windows and crossed her arms. “What are you doing here, Gabriel?”
The figure turned his head. Even without knowing you were looking at an archangel straight from the Bible, he cut an imposing figure. Of course, one of the Anunnaki could look any way they wanted. “I think you are the only one I let get away with that.” A crooked smile softened the already light rebuke.
Glory always winced at his first words. His voice more like a soaring chorus that she could hear with her ears and in her mind. Still, she didn’t back down. “I have asked you to not just let yourself in, have I not?” She arched a brow at his amused expression.
“If I did, I wouldn’t have the pleasure of riling you, now would I?”
She sighed. It was an old game. It had gone on since she was an Initiate. He was quite hard on her in the beginning. Like all Guardians, she was one out of penance. Like all Guardians, she still carried the hurt, pain and regret of her sin. “What is it?” She waved him to a chair opposite to the one she sank down into.
His eyes, though solid black, went serious. “The Council is still deciding what to add to your penance for revealing yourself.”
“I’m surprised. Usually old Phanuel has no problems deciding what to do with me.” She laughed bitterly. She tended to be more proactive than other Guardians, and the Council of Archangels did not look kindly on that.
“He argued hard for revoking Guardian status and handing you Below.”
Glory swallowed. “He wouldn’t! That’s against everything we know!” Sending an Ascendant Below was as good as handing that being’s soul over to the Dark.
“The rest of the Council rejected that out of hand. The penance up for review now is a demotion in power.”
She nodded. That was more like what she had expected. Though both her and Gabriel knew it wouldn’t matter much, the Council didn’t. Though the Council hadn’t gone that far to rebuke her yet, she always expected it.
It was Gabriel’s turn to sigh, a bit of starling blue bleeding into the full black of his eyes, “You have to be more careful from now on Glory. We cannot let Phanuel know your strength.”
She nodded, “I’m sorry, Master. I’m not sure why I slipped this time.” She paused. “I think the girl reminds me of my own daughter.”
Gabriel nodded sadly. As her patron, he alone knew, aside from Saint Peter, of course, what her sin was. In her young ignorance, she married an outlaw, thinking of the “romantic” life they would lead. For her, it was blissful as she helped rob a few targets with him. It turned sour quickly when she witnessed him kill an innocent. Shortly after, she learned she was pregnant. She knew she couldn’t leave him, but from then on, she refused to pull jobs with him. It was pleasant for her for a few years after their daughter was born. Soon, her outlaw husband spiraled into drunken rages, ranting about her helping him again. When she refused, he slurred out that it was that damn child. He got his rifle and meant to kill her.
Gloriana regretted many things from her time with her husband, but never stepping in front of that gun to protect her child. Unfortunately, at close range the bullet went through her chest and into the neck of her young daughter. In a sudden panic, he murderous husband ran from the cabin and left her to die. And she did, but not before watching her own child die in her arms.
Gabriel put a massive hand on her shoulder, “It is okay, Little One. I do not blame you.” He sat back and bowed his head. “Despite the Council’s wishes, this may be a blessing in disguise.”
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