Kate and Azazel appeared in large meeting hall in the Pandemonium, where Lucifer, Sariel and Raphael were waiting for them. Multiple masked Justiciars were standing beside the door and around the perimeter of the room. Raphael too had a masked angelic guard with him.

The instant he noticed Kate, the archangel got up from his chair and lowered his head. “It fills me with relief that you came. There is much I wish to say to you.”

“Raphael, correct?” Kate took a seat opposite of him.

“Yes.”

“You already know who I am. And I am here to listen, so… go ahead.”

“Before I speak of political troubles and the future, I must apologize. I beg your forgiveness for my lack of foresight and knowledge of my follower’s motives and actions. I knew about his ancient grudge against Apollyon, but I did not anticipate its severity. Your life should have never been placed in jeopardy and I apologize for letting Arakiel act on his own. It was my duty to stop him and I failed.”

“Then why only ask for my presence now, when you have come here before to apologize to Lucifer and the others? Is it because I was merely human then?” Kate felt the partial sincerity in his words, but he was hiding something.

“Much to shame, you are correct. I did not believe you important. You were just human and my attention was focused on the effect your death would have had on Apollyon.”

“’Just human’?”

Raphael shot Lucifer a glance. She did not react, so he spoke again. “It is no secret that I do not hold humanity in high regard and that I believe our involvement with you was a mistake.”

“With us? I am not human anymore.” Kate shook her head. Raphael hated humans, but that could be dealt with another day. “No matter your beliefs, I am grateful for your apology. You mentioned political issues, what’s up with those?”

He looked up again. “Arakiel’s death has ignited a debate that was smouldering within our society since the last war. Our political and societal hierarchies are being broken apart over the questions of what to do about humans. Where the advocates of isolation, cooperation and confrontation would discuss their ideals in peace to find common ground, now they have begun fighting. Blood has already been spilled. I no longer have control over my own followers, as much as I can still call them that.”

Kate didn’t like him. But as much as he thought of himself, he also worried about those under him. He disliked the demons, there was no doubt about that, but right now even he realised that they needed to know. That Kate needed to know all of this. It was almost amusing how easy his mind was to read.

“And several angels blame me or Apollyon for that split. I don’t see why I should concern myself with your internal issues. One of yours tried to kill me and you utterly and miserably failed in stopping him even after you were warned. That does not make me inclined to sympathy for the consequences of your actions.”

“Sympathy is not what I wish to request. I have come because I fear what will be done to all angels if those who seek to conquer the border world win.”

Sariel spoke up. “As the treaty was signed, High Inquisitor Athena made it clear that the next attempt at taking control of the border world would be punished more severely. We do not have any interest in bending humanity to our will, as was the goal of God, and we will defend it against such attempts with utmost fervour.”

Azazel nodded in agreement. “Athena carefully avoided casualties when she led the siege of the heavens. I promised her, and will promise you now, that I will not. Our hesitation has always led to more conflict. Not anymore.”

“That, High Inquisitor and Grand Justiciar, are things I keenly understand. It pains me to say that I prefer a civil war over what you would do if we clashed again. Kate, I felt the need for you to know about this because you have been the catalyst of change for beings you have never properly met. It is only fair.” Those words were sincere, he truly believed that the situation in the heavens and their cause should not be a secret.

“Raphael…” Kate paused and sighed. “I have learned much about preconceptions in my short time at the library. I have learned to enjoy those who I feared and I have experienced betrayal from those I thought closest in the past. I will not judge the angels because Arakiel was a piece of shit, but you have to prove that you are worth the benefit of the doubt. Thank you again for telling me all of this and for your apology. But you are not off the hook yet. If you want me to forgive you, then make sure the other angels don’t do anything stupid again.”

“I will do my best.”

“I hope that will be enough.”

“I share that hope. I will have to leave now, there is much work to be done. Thank you for indulging me and once more: I am sorry for what you have experienced at the hand of one of our own.”

He stood up, politely nodded at everyone and followed Azazel out of the room. Kate turned to Lucifer and Sariel.

“What was that about?”

Lucifer shrugged. “All calculated for the best political outcome when he returns to the heavens. It seems that he intended for you to forgive him, so he can claim that he is on good terms with us. Many angels view us as superior after their repeated defeats, anyone allied with us will inherit our perceived status. Though, we should never forget whose side he was on just two thousand years ago.”

“He was sincere in his apology though… ugh, I don’t know. I hate this.”

“I do too.”

Sariel let out a deep and long sigh. “I tire of it. They have learned nothing. They need to, as the humans so eloquently put it, fuck off back to where they came from and never show their traitorous visages anywhere ever again.”

Kate reached out to the fallen angel’s mind and found not merely anger, but pain and exhaustion. Before she could think of something appropriate to say, Azazel returned with a big grin on her face. Lucifer was the first to voice everyone’s confusion.

“Do I want to ask what’s amusing you?”

Azazel nodded eagerly. “You absolutely want to. I already probed sparkly boy’s mind when we talked earlier, but I decided to have another look when I escorted him out. Raphael got his shit kicked in by some of the other archangels. Especially Uriel is unhappy with his inability to keep his minions in check. The power of the archangels had been undermined by Arakiel’s actions and thus many of Uriel’s followers, those who were previously yours Sariel, intend to ‘fall’. The other four fear that the Seraphim and Thrones will try to rebuild the old ways, before the archangels toppled them. All of this whilst the Elders under Zeus and Ra are making moves to gain power again too. The courts are fighting among themselves, the Elders desire to reign again, preferably without involving themselves with anything outside the heavens and all this because Arakiel held a grudge. Fun times. I, at least, am thoroughly entertained.”

Kate scratched her head. “Okay, I think I am following. Two questions though. First, what grudge exactly? What happened between him and Polly? And secondly, do I need to worry about all that?”

“Arakiel fought Apollyon during the first and second war. He lost both times and swore to beat her during the next war and prove himself the superior fighter. But Apollyon didn’t participate in the third. To an angel, rejecting such a challenge in a grave insult. In the end it was Athena who tore him to shreds at the siege of Celestis. And no, you don’t have to worry about any of this. The Inquisitorium and I will take care of everything… if anything comes from this.”

“It’s good to know about this stuff anyway. I need to learn so much about immortal politics…”

Lucifer scoffed playfully. “Thankfully we are quite simple in that regard.”

“That’s something. Anyway, I need to get to my humans, I am sure they are eager to hear everything about Raphael and his antics. Sariel?”

“Yes?” She did not expect to be addressed directly.

“Will you be okay?”

“I will leave my duties for a while. I am tired. Perhaps ‘Sarah’ will join ‘you dorks’ for lunch soon. That might be a fun distraction and a way to relax. I will be okay in time.”

“I look forward to that. See you all around then. Let’s go, Az.”