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The reliever that would one day be known as Kalamiel flitted about Heaven.
Newly created, it marvelled at the wonder that was the Symphony and struggled to
comprehend its place.
All about it, the celestial realm was abuzz with activity: sturdy Cherubim
lumbered past its diminutive form like semis around a VW, Mercurians and Grigori
discussed how best to help humanity, busy Ofanim buzzed past... all oblivious to
a confused reliever.
The knowledge of what all these beings did was evident to it--something inherent
in its creation. Cherubim protected, Ofanim moved, Grigori watched and so on.
But nowhere within it was something that said what *it* was to do! To help,
yes, but to help what?
Spotting another reliever, it flitted over and asked, "What do I do?"
"Hmm?" he asked, "I have no idea. Don't you know?"
"No," it admitted sadly, "I don't."
A glow of understanding lit the male reliever's face, "Ah, you're new! Go talk
to Yves, he knows a lot of stuff. He'll be able to help!"
The little celestial buzzed off looking for Yves. Eventually, after asking
many, many angels, it eventually found him.
He was sitting on a stone bench, talking quietly with all those who came to
speak to him. After waiting for what seemed an appropriate time, it zipped in
and asked, "What do I do?"
Yves smiled at the questioner, "The proper question is, 'What should I do?',
little one."
The archangel almost seemed to radiate age and wisdom and it took a few seconds
before the reliever could reply, "Ummmm.... okay. What *should* I do?"
"I can't tell you, for that's a question only you can answer for yourself."
Getting a little frustrated, it said, "Well *that's* not very helpful. That
other reliever said you could help me!" Some of the surrounding angels were a
bit shocked by its impertenance, but Yves only laughed softly.
"Help you I can. First I shall give you your Name. From now until the proper
time, you are Pina."
The reliever rolled the name around a bit, "Pina. Pina. I like it!"
"It suits you, as all true names should. Now, Pina, the task for which you were
created has not yet manifested."
It digested this information, "Well, what do I do til then? I mean what should
I do til then? I mean, oh I don't know what I mean!"
"Until you know more of your self, I'll give you a task, then." He pressed his
hands together and when he separated them, an image from the Earth appeared,
hovering before him. In the image was a small, thorny plant barely large enough
to support the single bud near its apex. "Guard over this plant. Nurture it
and watch it grow." The vision expanded until it encompassed the reliever.
***
The newly-named Pina looked around, fascinated. "So this is the earth?" Then
it girded its loins and approached the plant. "Okay, it's just you and me for
now. What's your name?" When it didn't respond, the reliever continued, "Not
much of a talker, eh? Well, that's okay, I didn't have a name until a little
while ago." It settled in for might be a long time. That was okay, though, it
didn't have anything else to do.
***
It noticed that when other plants got too shaded, they grew poorly, so it made
sure that its plant had plenty of sunlight.
When other plants lacked water, they dried up, so Pina made sure that the plant
had plenty of water.
Heavy rains washed away soil and dug at the roots of the surrounding foliage,
but Pina built a little dam, pebble by pebble, to guide the waters away her
charge.
Small insects attacked the plant, but Pina plucked them off one at a time until
it was free from parasites again.
When an animal attempted to nibble on it, the reliever bopped it on the nose and
it scampered off.
And through it all Pina watched, patiently.
***
Then, one day, something happened.
The bud on top, long accepted as just another part of the plant, began to
change.
Pina looked at it with eagerness and trepidation. Was something going wrong?
Was this supposed to happen? Since the rest of the plant seemed unharmed by the
change, the reliever let it continue.
The tiny bit of red that poked through the bud spread as the green pod opened
over the next few days. Soon the change had expanded into a glorious patch of
crimson... the most beautiful thing Pina had seen on Earth. It was entranced
with the beauty of the bloom and would stare at it for hours a day. Pina
wondered at its delicate softness and was almost intoxicated by its aroma.
The reliever continued to tend the plant. Bees came by to visit the blossom, but
since they did not harm, it let them be.
After weeks of pleasant labor, Pina noticed that the petals were starting to
become brown a bit at the edges... lose their color and strength. At first, the
little celestial was not worried, assuming it was a new transformation in the
plant. Then the petals began to drop one by one. Frantically, Pina did
everything it knew how to do to save the bloom, but to no avail. Soon the flower
was dead and nothing was left but a few tufts of red on the ground below.
Heartbroken, Pina fled to Heaven and sought out Yves. It cried piteously to
him, "Oh, Yves, I've failed! The plant is dying and I'm to blame." The
faerie-like creature clung to the oldest being in the universe and sobbed.
"Show me, young one."
Still crying, Pina took him to the plant which stood amidst the snow piled
around it (time being a different matter on Earth than in Heaven).
Pina sniffed back her tears, "See, the, the ..."
"Flower?" Yves supplied.
"The flower is gone! There's nothing left but a stick in the cold."
Yves sat on a nearby log and drew the huddled, shivering reliever into the warm
space cupped by his hands. "Look more closely, Pina. The plant is not dead,
just resting. It needs this time and, come spring, it will bloom again."
"B-but, what about the flower?"
"It had fulfilled its Destiny, small one. There is no sorrow in that."
Pina sniffled a bit, "Really?"
"Really. Next year, your tender care will be rewarded with a stronger, more
vibrant plant. It may have two, perhaps even three blooms. Some things require
a quiet period before they can achieve their full potential."
The reliever looked at the winter-draped twig in wonderment. "There'll be more
flowers?"
"Many, many more. Now dry your tears and return to Heaven. There will be other
duties awaiting you. This no longer needs your help."
With one last look at the brave plant, Pina ascended with the Archangel.
