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Character Spotlight (Celestial)





An interview of ‘Celestial’s angelic cast!

***


Interviewer: Thank you, everyone, for coming in today. It’s not every day a human gets to interview an angel, let alone six, so may I just say…it’s a genuine honor.

Jediah: Well, to be honest, the honor is ours. At least three of us haven’t spoken with an Image Bearer like yourself since the Flood. Even Nechum here, who constantly interacts with society, rarely does so as his normal self.

Akela: Yeah! Good thing too! If Nechum did that, people would be all like, “Gah! My eyeballs are on fire!” and stuff and scream their heads off. Seriously, the sunglasses you brought with you…very smart. Largely ineffective to be sure, but smart.

Interviewer: Th-thanks. Speaking of which, could you all dim the glory coming off you a bit? I’m starting to get dark spots in my pupils.


Nechum: Our apologies, miss, but we can’t dim the glory of God shedding off of us anymore than Moses could after leaving Mt. Sinai. It just…soaks into us and flows out. I certainly wish I could make this more comfortable for you though. I suppose we could take human form, but you asked us to be our normal selves. So...

Interviewer: I’ll just squint harder then.


Eran: To be honest, I’m glad we can’t keep God’s glory in. It’s the one thing demon traitors can’t fully copy. Our kind can alter appearances, sure, but the best they can do is be shiny…so-to-speak.


Laszio: Heh. I love it when they’re dumb enough to try though. Makes for a bigger target.

Eran: Indeed. Easier headshots.

Jediah: Private Eran. Private Laszio. Please. Keep the…violent side of our duties outside this room. Our hostess may not…appreciate the subject.

Interviewer: My dear Captain, my business is unfiltered truth. Tell all. Besides, I wouldn’t have requested your Angel of Death friend to this interview if I didn’t want the ‘uncomfortable’.

Alameth: …


Interviewer: N-no offense to you, Alameth.


Alameth: ...


Interviewer: Is he alright?

Akela: Oh, he’s fine. He’s just never been a talker. A very contemplative type that one. Lovely singing voice too.


Nechum: Akela,-


Akela: Well, its true!


Nechum: Yes, but please consider exercising caution, okay? I know you’re trying to be complimentary about Alameth. You have kind intentions, but you also wouldn’t want to embarrass him either.

Interviewer: Nobody here is going to get embarrassed. I’ve already made a note to be ready to scratch out half of what Akela says just in case.

Akela: Hey! When I first arrived I didn’t mean to imply-


Interviewer: I’m joking, Akela. Sort of…


Akela: Oh…heh…good one…hardy, har, har.


Interviewer: I don’t plan on keeping any of you long. We’re just going to go over a few questions—one for each of you. Laszio, mind if I start with you first?


Lazio: Shoot.

Interviewer: So…I understand that you and Eran have been close battle partners for a long time. Care to share how that got started or how you both met?


Laszio: *Sigh* Oh boy, that was…I don’t know…nearly five thousand years ago, I think? Eran?

Eran: Sounds about right.

Laszio: We were in different factions during the Scorpion Wars. You know…the demons’ first and oldest major war campaign.


Interviewer: No. I don’t actually.

Laszio: What? Really? Your forefathers like Noah didn’t pass that piece of history down? Huh. I would have thought that level of devastation was kind of hard to forget…. Anyway, long-story-short, we both got separated from our respective groups behind enemy lines. We stumbled upon each other-


Eran: Literally.


Laszio: -and teamed up to sneak our way out. Took some doing, but we got through it.

Eran: And this knucklehead’s idea of ‘sneaking out’ involved hijacking Demon Lord Appolyon’s war chariot.


Laszio: You’re still going to roast me over that? You were injured. We weren’t going anywhere fast with your limping. Besides, the plan worked, and messed up Appolyon’s ride all at the same time.


Eran: You nabbed it with his attendants still aboard!

Laszio: Made the ride a little more exciting.

Eran: Then you careened it right into our own army’s defense line, who mistook us for an enemy charge by the way, and nearly blasted us to bits!

