Athena, Sariel and Apollyon had arrived mere moments after Kate had led the two falling angels into the office.

“I can only echo what Kate told you as it is very close to what I said to Sariel two thousand years ago. But I also know that hearing it from different people can mean a lot. So, let me welcome you again and reassure you that we accept you as demons. I am glad you chose this path and want to make Hell your home. From today onward, you belong with us. I can assist you in the ‘fall’ whenever you are ready. Of course, if anyone else wants to say something, I want them to speak first.”

Kate spoke up. “I don’t want to bog this down too much with my curiosity, but I would like to know how this works. How does an angel fall?”

“The angelic tie to the heavens is a voluntary one. A soul is usually anchored to the underworld of the universe it was born in. We demons became tied to Hell because our underworld is inaccessible. The angels mimicked that immortality by forcefully tying their souls to the heavens as an additional anchor. Meaning that if they were to die, they would first snap back to the heavens and if they died there, they would go into their underworld. To fall an angel uses the same method that tied them to the heavens to tie themselves to Hell. For some reason we do not fully understand, that cuts their connection to any other anchor and makes their tie to Hell as unbreakable as that of any other demon. To assist an angel then means to offer yourself a bridge to Hell. Whenever an entity tied to a universe walks within another, it retains a connection that someone seeking a point to anchor too can use. Simplified, I open myself as a sort-of part of Hell to anchor to. Why that turns angels into demons we don’t know, but it implies things we would rather not uncover.”

“I see, that is incredibly fascinating.”

“And it opens interesting options for humans among others.”

“Oh, I can imagine. Anyway, that’s all I wanted to ask.”

“And I was happy to answer. Anyone else?”

Eisheth had a question too. “I expected Azazel to be here. Where is she?”

“I do not know. We have alerted her and I will ask her later why she isn’t here unless she arrives late. I am pretty sure that she has a reason for not showing up.”

“I merely worry, that is all.”

“I do too. All the more reason to not postpone this.”

“Agreed.”

Athena turned to the two angels. “I am here to latch onto. Fall whenever you are ready.”

Kokabiel closed his eyes and, for the lack of a better word, fell. It was like a fire burning through the angel’s body, shifting its form and burning away any trace of the heavenly golden glow that began to emanate from his blood. Where Sariel’s fire seemed to still burn within her, Kokabiel was nearly burned out. Skin turned ashen pale, gold turned black, and the masculine angelic form had become feminine, demonic.

Tariel broke the silence after Kokabiel’s transformation had finished. “How do you feel?”

The newly fallen angel looked at their hands and down their new body. “Warm and relieved in a way.”

“Did you feel pain?”

“No, not at all. It was just very warm and strange. I still feel strange.” Kokabiel poked their breasts much to the amusement of the demons. “It will take a while to get used to this, but I think I like it.”

Sariel had a question. “Do you wish us to refer to you as an angel or as a demon?”

“A demon, please. If that is okay.”

“It is. You may reject your old name as you please as well. Many of those who fell with me did so.”

Kokabiel shook her head. “No, I am Kokabiel, fallen angel. I carry my name and my identity as a rejection of what I once was. It is my life that I will live in celebration of what I am now. I am a demon but I don’t want to forget what I left behind to be this way.”

“You do not have to be a fallen angel, you can put your past aside and fully embrace the demon you are.”

“I know, Sariel. Just saying your name like this feels like rebelling against my past. No, I want to be a fallen angel. To me, this is not just about being a demon but about living in a demonic way and being very distinctly not an angel. I hope that makes sense.”

Sariel nodded. “My feelings about myself are similar to yours. I merely wished for you to understand that you do not have to follow my path. You are your own demon, you choose who you are.”

“I understand that and I am grateful that you thought to remind me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Tariel spoke again. “It is permitted to change one’s opinion on their identity as a fallen angel, is that not right?”

Athena nodded. “Who and what you are can absolutely be malleable. If you want to celebrate your rejection of the angelic way of life now but feel more like just another demon later, that is okay. We accept that. Your past only defines you as much as you want it to.”