***
As he had promised there were many other things to do. Any reliever without a
current task was likely to be snagged by any passing angel to help in their
projects. This kept Pina pleasantly busy for years. She (having finally chosen
a gender) counted herself content even if she didn't know her ultimate purpose.
Then came the Fall.
What little of it the proto-angel experienced was a mass of confusion as her
world was torn apart. Pina's last clear memory was of a hideous parody of a
Seraph attacking a wounded Cherub. The foul creature picked up the Guardian and
threw him into a statue, shattering it into thousands of pieces. It reared above
the stunned angel and poised to strike.
Pina desperately grabbed one of the shards of stone and rushed the Seraph-like
monster, stabbing it. Though the pain was minor, it distracted the anti-angel
momentarily. With a shriek, the hideous thing leapt on the reliever, its fangs
sinking deeply.
A foul poison filled her, eating at her very being like acid, but she refused to
yield so easily. Using the last of her strength and every bit of her Essence,
she drove the stone deep into one of its upper eyes. Her screams and its
mingled in a terrible harmony as its coils began to crush her into oblivion.
Just before slipping away, she saw the cat-form of the battered Cherub leap upon
the thing's neck and squeeze with massive jaws.
***
For many, many, MANY years, Pina slept.
***
Then, one day, she awoke.
By her side was something large... but friendly. When her vision cleared, she
could see it was the same (yet different somehow) Cherub she had tried to help.
"W-What happened?" Her voice was hesitant, wavering.
He frowned and said solemnly, "Something very, very terrible. But there will be
time enough for you to learn that soon. I am glad you are better." He gave her
a lick which, considering the relative sizes of their bodies, covered her entire
form. And was scratchy.
In self-defense she stood up and discovered she *was* better. "That foul,
terrible thing that was attacking you... is it gone?"
The cherub gave her a rumbling chuckle, "Yes, I managed to kill the Balseraph...
with your aid, of course."
"Bal... Seraph?" She tasted the word, not liking it at all.
"The poison it carried was enough to Traumatize you, but the Light of Heaven
held your soul safely until you could recover."
"I must go back to my duties, my friend. But you may join me when you've been
instructed on recent events." He turned to go with leonine grace.
"What's your name, Guardian?" she asked his retreating form.
"Aram," he said simply before vanishing from sight.
***
So, Pina learned of the Fall, the War, and Hell. The loss of the gentle Grigori.
The betrayal by the Shining One. Every day she cried as she learned the fates of
her former comrades and the terrible things they did to the earth below, to
Heaven, to each other.
As did all who served Heaven, she worked towards defeating the infernal Hordes
in whatever capacity she could. Pina learned, and grew strong. She found herself
attracted to the Archangel of Flowers, perhaps in remembrance of her first task,
or maybe to feel the love and peace that Novalis radiated.
Eventually, her tears dried and a determination fused with her being. Pina vowed
that she would help put things back the way they should be... whatever the cost.
She felt her wings unfurl to their full extent, but no longer gossamer and
white... they were long and black. She felt the chains of discipline settle on
her soul as she took her Oaths and was glad for them. They were her weapons and
armor against evil. Pina felt an urge to take up a weapon and destroy the
corruption of the world as her blood sang hotly through her veins (NEVER suffer
an evil to live! NEVER surrender!)
Just then, her eyes espied the flowers she had been tending and the rage drained
out of her as she remembered the calm place Novalis had made in her heart. Then
she knew her path, only then. She flew to her mistress who was dancing with
some of her servitors in the Glade. The dance drew to a halt as the
newly-fledged Malakite landed before the Archangel of Flowers. All were silent
as Novalis regarded the former reliever.
The Archangel spoke, "What do wish of me, Virtue?" She asked with a raised
eyebrow.
The Malakite dropped to one knee, head bent. "I am Pina, mistress. I wish only
that you accept me into your service so that I may further the cause of
Flowers." She looked up, hope in her eyes, "Please."
With a merry smile, Novalis laid a hand on Pina's shoulder, "Arise, Kalamiel,
and dance with us!"
She did, and they did, and it was good.
***
Years later, Kalamiel (then in a male body) was talking to a panting
horticulturist as they walked along a steep trail.
The man (very English and dressed to match) continued to talk excitedly between
puffs, "I had never heard of such a thing, Calvin. Not at this altitude!"
Calvin said, "Roses are sturdy plants, Winston."
The other man harumphed, "Indeed they are, indeed they are! I'd call 'em a weed
if they weren't so ducedly pretty. This particular variety has exceedingly sharp
thorns, but is well worth the effort. Ah, here we are!"
With a flourish, he indicated a thriving bush growing in a thicket. "Not
foppish and weak like those over-bred varieties in town, eh, old man? And the
scent... heavenly!" He mopped at his sweating brow with an over-used
handkerchief.
The angel started to move toward the plant and then stopped, surprise growing on
his face. There was something very familiar about those flowers... then the
shifting breeze brought the scent to him. With an almost rapturous delight he
closed his eyes. These were the flowers. HIS flowers. As Yves had promised,
there were many, many more of them. He reached out to hold a bloom, ignoring the
thorns (which were indeed sharp, as promised).
To Winston's surprise, there were tears in the eyes of his companion. The man
was tough as nails, a few pokes shouldn't have bothered him. "Here, now,
Calvin. Are you alright, man?"
Calvin nodded, "Pefectly, Winston. Just got a bit of dust caught in my eye.
There, it's gone now." He released the flower and snipped off a few cuttings
(taking care not to harm the rest of the plant) and gently wrapped them in the
paper they had brought for that purpose. "Shall we get back to our horses,
then? I want to get these back to town before nightfall."
"Those will suit you then?" The man was beaming with pride.
"Yes. Yes, I think they will."
Copyright 2000 John Karakesh
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