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In retrospect , Gabriel thinks, it wasn’t the best idea to go blindly hurtling through the dimensional barriers without a solid plan. But, he made his choice, and he’s sticking to it.
At this very moment, he is falling through a gateway dimension that connects Heaven to the more material universe below. Normally, the task takes much less effort; he is adept at flight and navigation, but emotions quickly got ahold of him. Traveling without focus leads to disaster more often that not. But there is no turning back for him. He knows if he doesn’t leave now, he’ll just end up reasoning his way out of it; using his familiarity with Heaven and his fear of being alone against his already fracturing mind.
But even in his partially-controlled freefall, Gabriel notices that he feels more relieved at leaving than he is at being lost in some nightmarish dimension. It’s an interesting feeling; being more afraid of your own family than of whatever else is out in this dangerous, uncharted universe.
After all, it hadn’t always been this way.
Gabriel remembers a time that now seems so incredibly distant, and almost forgotten in the midst of arguments racking his home. No, not his home. Not anymore. His home isn’t the place that is shaken to the foundation day after day; as his siblings scream and shout and tear each other apart like monsters. Heaven used to be a beautiful land of authority and peace, not a frightful place where he couldn’t feel safe even with his considerable powers. Then again , he ponders, is anything beautiful made to last?
Not too long ago, Gabriel could’ve found company in his father and his older siblings, and learned to hone his abilities of flight, or tricks, or anything in between. And sometimes when he had a chance, he would go spend some time with the little fledglings, and teach them to have some fun. But time marches on, even in an immortal place such as Heaven, and emotions slowly change with the ascending eras.
In fact, the downfall had started out subtle as can be. As he watched from the outskirts, to afraid to do anything at all, the tranquility was slowly drained away. The atmosphere became weighed down from bitterness, suffocating the entire population from the smallest fledglings to the mightiest archangels.
The fear and distrust his brothers had spread throughout the realm made a real impact. After a while, Gabriel noticed that most of the other angels shied away from him as well, just because of his rank. He understood their fear, and he himself had felt it firsthand, but it still hurt . Especially when he had always been so overjoyed to spend his leisure with the younger ones.
Eventually, the arguments got to the point where they weren’t even contained privately between his two eldest brothers. Every so often, the screams would echo through his head like a demented sort of clockwork, and he’d drop to the ground on which he stood, begging silently for them to stop, and shielding his body with golden wings.
And with that distrust, with that fear , Gabriel began to draw himself inwards, retreating into the expanse of his mind until his body felt like nothing more than a empty shell. He began to slip behind in all his responsibilities as an archangel, and used every chance he was given to get away from the conflict.
More often than not, he found himself huddled in the most remote places he could find at the edge of the observable universe, perching dangerously on the cliffs as he stared into the swirling void; which was not unlike the one he is currently plunging through. Gabriel remembers those moments clearly, when the same thoughts would run through his head, over, and over, and over again ; like they were set in an unbreakable cycle of torment.
How did it ever come to this? , he’d think over and over, as his perfect world begin to tear itself apart at the seams.
Gabriel is startled out of his own thoughts as he makes a lapse in judgement, and slams one of his wings into a strict dimensional barrier. The pain is the least of his worries, but it isn’t pleasant either. As he begins to panic and make micro-adjustments to his current trajectory, the thoughts take over him once again, feeding his self-doubt
Why does he have to leave his family so far behind him? Isn’t there any other way? He used to belong up there!
There were the days when he would sit silently near his father and watch him work as he created something out of absolutely nothing; and he himself occasionally got to create something new and wonderful. Sometimes, he would go to the grand library near the center of the realm, and soak up the all the knowledge he could find; but more often than not, he would chatter with Raphael about any sort of trivial things. There were the most exciting days when he would go with Lucifer, and slowly learn to change reality as he knew it; conjuring illusions and doubles and sometimes even inanimate objects. And occasionally, he would go with Michael to train in combat. While he didn’t enjoy the fighting as much as his eldest brother, he loved spending time in his company.
The memories dance behind his eyes, in his very core, and the barriers shatter at last in his overwhelming presence.
And with that, he begins to fall towards the little blue marble.
