***
After the passing of many thousands of years, this eternal friendship of Heaven was rekindled at last!
Falindael stepped aside to allow Catyrael a few moments of relative privacy with his ancient friend, and the touching reunion almost brought some angelic tears to his eyes, though he had become jaded to the extent of being able to suppress them when he so desired.
Then for several enraptured minutes in the heavens above the violent calamity unfolding below, the Archangel of Justice listened to the concise summary of Xanriel's long tale and to all that had befallen the singer of Heaven's most beautiful songs.
"Lucius, the legendary Archangel of War himself? He was valiant to the uttermost, heroic, and yet just in his treatment of defeated enemies, and it was that final distinctive characteristic which exceptionally distinguished him and earned him the positive regard of many including myself, though it pleased most Lumaeliel, the Archangel of Mercy. It is tragic that he was never aware that she once loved him. There exists not a shadow of a doubt that the highest honour of Exalted status would have been bestowed upon him, were it not for his desertion and disappearance."
Seeing that Catyrael was on the verge of descending into a state of dreamy ponderousness, Falindael interposed, "If your objective is to produce offspring whom are certain, if not destined, to become Exalted Archangels, then you have chosen your love admirably well! After all, whom could be better than the daughter of Lucius? However, I must interrupt your fascinating discussion at this point to remind you that there is a massive ongoing battle beneath our feet, which we must do something about before most of those involved are dead."
"Unfortunately, old friend, time is not a commodity we possess in ample measure. For the present, Falindael is right; our first priorities concern the ending of that bloodshed in a manner as ideal as possible. Upon listening to your tale, it seems to me that effecting a ceasefire has become impractical; however, since Death is clearly the transgressing party and aggressor in this conflict, by my authority, I declare that Heaven shall intervene against it."
Upon briefly surveying the battlefield, he said,
"The forces of Death seem to be overstretched on their right flank as most of them seem to have concentrated to harass your Darkness friend, Jonathan. The Sword of Justice shall strike there where the hostiles are weakest. Xanriel, it is also practically convenient that we have crossed paths again, for I request that you assist us in the completion of our intervention. Rest assured, I shall impart everything that has occurred to my knowledge in Heaven and everything I have encountered when we are finished here."