Laszio: Like I said. The plan worked. Anyway, we’re merely two, low-ranking soldiers who found common ground. We were eventually both assigned under Captain Jediah, and our relationship was pretty well cemented after he made us battle partners. I couldn’t be more thankful to our Lord for it too. I’d miss Eran’s witty sarcasm too much.


Eran: Me? I just tolerate Laszio to keep his pathetic-self out of trouble.


Laszio: Suuure, you liar.

Eran: Heh. Yeah, I am. My life would pretty boring without his wild schemes and enthusiasm. Very boring.


Interviewer: You two are far more…emotive…and jokey than I expected for angels.


Laszio: God is the originator of emotion and humor for that matter. What did you expect?


Interviewer: I’m…not sure anymore.


Laszio: Read more Scripture. You’ll catch on.

Interviewer: Okay then. Eran, I noticed you and Laszio’s weapon of choice appears to be some kind of…Chinese yo-yo? Care to explain how that came about or how it works?

Eran: Certainly. Laszio and I have a very low amount of energy compared to other soldiers. ‘Energy’ is every angel’s lifeblood, by the way. So I came up with this little ditty as a means for us to get more efficiency out of smaller drops. Observe these two silver sticks. See the etches carved into them and the long silver chord that connects them together?


Interviewer: Yeah.


Eran: While holding one stick in each hand, all I have to do is fill these carvings with energy from one of my lighted feathers. They store the heated light. It feeds into the chord. Then, with rapid movement, I can flick light off the strand, which will ball up and spin as a hot sphere on the string—ready for me to whip around and ricochet off demons until a new sphere is needed.


Laszio: Unorthodox? Yes. Hard to master? You have no idea! But it’s awesome and endlessly versatile. Eran’s the real genius between us, but I have my moments and kick in a few trick ideas once in a while. Plus, these babies are real handy for entertaining our fellow soldiers from time to time.


Interviewer: You’d literally whip around what’s basically a plasma bomb like a toy…for fun?


Eran: You could say that.


Interview: Care to demonstrate?


Eran: Not unless you want your hair to burst into flames.


Interview: …Good point. Alright, umm, Nechum! You seem safer. How about we turn to you? Out of everyone here, you’re the only one who’s both wingless and can’t fly. Is that correct?


Nechum: M-hm.


Interviewer: But if you had a choice, do you wish you could fly?


Nechum: Hmm…umm…well. If for the simple experience of it then…yes. Yes, I guess I would like to fly…just to see what it’s like. But…in all honesty…I’m perfectly content to stay on the ground too. Ministry angels like myself are designated as guardians and caretakers. This often means sticking near human society as closely as possible, so flight wouldn’t be all that helpful to us.


Interviewer: So, wait. The warrior angels aren’t the guardians? Ministry angels are?


Nechum: Oh! Sorry. I didn’t mean to mislead you there. Allow me to explain more clearly…All angels technically count as guardians. It’s just that my kind is the most closely involved in human affairs. There are actually many roles we ministry angels play. Most are personal protectors, but a few of us also act as interlopers and saboteurs. One of my dearest friends is a saboteur himself. He’s successfully undermined several of the worst criminals on human record. Still, no matter the part God gives us to play, all angels do what they can to glorify God and protect and guide both His saved Image Bearers and the Image Bearers who shall share in the Promise.

Interviewer: Image Bearer…Image Bearer…You all have been using that term a lot. Why?


Akela: Ooo! Ooo! May I answer that one? It’s because your kind, the humans, were specifically made to bear God’s image from the very beginning. It’s one of highest honors He could have given to any of His sentient creations. Calling you ‘Image Bearer’ is our way of showing you proper respect. It’s only good manners.


Interviewer: Wow. I didn’t realize how highly you angels regard us.


Alameth: Which is what makes your kind’s fallenness all the more painful to us…and our Lord.


Interviewer: …

Alameth: …


Interviewer: W-would you like to answer the next question, A-alameth?

Alameth: I’ll answer as best I can.


Interviewer: You and the angels of death, or Destroyers as you’ve been dubbed, wear these grey hoods over your heads. Is there any real reason for this fashion choice or is it just to look more intimidating?