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For a few precious seconds, he lets his form hurtle towards the earth below. The feeling of weightlessness overtakes him, and he revels in the peaceful nothingness, until the nothing turns into something. An uncomfortable sensation flickers across his wings, and Gabriel drops his gaze towards the world beneath him.
Shit. He missed the stratosphere by a long shot. Instead, he is tearing through the outer reaches of the uppermost thermosphere, and the planet fights against his entry, even though his form is barely tangible. Bursts of light surround his body, blazing at hundreds of degrees. It may be true that these kinds of conditions aren’t nearly rough enough to affect him; but it doesn’t mean the experience isn’t a bit disorienting. The light is honestly distracting, but he ignores it and begins to plan a descent.
As he navigates through the Earth’s atmosphere, the heat and light slowly subsides as he moves closer to the surface; still in a controlled fall. Once he deems his altitude low enough, he spreads his vast wings, and begins to move them in rhythmic beats. The wind pushes at him, and he revels in the sensation for just a moment.
Gabriel could’ve just moved instantaneously to his destination as soon as he hit this dimension, but flight has always been much more enjoyable to him. And much more scenic .
The colors of the vast ocean below are pleasing to the eye, but when he looks up to the sky, he is saddened that there are no vastly changing colors, and no swirling constellations represented by burning stars. It feels lonely down here.
But, that’s the least of his problems at the moment. Now, he has some business to settle- with a demigod called Loki.
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Gabriel clearly remembers the first time he came into contact with the Norse trickster; it’s an experience he really can’t forget. And it isn’t memorable for pleasantry.
Not too long ago, before the borders of Heaven became too closely guarded, Gabriel used to revel in taking excursions to the most interesting places he could discover. And Earth, well, it was a very intriguing place for a curious young archangel. There was something about it he had always liked, and that something was the changes that never stopped occurring. Unlike his static homeland (well, back then it was static), Earth constantly adapted. Creatures changed and evolved, and humans and similar beings were no exception.
Every time he returned to that dimension, something new always took him by surprise. But that fateful time, it was Loki himself.
Gabriel had flown down from Heaven’s main gates, and taken a sharp turn up north, to the fjords. They had been particularly appealing that time of the terrestrial year. As he swerved between the rocky structures and dipped close to the surface, something surprised him. Tortured screaming. The sound had startled him badly, so badly that he almost crashed into the water below him, and he had to gain altitude quickly to avoid some rocks poking out.
Naturally, he felt like he had to investigate, so he turned back around to search for the source of the noise. It didn’t take long to hear another scream; and he followed the sounds to a partially hidden cave close to the ground. He landed at the entrance, and against his more logical judgement, walked inside.
The air was damp, and the visibility slim, but that was no problem for a celestial being. He hastily made his way inside, but not without a hint of caution. As he navigated the winding pathway, he happened upon a small, open chamber. In in that chamber, was a man.
A man, that was tied to a stone slab in the center of the room. And above him, was a stoic serpent. Gabriel tilted his head to the side, not unlike what a bird would do. Why would there be a snake here? And what’s making him scream if it’s not attacking him?
His question was unfortunately answered, when the snake opened its mouth, and dripped venom onto the man’s face. He screamed and writhed once again, and the archangel almost lept back in fear.
“ Who… are you ?” Gabriel asked, curiosity getting the best of him. He had a feeling that this particular person can’t be great news if he was in that kind of situation, but he wanted to know how this happened anyways.
As he spoke with his true voice, the man tied down cringed and bared his teeth while he strained against his weirdly organic-looking bonds. Is that an intestine?
As he tore his awareness away from that awful discovery, Gabriel noticed that the man’s ears were bleeding. Apparently, using his voice hadn’t been the best idea; he had forgotten that nothing besides the besides his fellow angels could actually understand his true voice.
But, he was not easily dissuaded. He tried again, making sure to speak directly into the man’s mind. “Who are you?” This time, it seemed to work. Gabriel watched the man’s features register shock, as he twists from side to side to try and pinpoint the source of the noise.
“Hello?” spoke the man, as his eyes continued to dart around the rocky chamber.
“You didn’t really answer my question. And no, you can’t see me in this visage,” said the archangel.
The man looked unconvinced, but he responded after a brief moment. “Loki. My name is Loki.”
