A Heavenly Christmas: Heaven's Counsil

She had never been near a human who's soul was in such darkness, but she had heard about it.  The angels assigned to them never recovered.  God herself carried such scars.

 

"What has happened?" Mary came running to god. 

 

"We have an angel in trouble," Thor's voice boomed through heaven as he gathered his weapons to him.

 

"There's no need for those."  God gently removed his hammer from his tightening fist.  "There will be no heavenly battles over this.  Call the council of angels, but be sure they all know, I will allow no weapons."

 

"Isn't it strange how close they have come to the Truth?" Loki whispered as he looked on at those being seated at the Round Table. 

 

"If it weren't for you, they wouldn't be nearly so confused," admonished Freya.

 

"Nonsense.  I never had the Book in my possession!"

 

"No, but you were the one who tripped her," Frigga hissed.

 

"And if you don't keep quiet you'll get us all in trouble!  We Norse swore to stick together!  You remember that and keep your tales to yourself!" warned Loki.  "Wodin didn't feel it necessary to tell god what happened so neither should you."

 

Whispers from the observation galleries ceased and all present rose as god stepped behind her seat.  She looked around.  No, there wasn't an angel missing, everysingle angel in heaven and even those with assignments on earth had come to hear what the council decided.   Her eyes traveled around the table.  None of the earth's religions were missing.  Even old Zoaraster and Baron Smaedi were here.  God sighed.  It was as though time had stopped, but were they here to give aid to the angel or were they here, as so many times before, to condemn her?

 

God stepped around to be seated and every being seated as well.  Her voice rang out strong so that all could hear her words.  "I may have made the first mistake."  She waited until the surprised banter ceased.  I have sent Venus to the aid of a lost soul.  She has looked into his eyes and seen Hell."  This time there was silence as she paused.  No angel had seen Hell and no angel would wish such a fate upon another.  "We have come together to discuss if we can help her and how to go about doing so.  I open the table for discussion."

 

The silence was broken only by the soft weeping of the more tenderhearted among them.  Even the stoics were obviously disturbed.  "What can be done?" asked Buddha.  "Even the oldest amongst us have never known of such a thing.  Were do we even start?"

 

Ra spoke, "she got herself into this.  She knew not to look into the eyes of a Lost Soul and yet she did.  She must pay the consequences herself.  We cannot endanger another angel."

 

Mummers rose from the galleries.

 

"No!" cried the Corn Mother.  "We do not abandon any of our human children, how can we abandon one of our own?"

 

"She did know," concurred Buddha.  "But she also would do anything to help one of us when we are in need."

 

"Look at what she has done in the past.  She is good hearted, but perhaps we are better off without her," argued Ra.

 

"Just a moment," broke in Wodin with a glance toward his Norse brethren.  "She has never done anything to harm another on purpose, unlike some among us.  I would venture to guess that many of her mishaps are the fault of a, huh-um, misunderstanding."  Loki's face blanched.

 

God noticed both the glance and Loki's face and her expression darkened.  "I will concede both that she has been a concern in the past and that she has a good heart.  The question I put forth is, can we help her?"

 

Shiva rose.  "I will go. She has been my friend and I am willing to risk her fate to save her."

 

"The galleries have not been recognized!" roared Ra.

 

"I will go."  "I will go."  "I will go."  From around the room shouts echoed until it became a chorus of support for the lost angel.  God wept with the knowledge that she was not mistaken.  No other angel would have had such support, she knew it.  Only Venus could have caused a simple assignment to become the rally of the ages.

 

God rose and the hall became silent.  "Perhaps all is not lost if so many of you are willing to share her sorrow.  When humans need help, we send an angel, but when angels need help they must call on me.  Venus has not called.   I fear that she no longer recognizes us."

 

"Perhaps there is a solution."  The whisper rang through the hall as though it had been a shout.

 

"Haven't you already been enough trouble for her?  I don't even know why you're still a member of the council."  Zeus growled.

 

God ignored his comment.  "You have a solution, Lucifer?"

 

"Make her human."

 

Disagreement rang from the rafters as both the gallery and the council erupted.  God and Lucifer stared at one another.  He knew god was weighing his words in spite of the denial of the residents of heaven.   He also knew what the risk was.  If she became human, like her charge, she would also be a lost soul.  As a human, though, an angel could be sent to her.  If the angel failed, Venus would exist in Hell for all of eternity.  If the angel succeeded, Venus could once again be returned to the ranks of heaven.  The cacophony of voices slowly died away as the angels realized one of the council had stood.

 

In the remaining silence Jesus spoke.  "I am proof that we can become humans and then return to angels once again.  But I never loved one of them enough to let them drag me into Hell.  Lucifer's suggestion is valid, but I believe there is only one thing that will bring her back to us.  Love."  Once again the hall was filled with whispers as this suggestion was bantered between the listeners.

 

"We cannot make her a human child as we did with you."  This idea began to sound plausible to god.  "And if she succeeds, she may still return to us injured.  How can we introduce her into the world of humans without disrupting the balance between worlds?"

 

"Amnesia."  Now that Lucifer had the support of his age-old enemy, he outlined his plan freely.  "We give her amnesia.  She must not remember this world and it will explain why she doesn't remember their world either.  And everyone can then give her some assistance.  Humans may have angelic intervention.   Surrounded by what they call miracles, how can she not succeed?  Some of us can influence the man and the moment they fall in love, why it would be like one of their fairy tales.  She wakes up and remembers.  And if we do fail, she will simply never wake up.  She would remain a human, and never know the existence she has lost."  Now that it was out, Lucifer held his breath.  He could be cruel, it was true, but he had once been gods own beloved.  Maybe if he showed her that he was still good at heart, she would love him again.

 

"No."  She did not look at any of the angels, but stared at the center of the table where an image of her lost angel glimmered through her tears.  "No, she will not be given angelic assistance.  It will have to come from within her.   I will make her human and I will giver her amnesia, but love she must find on her own.  She will live or die according to her own being.  So mote it be."

 

God turned to walk away from the silence that followed her decision.  Normally she did not doubt that the angels would obey her, but when it came to Venus, she had learned, at last, to take nothing for granted.  "Let it be known throughout time that Venus is to get no heavenly assistance whatsoever!  Anyone caught disobeying me will simply cease to exist!"  She looked directly at Lucifer,  "and let no one, not any of you doubt my love for all my angels even when they are punished for their misdeeds."

 

Each of the angels bowed their heads to acknowledge the will of god.

 

Except one.  In theory he wasn't really an angel anyway.  He was simply a mortal with special grace and god herself gave him the job of making sure every human got what they needed at the end of winter.  He didn't need to do much anymore because an awful lot of people were doing his job for him so if he did cease to exist, it wouldn't change much.  God was even making the assignments herself now.  And besides, if Venus were a human, wouldn't he really be just doing his job?  He was sure he could find his way around this.  Of course the best thing would be to simply not get caught.  He looked up just as god took one last look over her shoulder.   He wasn't completely sure, but Santa Clause could have sworn he saw god wink at him!