Alameth: …We wear the shrouds in mourning for the lost dead—those who passed without the the Son’s blood to cleanse their souls…Mankind was initially made for eternal fellowship with our Master, but the Curse they courted has stolen countless many from that original destiny…Thus, I and my fellows who don the grey cloaks wear the hood and will continue to wear the hood until the end of the age…and death itself is no more.

Interviewer: …I see…There was a slight tremor in your voice. Are you feeling well?


Alameth: …

Nechum: …H-he’s fine.

Interviewer: …Alright, who’s left? Let me see here…Akela and Jediah.


Laszio: Uh, Akela already answered a question, sooo-


Akela: Aww, come on.

Interviewer: Actually there is something I’ve intended to ask you, Akela.

Akela: Sweet! Ask away!

Interviewer: The modern world doesn’t really receive messages from God through angels anymore. Since you’re a messenger angel, what purpose does your kind fulfill today?


Akela: Oh, that’s easy. Messages still have to be delivered, obviously. Thus, we couriers pride ourselves in maintaining communications across all fields of angelic work. Whole operations would collapse without a swift, efficient network.

Interviewer: Sooo, messenger angels are basically doing the same old thing they always have; just focused solely on other angels. Is that what I’m understanding?


Akela: Same old thing? Geez, with that word choice you make our job sound boring! Messages need to cross warzones, dense cities, even the outer edges of space! And all must be done in a blink of an eye without us running into buildings, stars, and…well…you name it! Throw in the fact that demonic sentries are always looking to steal information, and you can’t afford predictability. You gotta deliver the messages back and forth without taking the same path twice. I made that rookie mistake a few times in my early years.


Interviewer: Yeah, but messenger angels don’t deliver God’s messages to humans anymore. Correct?

Akela: Weeell, let me put it this way. There’s more than one way to deliver a message, and you may have received a message delivered by us more recently than you think.

Interview: How?

Akela: Sorry. Trade secret.

Laszio: Do’th my ears deceive me? You keeping secrets?


Akela: When I have to. Yes.


Eran: Huh, never thought pigs could fly so soon…


Jediah: Privates…

Laszio and Eran: Sorry, sir.

Jediah: We’re representing the angelic host as well as our Lord before this Image Bearer. Refrain from informal speech and act with greater respect.


Laszio and Eran: Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.


Jediah: I apologize for them, miss. They’re an excitable pair—as passionate in their training as they are with life. They just…don’t always recognize when their banter is out of place.


Interviewer: Actually, it gave me a good insight into your group’s dynamic. For being so different, you seem quite comfortable with each other.


Nechum: Well, we were all created together, along with the rest of the angels. We’re family.

Interviewer: Wait. You’re all the same age? I thought Jediah was the oldest.

Akela: Nope! Image Bearers can have quadruplets. We angels are what you might call…tredecillion-ets!


Interviewer: Huh. With Jediah being Captain…and leaderly and all…I assumed he was the big brother.


Jediah: Sometimes it feels that way, but it’s true. I’m no older than the rest. Still, something has to be said when God sets other angels beneath you. You become His steward. You’re responsible to Him for their growth and their welfare. I can’t afford to treat something as precious as my own brethren lightly. There are days, though, when I wonder if my soldiers need their leader…or their brother more...Half the time I don’t even know...or how deserving I really am to be their Captain.


Eran: Sir,…if I may… In this humble Private’s opinion, you’re one of the chiefest of warriors. You’ve seen more, withstood more, and suffered more than most have in selfless service to God. You’ve well earned our respect as well. As far as I see it, Captain, few are more deserving of your rank than you: Appolyon’s Bane and Keeper of the Abyss.


Laszio: I second that.


Jediah: Heh...Thank you, brothers.

Interviewer: So here’s my final question…You’ve spoken so keenly of your inner doubts, Captain Jediah. I’m certain there were many difficult decisions you were forced to make over the centuries too. If you could do something over again, what would it be?


Jediah: …

Interviewer: Is there anything you regret?


Jediah: …


***


For more insights on all the characters, check out these links! ‘Celestial’ comes out on May 12th in ebook and print on Amazon and beyond!




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