“Then I ask you to refer to me as a demon, as a fallen angel once I begin to change. I shall remain Tariel until the moment I have found my place in Hell.”

“And I will gladly help you find it.”

“I am grateful for that offer. To begin, I must fall first.” Tariel took a deep breath and let the same process that had just transformed Kokabiel begin. The golden eye-rings had turned black with a hint of a red shimmer to them, but colour and what humans would describe as femininity weren’t the only things to change. Tariel was now standing on a pair of hooves, a tail swaying behind her.

Kokabiel looked quite enamoured with the changes. “How are you?”

Tariel flexed her neck and fingers. “What a fascinating experience. I feel like you understated the warmth that burned through us. I feel… good.”

Athena interrupted. “We should get you to Hell soon. You need a place to stay, make sure Lucifer and Azazel know about you, all that stuff.”

Tariel nodded. “I concur, but first I must share some of the knowledge we originally brought to convince you to let us fall. Librarian Kate?”

“Yes?” Kate leaned forward onto the desk.

“Your library, including what was once known as the archive, is said to hold all works written by humans and demons alike. Are those rumours true?”

“Yes, they are.”

“My last task as foremost messenger was to deliver a tome previously held by God, inherited by Gabriel, to the secure vaults within the archive of the high courts. I partially disobeyed the orders given to me and inspected the tome. It appeared to have been taken from your library many aeons ago.”

“I thought we had protections against that?”

Apollyon interjected by shaking her head. “Not back then. We only introduced the magical ties between the books and the library after the first humans came here. Still, it would have been noticed if an angel took the tome. Demons being lent books was not unusual.”

“So, you’re saying that the traitor we are looking for removed the tome and gave it to God.”

“Exactly.”

“That’s a problem. Tariel, please continue.”

Tariel nodded. “The traitor might be in fact two. The tome contained the collected correspondence between God and the demons Abatur and Ptahil from the times of awakening of humanity. Gabriel declared that protecting the secrets within the tome was of utmost importance. Many believe that Gabriel desires the position once held by God now that Uriel has perished. The courts are breaking and he reaches for the chance to unite them under his might.”

“And whatever is in this tome would be damning for the memory of God or Gabriel’s succession of him. For us, it would likely help solve a millennia old mystery. Polly?”

Apollyon nodded at Kate. “Yes?”

“We need to make sure we don’t have a copy of that tome somewhere somehow. If we do, that will save us a lot of hassle.”

“Hassle as in repossessing the tome.”

“By breaking into the secure vaults in heaven.”

“That will be difficult but not impossible.” Apollyon took a moment to think and then started grinning. “I am certain I know a few demons who would thoroughly enjoy a heist like that.”

“Don’t forget that we first need to check our archives.”

“Of course.”

“Alright, Tariel, anything else you want to tell us?”

The fallen angel shook her head. “Too much for this moment. I remain available for questions at all times.”

“Alright then. You two need to get your homes sorted out and should get a tour of Hell. There is much to see.”

Everyone gave their goodbyes and well-wishes to the new demons before they left through the door to Hell. Kokabiel hesitated before stepping through it and turned back to Kate who stood behind her in the corridor.

“Librarian… Kate, I want to speak with you in private later. Would that be okay?”

Kate smiled and nodded. “Of course! I am usually here, but if I’m not just have someone send me a note.”

“Thank you.” Kokabiel stepped through the door and closed it behind herself.

Kate turned to look at Apollyon. “Did I do the right thing?”

The old devil burst out laughing. “Are you joking?”

“No? I’m just a little unsure about deciding that those two were allowed to fall and everything.”

“They could have fallen without our help or permission. Of course you did the right thing. You extended a hand to someone in need. I am proud of you.”

“Still feels weird to make those decisions by myself.”

“You had Eisheth and several justiciars with you. If you had made the wrong choice, someone would have likely stopped you.”

“Fair enough. Want to get an early breakfast?”

“Sounds like a good idea. Want to head out into Dis for that?”

“Yes please!”