Death: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

I have never seen God before. On the surface They are not as I imagined. But I am a Horseman, I am Death. I can see beyond the veil of Their disguised form, and what I see is light so blinding and beautiful as to bring tears to my eyes. I am already down on my knee and yet I could fall further. My chest is hollow, only to be filled with the indescribably ecstasy of this moment.

Hot liquid streams down my cheeks and I hide my face in my hand so that none may see Death weep.

“Here,” I look to see a handkerchief held out between two aether-stained fingers. I take it and thank Gabriel, even though his entertained expression is unbearable. One day I may yet carve that smug smile from his face.

“That is...it truly is…”

“God? Come now, Death -- you can’t doubt that’s our Father. Although, wait a minute,” he frowns, “besides the fact he’s taken on a different appearance, you’ve never seen Father before, have you?”

I shake my head. “Never...in all this time.”

“I like to give my children and those here on Earth a wide berth of free will to run their own lives,” God stands before us, stabbing Michael and Lucifer’s angelic blades into the ice. “Your messages were late, Gavri’el.”

“Yeah…” Gabriel rubs the back of his head, smiling sheepishly: a chastised boy more than an archangel. “Guess I figured Mickey might come to his senses.”

“Or that Lucifer would attempt to forfeit the boy.”

“The thought...crossed my mind.”

“Dumbass,” War mutters. I shoot him a warning look.

God laughs, “Spoken like a true War.”

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War flushes, and I see him hide his proud smile in the sleeve of his jacket. A hand settles upon my shoulder, raw energy pouring into my being. God smiles at me with such warmth and pride, as though I am the prodigal child.

“And you, Death, the longest-reigning of your title, and even of your kind. How have you come to fight against your commander?”

My mouth opens and closes a few times. How did this all begin? Where was the start? A whisper of ice across the sands. A human who could see me.

“Curiosity,” I finally manage to say. “Curiosity and confusion over that which I had thought impossible And then…”

“And then the realization that expectations and reality did not align.”

I nod, “Something to the effect of the reality I thought I knew being not quite the true reality.”

“And you?” God looks to War, Conquest, and Famine.

“Where Death leads, we follow,” War says, standing a little straighter, though his cheeks are still touched with a flush.

“Even to stand against the might of the army of Heaven?”

“To be fair,” Famine chimes in, “we weren’t the only ones who thought doing so was worth it.”

God chuckles, turning them to Raphael and Gabriel. “My children have always enjoyed their bouts and contests of will. Though I expect better of you, Rafa'el.”

Raphael bows low, “There were two lives at risk, including a human life that I--...” He stops, clicking his tongue in annoyance, looking away.

“Go on, son.”

The angel sighs, waiting only a moment before saying, “One that I had healed before.”

What? All seemed surprised, save for God, who only smiles knowingly. I tear my eyes from them to look past at where Hyun has helped Lucifer to his feet, his father’s arm slung over his shoulders. Michael kneels behind them, one fist and knee to the ice, head down, waiting. The ever-dutiful eldest son. Could they hear what was being said? Hyun’s surprise, Lucifer’s resignation -- they could.

God turns to Their two other children: one, their most dutiful, and the other once said to be their most preciously-loved. And the human that had pitted them against each other once again.