“Well, Loki, what brought you to this sad situation?” he asked.
“And why would I do that? I have no idea who, or what you are.”
If anything, Gabriel had been a bit surprised by the response. He’d imagined that someone in that state would take whatever company they got. He gave his answer carefully. “I don’t think you really have anything else happening right now. And as you said, you have no idea who I am. Maybe I can help, if I see fit.”
The snake dripped venom on him once again, and once again he screamed. Gabriel could feel Loki mulling over his options, but the other opens his mouth to respond regardless. “I got into a dispute with my family. They are the temperamental sort; and they decided that I should rot here, and that my one of my sons should be dead for my wrongdoings. Surely you understand that family betrays you.”
“No, I don’t understand that. In my experience, family sticks by you, even when you have done wrong.”
Loki sneers at him. “Well, lucky you.”
“And,” Gabriel said, “you never told me your crime. I’d almost think you were avoiding that on purpose.”
The human, no, something other than a human, weighed his options once again. Ultimately he decided that he would share his tale. “I caused a death of one of their own,” he said with hesitation. “But do I deserve this for it? It’s not like the dead one is gone for good anyway. In my experience, the dead don’t always stay that way.”
The archangel moves closer, circling Loki. “But does the punishment not fit the crime? A life for a life, someone’s suffering transferred to you? As someone who knows the meaning of justice, it seems fair enough.”
“To you, maybe. But you are not me, and don’t have the same family I do.” He pauses once more, and writhes in pain once again. “How about this- you might think this is fair, but I don’t. I can cut you a deal if you let me walk free.”
Gabriel surveys him closely. “And why would I do that? What do you have that I could possibly want?”
Loki thought upon this for a moment. But he came to a decision at last. “A favor. I can give you a favor. You decide what debt I have to give; you never know when you’ll need some help. Even someone as powerful as I’d assume you are.”
A debt of his choice. Now that is interesting. There is a bit of truth to what he says, Gabriel isn’t certain when he may need help, but it would be a comfort to have it available to him.
I’m going to regret this, he thought. “I accept your deal.” Gabriel broke the bindings with little trouble, and made the serpent vanish with only a thought. From his slab, Loki managed to push himself up into a seated position, and brought a hand to his ruined face, and began to heal the damage with whatever power he possessed.
Gabriel watched the motion with curiosity, as the damaged skin healed from its constant torment; pieced back together, cell by cell. And then, he spoke for a final time. “Just remember- you owe the Archangel Gabriel , demigod. And someday, I might come to collect what you owe.” With those final words, he flapped his golden wings and flew away, leaving a startled Loki to his new freedom, and a heavy debt on his shoulders.
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As Gabriel easily flies through the afternoon snow, he easily locates who he needs to find. His destination is a tavern on the outskirts of a Nordic settlement, and he can feel Loki’s presence within. He touches down inside the establishment, and notices a familiar face in the back corner of the room. Figuring that it would be easier to have a spoken conversation, Gabriel spies another loner in the bar. With little effort, he drops into the drunk man’s head. I need you to say yes.
Yes to what? comes the confused answer.
Me taking over your body for a moment.
Eh, sure, whatever. I really need to stop drinking-
The man’s train of thought was cut off as Gabriel slipped a part of his awareness into the man. Not enough power to hurt him, and enough to be able to speak through him. It’s a bit strange, watching from two different perspectives. Gabriel maneuvers the man towards the back of the tavern, and sits him down at the table where the trickster is minding his own business.
“To whom do I owe this pleasure?” asks Loki, as he raises his drink to take a sip. He scrutinizes the man closely; a bit suspicious as to why some random stranger now occupied the seat across from him.
“You owe it to the Archangel Gabriel.” At this, The Trickster freezes, and sets his drink back on the table in front of him. Gabriel can see that he instantly becomes more cautious in his posture and in his mindset.
“I see. Have you come to collect?” Gabriel thinks he can detect a hint of fear behind the words.
“I have.” he responds simply.
Loki clenches his jaw, just slightly. “Then what must I do for you, Gabriel?”
