Due to the impracticalities of effecting a ceasefire, it was agreed between the Angels of the Sword that forcing the submission and surrender of the aggressing party was the next-to-ideal scenario.
"Continue onwards towards the Necropolis for the moment, Xanriel. If anything, I intend to have a few strong words with Morte; not since the end of the Last Golden Age has anyone, be him False God or not, so blatantly dared a violation of peace and Heaven's will," said Catyrael, with a hint of outrage resonating in his voice.
Finally, another light appeared upon the horizon, steadily growing brighter and brighter until even mortal eyes could recognise the shapes of more angels, though the Archangel had perceived them from a great distance.
"Your presence is much appreciated, Dominrael, Moriael, but you are too late," laughed Falindael.
"Oh dear; we missed it? We travelled here as fast as we could!" said Dominrael.
"This is only the beginning, friends. Our objective is the Necropolis, where we fully intend to set Morte in his actual place, and demonstrate that his behaviour will not be tolerated. Hopefully it will render him more hesitant to defy us again; after all, I scarcely wish to return here too often for that kind of troublesome nuisance," said Catyrael.
***
In the meantime, another discussion was taking place before the Crystal Arch of High Heaven.
"The evidence is unequivocally and unambiguously clear; though you suggest that he has returned to the Light, it scarcely absolves him of all the horrendous crimes he has committed. He must be arrested and brought before proper trial and justice in Heaven," said Argerael, Archangel of Fate.
"However, he was clearly not in possession of his proper self and state of being when he committed those heinous deeds," objected Lumaeliel, Archangel of Mercy.
"Lumaeliel, if the plea to madness actually sufficed as a defence, then all the Fallen Angels, for one, could easily justify all manner of atrocities. It bears no value or meaning in the Law."
Quelling the dispute with his speech, Soliraelis spoke upon this rare occasion:
"Unfortunately, I believe Argerael's position to be right where Law is concerned. Xanriel has clearly transgressed and in full accordance with Law, must be taken and judged by Heaven, where his final fate shall be determined."
"Then I shall hope that his return to the Light has sufficiently redeemed him," concluded Lumaeliel sadly.
***
OOC: I believe that establishing a timeline for the Ages of Heaven's history would be advisable presently. Though I have left enough hints to the careful reader for him/her to deduce using what I have implied when the Ages I have mentioned occurred, and of their respective important events, here is an explicit chronological order:
1) The Elder Days (Began with the beginning of Time itself; not much recorded history; by the present, knowledge of which almost completely lost to the Middle Plane; predates even incumbent Council members; cataclysmic conflict against the Obyrinthic uberdemons during which the latter were sealed away)
2) The First Golden Age (The height and noontide of Heaven's power; signing of Treaty of Utarius; construction of the Crystal Arch by the legendary Solraegiel; Heaven's strong presence established throughout the Middle Plane)
3) The Iron Age (Multiple and numerous conflicts begin on the Middle Plane; ends when Heaven succeeds in restoring peace and harmonious order again)
4) The Second Golden Age (Second Age of splendour and prosperity for the Upper Realm)
5) The Dark Age (At the Second Golden Age's end, Xanriel was defeated and presumed dead; Heaven adopts a decadent, isolationist attitude and withdraws from all of the Middle Plane except for the Protectorate of Heaven (former name for the Kingdom of Light), which remains under their direct influence and authority; from this point onwards, Heaven will never assume as glorious and as powerful a form as it once possessed)
6) The Last Golden Age (Heaven is no longer omnipresent on the Middle Plane, but continues to influence the entirety of continental affairs via the Protectorate of Heaven and manages to enforce another period of peace; the era of the exploits of Lucius)
7) The Age of Independence (The present; Heaven is becoming a shadow of its former glorious self; except for Catyrael's occasional mandates, very little is accomplished by them on the Middle Plane now)
