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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Canaan" data-source="post: 2828428" data-attributes="member: 40239">Interlude: Gabriel's FallRage.  Vengeance.  These were all he felt at that moment, when he stormed back into the keep’s dungeon and through the corridor that lead to the altar room.  There stood the Black Knight, still encased in Hu Li’s energy sphere.  Though Gabriel couldn’t see it through the black visor, the Knight smiled.  The fool, he thought, seeing that Gabriel was alone.  Gabriel strode purposefully up to the energy sphere, his body twitching with rage.  He punched the sphere and was repulsed by Hu Li’s magic.  He screamed out in frustration.  He would have to wait to get his vengeance.Gabriel paced in front of the energy sphere holding the Blackguard.  He stared fiercely at the dark knight, never letting his eyes stray from that visored face.  The Blackguard casually stared back with practiced patience.  He sensed the rage and hatred in Gabriel and again smiled.  I will have his life and my master will have his soul.After what seemed like an eternity to Gabriel, the sphere dissipated.  Gabriel leapt to attack, hoping to grapple the Blackguard and break its vile neck.  Had Gabriel not been paralyzed by the Sorceress’s magic during the first battle and seen the ineffectiveness of Talon’s attempt at the same thing, perhaps he would have tried a different tactic.  The Blackguard met Gabriel’s attack and pushed him back with a powerful swing of his arm.  But Gabriel would not give up easily.  Pure rage fueled him and he would not be denied his vengeance.  Gabriel fiercely attacked the Blackguard, landing blow after blow that barely dented his armor.  And between Gabriel’s powerful blows, the Blackguard made his own devastating attacks.  Not before long Gabriel had a dozen bleeding cuts.  He was becoming winded.  And the Blackguard seemed largely unhurt.Gabriel was furious.  This Blackguard killed his sister, the only person in his life that never judged him.  For that the Blackguard would die at his hand.  With an anguished scream, Gabriel attacked with renewed vigor, powered by his hatred and rage.It was at that moment that Canaan left him.Gabriel had turned his back on Canaan, on Love, Mercy and Justice.  He had instead sought refuge in the vices of The Adversary; Hatred, Rage and Vengeance.  A shadow descended on Gabriel’s soul.The Blackguard invoked Murder and cleaved through the flesh of Gabriel’s left arm to the bone.  Blood was everywhere.  But Gabriel barely felt it through his rage.  He assaulted the Black Knight with all of his might, landing a punch across his visor with his good arm and a kick to the abdomen.  The Blackguard merely flinched.But the kick was enough to throw the knight off balance, causing the Blackguard to miss with his next swing of Murder.Gabriel again attacked the Blackguard with his own hands, but at the last moment the Blackguard sidestepped his lunges, causing Gabriel to overcompensate, leaving him open for a killing blow.The Blackguard saw the opportunity and took it.  Raising Murder across his left side to bring it down in an arcing motion across Gabriel’s back, the knight spoke for the first time, “It is time to meet your new master.”  The blade swung down and buried itself deep in Gabriel’s back severing his spine.  He fell to the floor, eyes staring blankly.The Blackguard kicked Gabriel’s corpse for good measure and harrumphed.  He said a prayer to his dark lord, took one last look around the room and departed.****Canaan’s Heaven is beatific and serene; it is a place of peace and harmony.  The light of Canaan shines on those righteous souls that find themselves there and they are warmed by it.Hell, the Adversary’s domain, is harsh and inhospitable.  It can be cold as the deepest ocean or hot as the sun depending on what layer you found yourself and the nature of the sin that landed you there.  It is a place of eternal suffering and torment.There is a third place, however, for the souls of the recently departed; it is The Fugue Plane, a cosmic waiting room.  A place where the souls go of those whose fate has yet to be determined.  It is an antiseptic place, dark and cold.It is in this third place that Gabriel found himself.  He had fallen, and his soul should have gone to Hell.  And but for the intercession of his sister and their guardian Angel, Cilestrial, it would have.Cilestrial had never stopped watching over the twins as they grew; unseen and unheard, she was a celestial presence that gently guided them to do the right thing.  By Divine Law, she could involve herself in only the smallest of ways and never directly.  Nevertheless, it was she who arranged the series of events that led to their service in Goldfire Glen with the humble and kind-hearted Father Nimitz, after their years of training in Soliel under the harsh judgmental eyes of the priests there.And it was she who issued the warning to Evora outside Harpy Ruins that all was not as it would seem.  And it was she who used Evora and Talon, at the end, to speak truth to Gabriel and turn him from his path of destruction.But her will was not stronger than Canaan’s and Canaan had chosen a test for Gabriel.  The twins were indeed favored of Canaan.  But something larger was happening and Canaan chose this moment to test his favored.  It was not Cilestrial’s province or inclination to ask why.  Her duty was to carry out Canaan’s wishes.  That was all.  Canaan tested Gabriel’s faith, tested his love, tested his soul.  But all were found lacking.And so it was with great sadness that Cilestrial watched the young brawler fall.  But she would not be content to watch The Adversary annihilate his soul.  She interceded on his behalf.  And that is no small thing.Gabriel had fallen.  His soul would go to Hell to be judged by The Adversary.  Moloch would carry out the Adversary’s wishes and resign Gabriel’s soul to a place in Hell fitting to his sins.  