“Well,” starts Gabriel, “I’ve come across some problems recently. The place I once called home is no longer welcoming, and I fear that my family will start to take sides and fight. And that is something that I absolutely cannot witness.” He pauses for a moment, studying the demigod across from him, before continuing.
“So, that brings me to my appearance here. I need to figure out a new role to play. I need to escape my homeland. And you owe me anything I chose to ask for.” He leans forward, as to be imposing as he can. “So, just say yes, and help me disappear.”
To his surprise, Loki only smirks at him. “Oh, no,” he says, chuckling softly. “You can’t out-trick The Trickster. See, I know your kind. And I know your rules. And I also know that one of those rules won’t permit you to walk this world without a vessel, and a vessel’s consent.” He points at Gabriel’s current vessel as to emphasize his point, and takes another sip of his mead, staring directly ahead. “While I do owe you as you say, I will not serve as your new form. But, I can offer you another solution that may work better for the both of us.”
Gabriel narrows his eyes. “Do say. I need to know what you can do to help me find a new freedom, like I once did for you.”
The Trickster leans back in his seat, and begins his story. “Well, you see, I have my own problems these days. Relations within my pantheon are probably worse than they have been previously, and, well, I need a break from them.” He pauses for a moment, sighs, and stares Gabriel’s vessel in the eyes. “My alternative is this: I’ll make you a vessel identical to my body, and I’ll teach you to take my place. This way, you have an identity to easily step into.” “Personally,” he adds, “I think this is your best chance, seeing as you actually don’t have any other options.”
Well, alright then. This is going a bit differently than he expected, but this version could be much more beneficial to both of them.
“Then I accept your new deal. You take some time off, and I’ll take your place as The Trickster.” I’m probably going to regret this someday , he thinks, and for a moment he is sure he’s had that exact thought in a very similar situation.
Loki nods in confirmation. For a minute afterwards , they do nothing but stare at each other, both trying to wrap their minds around their swiftly changing lives.
“You know,” says the trickster, breaking the moment of silence. “I think you understand what I mean now. About how family betrays you.”
Gabriel scoffs. “That’s where you’re still wrong- it’s not betrayal. It’s just old arguments dragged out over and over again, and I cannot watch them tear each other apart like that.”
“Whatever makes you feel better about it,” he says, bemused. “Oh, and one more thing,” The Trickster adds. “If you return to accept the conditions I have so generously laid out for you, you must do one thing for me. You must never have anything to do with your family ever again.
With a heavy heat, Gabriel gives his answer. “I… won’t.”
“Swear it,” insists the demigod.
Gabriel steels himself. “I swear that I will leave them behind me. My word is good.”
“For your sake, it better be.” And with that, Loki gets up rather hastily, and walks out of the establishment to begin work on Gabriel’s future vessel; leaving him alone. The tavern’s other patrons carry on in their merriment, and the archangel ditches his makeshift vessel. The man collapses onto the table, and Gabriel vanishes from the premises with a flap of his powerful wings.
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Gabriel heads back to Heaven for one final visit. It’ll take some time for Loki to create an accurate replica, and the archangel is sure that anything can change his mind at this point. But the doubt has been slowly building inside of him since he touched down on this planet. Besides, he does want to spend one last moment in the place he grew up.
Navigating into Heaven is actually a bit easier than leaving, mostly because the security prevent exits, not entry. In no time at all, he is back where he started; a secret location of his at the edge of the realm. It seems that no one has noticed his disappearance, which is a small comfort. The less they suspect, the easier it will be to take his final leave.
For a minute, he considers saying goodbye to his siblings. But, that possibility is quickly smashed down; he has no idea how they’ll react if he tells them he’s just leaving. It’ll only make things worse- for him, and for them as well.
Gabriel stands on the outskirts of Heaven, at a backdoor exit that only he knows of. It’s one of his old hiding spots, but it’s a definitive break between dimensions as well. Maybe that’s the reason he liked this place so much- it has always offered him a way out if he had needed it; and now, he does.
As he sits at the edge of the cliff as he used to, one of his wings brushes against something he honestly forgot he had. A trumpet of sorts hangs at his side; it’s the Horn of Gabriel. The gift he received from his father. It represents his role as God’s messenger; and he instantly knows he cannot hold onto it.
