Walking into the tent, one of many in the Boundary Camp, Mykal, Prince of the Luminous Defenders, stops and watches Gabriel, the Glorious First Messenger of the Unmoved Master.
Dressed in a white tunic and trousers, Gabriel stuffs various items in a beige, canvas bag. One item is a stack of folded parchment – letters, which the Glorious One wrote but never sent. Next are a pen and ink pot, the tools of his trade, followed by a grooming kit to keep up his glorious appearance. Mykal’s mouth twitches at the reminder of his friend’s vanity. He recalls the times when all other angels have been streaked with mud and dirt but Gabriel has emerged sparkly clean.
A broken watch-glass makes the cut, despite having a crack down the middle of its face. Mykal has never been sure if it even works.
Finally, Gabriel picks up the Staff of Summoning and collapses it to fit inside the bag. The Staff is a long, gold stick that can be collapsed like a telescope. It was a gift from the Master and enables Gabriel to amplify his message and send it directly into the heart of his listeners.
“What are you doing?” asks Mykal.
“Packing,” says Gabriel.
“Okay, I can see that but why?”
In response, Gabriel hands Mykal a rolled-up parchment. Unfurling and reading the page, Mykal’s regal brow frowns. Gabriel has been recalled to deliver a message. Risk of contamination certain!
“You’re going,” says Mykal. It wasn’t the staff that made him reach that conclusion; it was the letters and the grooming kit. Gabriel was always far too concerned about his looks to enjoy a Defender’s position on the Boundary. When Gabriel doesn’t deny the statement, Mykal asks, “But what about the fight?”
“You don’t need me,” says Gabriel. “We both know I’m too good-looking to be a Defender.”
“You’re more than a defender oh glorious one. You’re my friend and contamination will taint your dazzling facade.”
“You’ve always had such a protective glint Kal,” says Gabriel, pushing passed him. But catching sight of his glorious appearance in a mirror, Gabriel turns to admire the reflection and continues, “Don’t worry, they say contamination won’t ruin my good looks.”
“But it means you won’t be able to return,” replies the Prince, meeting the reflection of Gabriel’s golden eyes, “Ever.”
Shifting his focus, Gabriel watches his own molten pupils solidify into golden steel as he says, “This is my chance, Mykal. Our chance to change the flow of the fight. Maybe, if I go down there, into the Wild, maybe I can help. If I could speak to them before it happens – tell them what they will become.”
This was the reason Mykal loved Gabriel: through the arrogance and beneath the glorious appearance, the First Messenger cared.
He pretends he doesn’t, denies having a single good feather and yet agrees to contaminate himself to help mortals. So, what if he does this with perfectly quaffed hair and a dazzling smile?