By Divine Law, because it was Gabriel’s exercise of Free Will that consigned his soul to Hell, Canaan could not claim Gabriel’s soul without creating a Soul Debt.  Under the rules of the Soul Debt, the only way Gabriel could be saved from his Fate is for someone else to take his place.  Cilestrial however, being a significantly high-ranked Angel in Canaan’s Celestial Host, knew of a loophole in the Divine Law of the Soul Debt.  If a petition were made for Gabriel to be given a chance to redeem himself, the person taking his place would be consigned to Hell only if Gabriel had failed to redeem himself.  Meanwhile, Gabriel’s proxy would exist in The Fugue Plane, unable to leave and unable to sense anything through that place’s haze.  Cilestrial also knew that Canaan was usually loathe to exercise this loophole because Divine Law required that the Adversary also have the opportunity to choose a soul to return to Turgos for the chance to Fall. Cilestrial decided to take that chance.  She petitioned Canaan for a temporary reprieve, bartering for another chance for Gabriel.  Though Lilian will later have no memory of it, Cilestrial explained Divine Law to Lilian and all of the repercussions of the Soul Debt.  Her love for her brother compelled Lilian to stand by her side and plead with Canaan that Gabriel may yet be granted a chance to come back into Canaan’s grace.Canaan granted that request.  The Soul Debt would be paid.  Gabriel would be granted another chance.  Cilestrial would go to Gabriel and explain his misdeeds to him, freeing him from The Fugue Plane and taking his place there.  He would be returned to Turgos, with all of the knowledge of the place he had been and the deeds that brought him there.  Once on Turgos, he would have the opportunity to cleanse his soul and achieve a state of Grace.  But as required by Divine Law, Canaan decreed further.  While Cilestrial paid the Soul Debt required by Divine Law, Lilian, for her part, would be returned to Turgos.  Though she had earned a place in Canaan’s Heaven, she would have to give it up to save the soul of her brother, the soul for whom she and Cilestrial interceded.  She would have to earn her place in Heaven again.  And she would be tested.  Indeed, a pure soul returned to Turgos to pay a Soul Debt is too enticing a challenge for The Adversary to ignore.  She would be tempted.  And she could Fall.  But for Lilian, no price was too great to pay for her brother.  And so she readily accepted her Fate.To spare her the anguish and grief, Canaan decreed that Lilian would have no memory of Canaan’s Heaven or of her time there, for that would have been cruel.****The angel Cilestrial went to Gabriel and explained to Gabriel his Fall.  Gabriel wept.  “How could seeking to destroy an evil soul lead to damnation?”  He asked Cilestrial, angry and confused.“Gabriel.  It is not seeking to destroy an evil soul that lead to your damnation.  It is what was in your heart that did it.  You sought to destroy the Dark Knight, not out of Justice or Love, but out of Hatred, Rage and Vengeance.”  Cilestrial explained sympathetically.“I don’t understand.” Gabriel cried.Cilestrial looked at Gabriel sadly, “It is not for you to judge and mete out punishment.  Even the inquisitors and justicars seek divine aid before doing so.  Your role is to enact Justice and exhibit Mercy.”“I don’t think I know the difference.” Gabriel wept.“You must learn the difference then, Gabriel.  Your soul depends on it.”  She added.  “And so does mine,” she added in a whisper looking away.  Gabriel snapped to attention.  “What do you mean, ‘so does mine’?” He asked quickly.“The Soul Debt must be paid.  I interceded on your behalf.  I will remain here while you earn a place in Canaan’s Heaven.  If you fail, you will be consigned to Hell.  And so will I.”“No!  I will not permit you to do this!”  Gabriel yelled.“It is not your right to allow or disallow this, Gabriel.  It was my choice.  And it is done.  It cannot be undone.”  Cilestrial responded sympathetically.“I am not worthy of this sacrifice.  And I do not know if I can fare any better given a second chance.  I am confused.  I do not trust my ability to understand and process the subtleties of Divine Law.  I implore you to let me be.”  Gabriel pleaded with her.“What is done is done.”  Cilestrial calmly responded.Gabriel wept.  A short time later, he asked after his sister.  “Did you see Lilian in Canaan’s Heaven?”“Yes.” She flatly intoned.“Thank Canaan.” Gabriel breathed“And our parents?” He asked.“I am not permitted to speak of there Fates.”  Cilestrial responded.“What do you mean?  It is a simple question.  Either they are in Heaven or they are not.”  Gabriel was angry.“It is actually much more complicated than that.” Gabriel scowled.“If I were permitted to tell you more, I would, Gabriel.  Your parents…. Their Fates are tied to a Harmonic Concordance.”“What do you mean?”“A Harmonic Concordance is an event, Gabriel.  It happens that very rarely the Three Faiths do battle to determine the course of history.  The Adversary and Canaan have always opposed each other in these battles.  But The Green is unpredictable and can often decide the winner.  All Three Faiths must come together and decide the course of history.”  Gabriel was speechless.“It is time for you to go.  You will be joined by your sister.  She will have no memory of Canaan’s Heaven.  It is for the best.  Like me, she interceded on your behalf.  She will return to Turgos.”Gabriel nodded.  Cilestrial never told him the full implication of Lilian’s return.A bright light appeared near Gabriel.“Walk into the light, Gabriel.  Goodbye.”Gabriel walked into the light and turned to Cilestrial, “I will do as is required of me.  I will endeavor to follow Canaan’s dictates and divine guidance.  But it will take me a long time to unlearn my habits.  Though I often lack it, I pray that Canaan is patient with me.  I will be his devoted servant.  Thank you.”Gabriel disappeared into the light.</blockquote>

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