He removes the Horn of Gabriel from where it hangs on his body, and surveys it closely. It looks plain, but it clearly holds power. And that power could give away his true identity. He turns, and prepares to toss it into the abyss; but stops quickly before he can follow through with that action. It’s something he can’t part with like that. A gift like that can’t go to waste just because he’s got to leave. Instead, he places it on the ground beside him, where it glows more silver than gold in the reflected starlight.
He pauses, and stares back at the land. The reddish ground is rocky and thin, but it’s rich in color, and familiar like so many other things. No hints of angelic civilization have reached theses outer edges; that’s another reasons he this remote place. It makes him feel like someone else, even if it’s just for a little while.
The final reason he regards this place so dearly is the skies that surround it. From here, the universe is on fire with millions of breathtaking hues; colors he can’t describe dance effortlessly beyond him. It’s the same beautiful place it’s always been; and the void swirls right below him, the subtle colors appearing momentarily in the inky blackness.
Gabriel tears his attention away from the shifting skies to carefully watching the colors of the abyss as the move, indicating the breaks between dimensions. Suddenly, the colors line up in the right pattern, showing him a surefire way to the material world. He makes the calculations in milliseconds, and steels himself for a final fall.
And then, he gallantly leaps off the edge of Heaven, diving once again into the empty abyss below. Gabriel is finally leaving everything behind him.
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This time, his flight goes just a bit better. That isn’t really saying much; it was overall a bit rough, but his rigid determination seems to have paid off. He appeared into material reality at a much more convenient altitude, and wasted no time heading towards the the destination he sought.
He made sure to arrive on Earth a few days later than when he left just minutes ago. It’s not a difficult feat, the passage of time is muddled between the dimensions. It is now an early evening, and the snowstorm has vanished; although the ground is still icy. This time, he can see the stars. They are foreign still, and much less fantastic, but their presence is soothing nonetheless. At least one thing down below is somewhat similar to what resides up above.
He quickly locates the demigod’s familiar energy signature, and heads towards that, moving swiftly through the air. Just a bit later, Gabriel finally spots him standing just outside a small shack built in the middle of nowhere. Loki , he says as a way of greeting, speaking directly into the demigod’s mind.
“Gabriel. So you’ve come to finish our deal,” speaks the demigod.
“I have. I formally accept your terms. I swear off all future contact with my family.”
Loki nods in acknowledgement. “Then, this empty vessel is yours.”
Gabriel moves to stand by the Trickster, and stares into the face of the body laying on the table. As promised, it is completely identical to the demigod; even dressed in the same clothes and warm coat. But, the man on the table has blank eyes, and absolutely no conscious thoughts. None at all . The only brain activity he can even pick up is the body’s basic commands that keep it alive. There is no hint of personality, or anything that makes it even remotely sentient.
He’d be lying if he said he didn’t find the blankness just a bit unsettling.
But, he pushes away his nervousness. This is his way to make an escape from his old life. So, he steels himself, and he makes the jump anyway, transferring his massive, energy form into the small, empty shell in front of him. His vision blurs, and he feels a sensation of drifting, or maybe falling, and then his grace surges throughout his new body.
The first thing he notices is that his throat is dry, a he’s a bit dehydrated. The second thing is that his limbs are sore. It’s a dull aching pain that spreads throughout his new form, but he uses his writhing grace to alleviate the discomfort. Then at last, he opens his eyes.
To his surprise, his vision is a bit limited. The multitude of colors he could normally perceive has been reduced drastically, and now he can only see what the average human can. But, he quickly discovers, when he concentrates, the hues he has become accustomed to return; and then fade away again as his thoughts begin to wander. For a moment he distracts himself by switching between angelic vision and human vision, but he decides it’s a good idea to test his ability to move.
As Gabriel sits up on the table, he can feel his grace under his vessel’s skin, and he moves a hand around in an experimental fashion. It moves perfectly well, but the experience is so different than what he has known so far as an archangel.
Then, Loki chooses to speak. “Adjusting well?” he intones, watching him closely with guarded features.
“About as well as I can. It’s a bit disorienting.” The voice he now speaks with feels very strange. Not only because it’s a voice he’s heard before, but also because of the way it reverberates in his throat when he speaks.
