Well, I relented and pressed the publish button after all.

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Everyone believes in a greater influence, a hope that outside, removed from it all is a greater being that is in control, who for example is impeccably dressed, or supremely omnipotent. Freud once surmised that this state of the human consciousness could be attributed to the existence of a super ego. That this being is merely a projection of a part of one’s mind.

Some people call this presence God.

And for many, God is predominantly occupied with creation. His most ingenious creation, he must admit is man, who according to Archangel Michael, God is very pleased with because "They create him as he created them".

Strictly speaking, as Michael would point out, God did not created humans. Not wholly at least. God created the Universe and then planted the seed of life. Everything else was just a little influence here and a little prod there, they came as time progressed. However, Michael would also tell you that Angels where the only sentient beings that God created from scratch.

Michael was one of the first angels created. This is to say, he had been given his name by God. Many learned man would also point out that Michael was the last angel God named. The rest of them were named by their brethren. That is almost entirely incorrect. Of course those sagely scholars could not have been present at that moment, but they were right about the naming rituals of the angels. (Give them a cigar there, they deserved it.)

The last named angel was Gareth.

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Gareth stared at the painting and looked in the sky. He put down his brushes and lay down on the grass. What a beautiful painting it was, a perfect reproduction of the clouds in the sky. However, he was not satisfied. He willed the painting to vanish and the sky changed. It reverted back to its original form. He way supposed to paint the clouds on the canvas, not the canvas to the clouds.

He was frustrated, and when he was frustrated, he bent reality to his painting. It was easier that way, but it did little to take away the pain. He had been on his rounds again

*By now, it is necessary to explain who Gareth is. You seem Gareth is the Angel of Death. You then ask, what about the Grim Reaper? Well, the Grim Reaper is busy being one of the four horsemen, and while he awaits the 7 seals to be broken, Gareth is the deputy who has to shoulder the responsibility.

And yeah, he comes with a scythe.*

He stared blankly at the sky, until a shadow blocked out the sun. The rude intruder wore golden hair and handsome. He was Archangel Michael, and he took a seat next to Gareth.

"Why the long face?"

"Another child, an infant in fact," replied Gareth. It was not like it was the first time; in fact, it used to be far more common place in the past. That point, Gareth did not dispute.

Michael leaned back. "You know Gareth? You are starting to think like a human. I believe that is to be expected when you spend so much time amongst men."

"I don't understand Michael. I am sure many more young ones where harvested (As the term used in heaven for Gareth's duty, "The Harvest"), yet I felt nothing. However, it seems such a sin."

Michael stared at his friend for a moment. "Did I hear you call the Harvest a sin? Dear Gareth, have I not explained that one must not put emotion into one's duties? I cannot comprehend why one such as you allow yourself to be influenced by these human emotions, these human concepts."

"Fortunately or unfortunately, I do not carry out something without questioning. I simply do not see why it cannot be arranged so that the young ones are entitled a chance to live. It is not fair."

Michael remained silent.

"Michael. Do you not agree?"

"Do you really think you are human, Gareth?"

Now, Gareth was silent.

"I must be getting back to my duties. If you please, Gareth, I shall have to leave now. Try to cheer up old friend, someone else is here to see you, I hope she has better luck"

As Michael walked off, he bowed to a lady, and greeted her. She nodded. Gareth sat up and looked in her direction. Michael vanished.

“Darianne,” Gareth addressed the new comer. A distinctly female being, whose tresses flowed like the gentle waves of the ocean and glowed like the stars in the night; Her skin was a marvel that made porcelain seem like lizard’s hide, but above all her eyes, they were beyond words. At present those eyes were fixed on Gareth.

“Even Michael has agreed. You cannot dismiss that fact,” Darianne replied.

“Michael. Yes, I expected no less from him, but you? I thought you would understand this pain inside, that you would understand me.”

“But I do understand you. I just do not see why you obsess yourself with such petty games; why allow yourself to be tormented by some ideal that does not even belong to you?” Darianne said, almost with a hint of sadness in her voice.

All this while, Gareth felt a hot welling feeling inside his heart. It was slowly boiling and now, it erupted into words. “So to you it is a game? What do you know of pain, suffering and sadness!? You have spent all your time in the gardens of heaven, yet you expect me to believe you can relate to what I feel!? Have you ever seen those faces that I see? ”

Darianne expected this answer; somehow she knew that those were the exact words he would reply. She felt disappointed, and stupid. “What’s the point, Gareth, what’s the point?” She said. “Do you want me to… Oh never mind.” She did not want to criticize him any further.

“The point is, I tire of it all.” Gareth answered sharply.

“And what are you going to do? Stop harvesting the souls of the new born? Spare every baby? Then later, you shall spare any child, and before I know, you are not going to reap anymore? Is that how you plan to alleviate the situation, Gareth?” Darianne almost snapped at him. “Why do you let these humans get into your head? Do you even understand the words that you just said”

Gareth felt it. He heard it, a slight quaver in her voice, indistinct and fleeting but unmistakable. She was angry. He looked away from her, in the distance. “I cannot explain it… I just have to. I…”

Silence prevailed.

Then, from the edges of the fields, they could hear the bells toll. Bells that toll in accordance with every mortal day that passed. Darianne had to go. She turned to walk away.

“See you at the ball.”

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Gavin pondered @ 21:11