Before him stood the archangels Michael and Gabriel.
He held his head high, prepared to face the same judgment as Lucifer and his demons.
98
THE GREAT GATE SWUNG OPEN without a sound. A figure emerged and came forth. Nick could not have described it because the light emanating from it overwhelmed his sight. Its presence caused him to fall to his knees and bow his head. No angel of his stature had ever stood so close. That was reserved strictly for the holiest.
Or those facing eternal damnation.
Nick could barely speak. But he did, with fear and trembling.
“Father.”
“Nikolai.” He didn’t exactly hear the voice, he perceived it. And the voice didn’t just resound—it rippled through the universe. “You stand before the judgment seat, having touched humanity, having intervened and taken on their likeness and nature. What have you to say for yourself?”
“I make no excuse, Father. I’m ready to accept the consequences of my actions.”
“Have you no advocate?”
Michael stepped forward, scowling down at Nick.
“There is one, Father.”
The dark vapor appeared again.
Nick drew a sharp breath. Not Johann.
The vapor became Johann, then it evaporated into a glowing cloud which coalesced into…
“Tamara?”
The dark vapor? Johann? They had been Tamara all along?
“I vouch for Nikolai, Father,” she said.
“Then you have taken full responsibility for his actions,” He said.
“I have.”
“May I speak?” Michael said. Father nodded, whereupon Michael proceeded to cite each count of Nick’s “flagrant” disregard for protocol. “And the most grave of alclass="underline" He was found to be in collusion for a time with the Dark Dominion.”
Though Nick hadn’t realized it was them until it was too late, there was no use trying to explain. It would only make things worse.
Father passed his hand before Nick, who now found himself wearing what appeared to be the dress uniform of an officer in the British Army, circa 1900. The medals on it and the sword at his side evoked his glorious stint as a decorated guardian.
Now, before his cosmic hanging, he would have his medals stripped, his epaulets torn from his shoulders, his sword broken in half over Michael’s knee.
Father’s eyes were fixed on him with a look both terrifying and compelling.
“Come forth, Nikolai.”
Nick obeyed, his back ramrod straight.
Michael held out his hand.
Nick turned over his sword.
Tamara removed his coat.
“Bow, Nikolai,” Gabriel said.
Nick bowed. Down on one knee, face to the ground, he awaited the final blow that would send him into the fiery pits, to suffer everlasting torment as a mortal.
99
NICK CONSIDERED ABANDONING HIS PRIDE and throwing himself at Father’s mercy, and begging for forgiveness. He never got the chance.
“Arise, Nikolai.”
When he lifted his head, Father stood over him, shining like the morning, a brilliant smile spread across his magnificent countenance. Nick got up.
To his surprise, Tamara put a purple robe over his shoulders. Michael handed him a new sword so brilliant, it seemed to blaze with white fire.
“I… I don’t understand.” Nick looked all around.
“My son, do you not see?” Father placed His hand on Nick’s head as though in blessing. “Once you were lost but now are found. Once you were dead but are now alive.”
“But I chose to defect. I broke the law.”
Father laughed, the sound of it remarkably like thunder.
“Did you really think any of what you did could go on without my knowledge?”
“Well, no, but…”
“You are loved with an everlasting love, my son.”
Nick glanced over to Tamara—she’d told him that, the day he resigned. Or thought he’d resigned.
“I know your character,” Father said. “After all, I created you. I knew the path you would take given the settings and conflicts in which I set you. And you have developed just as I hoped.”
“Have I? Then why did you—why did I have to become human?”
“Ah, that is the question, isn’t it?” Another of those brilliant smiles. “You were destined, Dear Nikolai, to be a champion of my children, the humans. That is why you overcame your limitations and sacrificed everything to save them from that nuclear blast. And that is why you could never serve the purposes of the Dark Dominion. You love the humans.”
Nick raised an eyebrow.
“Well, you may have gotten a bit too close to them, but I’ll overlook it. I have the authority to do that, you know.”
“Of course,” Nick said, unsure if he should smile.
“You were allowed to become human so you could learn compassion for those you protect, empathize with their struggles.” He leaned down to Nick’s ear and whispered. “I’ve done it too, you know.”
He straightened up and resumed speaking in what Nick perceived as his normal voice.
“And now, having been a human, you can understand them, see them as I do. My son, it takes more than might and power to be their guardian. You need my spirit.” He touched Nick’s forehead and he immediately felt his strength return. Stronger than ever before. “And now, you have it.”
“Father,” Nick bowed his head. “I am not worthy.”
“You have been made worthy. Behold, I make all things new.” He placed his hand under Nick’s chin and lifted his head. “Well done, good and faithful guardian.”
“Did you say guardian?”
“Supreme Guardian, in fact. You have proven faithful in lesser things, I will put you in command of much greater things.” He nodded toward the gate, which still yawned open. “Enter now and partake of my joy.”
As he walked through, there was no way to describe what he was seeing without diminish its beauty, its glory.
Taking it all in, Nick couldn’t stop the tear that fell from his eye. He’d not only been reinstated as an angel, he’d been promoted.
Tamara came over and embraced him. “Congratulations, Nick.”
“Thank you, but all along, you were there—the dark vapor, Johann?”
“And the harbor porpoise who helped you with that pendant.”
“That was you?” Nick said, laughing incredulously. But the mirth didn’t last. He remembered the pain and suffering Hope had experienced in her last moments. “Alas…”
“That term does not exist here,” Tamara said. “Look over there.”
“Hope!”
Beaming with joy, she ran into his arms. She was whole, not a scratch or blemish. In fact, she seemed a bit younger than he remembered. Nick lifted her off the ground and spun around, his heart filled with unspeakable joy. They kissed for as long as it took—time was irrelevant.
“Humans and angels,” Tamara said. “What will the neighbors say?”
More laughter.
But then Nick’s jubilant expression turned somber. He touched Hope’s face tenderly.
“Did you suffer, love? You know, before you…”
“You mean before I died? What an odd concept.” She gave him that smile. “My entire mortal life was like a dream I barely remember. Now, it’s as if I just woke up and am back in the real world.”
“That’s how most humans describe it when they get here,” Tamara said.
“To tell you the truth,” Hope said, “Nick is the one who helped me understand all this.”
“Me?”
“You see, mortal life is all just a construct of this, the true reality.”
“Not a very good one,” Nick said, taking her hand. “But I see what you mean.”