Next, Gabriel discovers that he can still feel his wings behind him, but in a very different manner. Instead of the three pairs the denote archangel status, he can only feel one standard set, although he guessed that they are bigger than the average for vessel-bound angels. He knows his other wings are still there on his true form, but on some technicality, they don’t appear when he is within this vessel. Strange. But, he can still control this set like his normal ones, so that’s another small comfort.
Gabriel makes sure to hide his grace away inside his new form so he won’t attract any attention. To be completely honest, he’s not entire sure which kinds of creatures can sense angelic grace, but he isn’t going to risk being discovered. But, he’s pretty sure angels are the only ones who could identify him by grace.
Loki interrupts his pondering by taking his leave. “I will give you some time to adjust. I’m sure it’s jarring.” He pauses, and picks up his coat, ideal to the one Gabriel is wearing now. “When you are ready to begin, come and find me. I’m sure you’ll know where I am.”
Gabriel nods in his direction, and stretches his new limbs, trying to get a bit more comfortable in his new form. He is ready to begin his new life; free from constant discourse and bitterness. Free from his past; from his previous worries.
That is, until the screams start.
At first, it’s nothing more than an itch in the corner of his mind. But the feeling grows, until he can make out words and sentences and thoughts and emotions. Suddenly, he can tell exactly what’s happening; and his telepathic abilities pick up all of the noise from above. Gabriel manages to stagger outside into the brisk air, before he falls to his knees. As shock takes ahold of him, his head is filled with a symphony of noise as the angels chatter like millions of insects on a summer day. He can feel just what his siblings feel- panic, fear, confusion; all of it rushes through him like a tidal wave.
Brother! Where are- Has anyone seen- Help- Is Gabriel- Check the- Gabriel! Where are- off to- find him?- Gabriel?- can’t- Where has he- the gates- FIND HI- nowhere here-
And, for a few moments he wants nothing more than to yell back, to tell them where he is and that he’s ok, but he can’t get the words out of his mind. And in that moment he realizes something. Why should he care about them? He’s not Gabriel any longer. His name is Loki now. He made a pact.
The frantic yelling in his fragile mind threatens to shatter his eardrums, and his sharp fingernails send scarlett blood dripping from his scalp, freezing as it touches the ground. As he lies keeled over on top of the barren, hostile earth with ice melting into his clothes, a single thought becomes clear to his dissociating mind. Just one, but it’s the one that makes all of the difference.
You have a decision to make. Your homeland, or your life.
He grits his teeth to try and gain some semblance of control, but screams tear free from the back of his throat anyway. It isn’t the first time he’s heard that same tortured scream. The animalistic sound is frightening to him, even more so than the ones inside his head; and strangely enough, it gives him the clarity he needs to make his final choice.
With one burst of strength, he seals his siblings’ voices away forever.
It is silent in the Norse countryside. And then, Gabriel begins to breathe again. Air fills his vessel’s lungs- no, his lungs, and the oxygen flows through his body, clearing the dark spots from his limited vision. His muscles shake from the deprivation of air, but he somehow manages to pull his legs under his now small form. He forces the new body to move , and with that thought, he rises.
As he stands on his unsteady, fragile legs, he grips the fabric of his vessel’s coat in one hand. The feeling of this near-human weakness is alien to him, and it borders on unhinging . The softness of the coat is pleasant against his fingertips, and he grips the coat tighter, desperate to hold onto something.
And then, at last, it hits him. He’s a stranger in this little blue world. No one knows him. And no one will ever find him.
He now stands in the dead silence of the Norse evening, alone as can be.
In a dull state of shock, his fingers fumble in a pocket, and clasp a small golden coin. The form isn’t familiar, but it’s ebbing power is. The Horn of Gabriel . It had travelled with him across dimensions; had followed him without his realization. It’s the final piece of his archangelic identity.
And, without a moment of hesitation, he sends it away; locks it in a pocket dimension in a place beyond comprehension. Out of sight, out of time, but not out of mind. It is no longer close to him, but he can feel its presence, its energy, somewhere within the depths of his hidden grace.
Your past will be back to haunt you , it seems to tell him. Someday, you will not escape.
But alas, he no longer has time for vague warnings and lost possibilities.