Samael's eyes narrowed, and darkness shadowed his face at the sight of broken columns, the bridge, which was now a stone ruin, and groups fighting among themselves on the plain and in the palace's hallways. He was standing at the edge of the cliff overlooking the plain.

He knew that if the Shadows rebelled, it could end in violence. It was a calculated risk he was willing to take, especially since Shadows, though they could get hurt, couldn't die as beings created from energy. He also expected things to be ruined but to be ruined to such an extent... Unacceptable.

"My lord." Gaap tugged on the fabric of his robe, and with his hand gestured towards the portal leading to the Fifth Heaven that was just a few steps' distance away, where Gabriel was standing.

"I'm disappointed," he said to Gaap before he put a pleasant smile on his face and walked to Gabriel. In a sweet voice, he said, "Gabriel, what brings you here?"

Gabriel lifted his eyebrows. "I'm sorry to interrupt you in your..." He waved his hand. "Whatever you're doing."

"Just a small testing of the hierarchy structure. Nothing big." Samael flicked the curl of his long golden hair off his cheek. "To what do I owe the honour of your visit?"

"Your presence has been requested?" Gabriel told him.

"By who?"

An unreadable expression flickered across Gabriel's face before he turned. "Please, follow me."

Samael's eyes narrowed as he observed Gabriel step towards and through the portal. He made a sound of annoyance but followed the archangel, anyway. When he stepped out of the portal into the Fifth Heaven, his face darkened at the sight of Lucifer and Mitzy, who stood behind her. The pleasant smile he had plastered on his face slipped for a second and he had to focus to relax his face and to curve his mouth up again. He nodded his head in greeting. "Lucifer, I haven't seen you for a while now. Where have you been hiding?"

"I heard you've taken up residence in the Fifth Heaven," The black-haired angel said, a dark frown on her face. "And that with the suppressed dark energies."

"Only temporary," Samael said and since, according to divinity, he could set a temporary dwelling in the Fifth Heaven, he added, "With God's permission."

Lucifer scoffed. "She allows you far too much freedom."

"If that's all..." Samael turned.

Mitzy cleared his throat.

"But I didn't come here because of that," Lucifer said. "I have come here with a task from God."

Samael faced them. "Is that so?" He glanced at Gabriel before his eyes were back on Lucifer and Mitzy. "So, you two are messengers now. Did you get demoted?"

"I don't appreciate your jokes," Lucifer said. "This is important."

Samael contacted divinity. "Not important enough for divinity to have any information about this."

"Not yet," Mitzy said.

"The Second Heaven's Consul had decided that humanity would be punished by the Great Calamity." Lucifer glowered at Samael.

So, it was coming, Samael thought. "What are you telling me that? I'm not part of the Heaven's Consul anymore."

"You have been tasked as the executor of it," Lucifer declared.

"Me?" Samael's eyes widened. He was expected to hear something surprising, but not something that shocking. "My time as the tempter, accuser, and punisher ended when I was exiled from the Second Heaven," he stated flatly. "Mine only responsibilities now are Reformatory and Inferno, and their resident."

"It has been decided," Lucifer said flatly.

"Well, until I hear that from God, I'll pass. Thank you."

"Are you saying you're refusing the direct order from the Heaven's Consul?" Mitzy arrogantly lifted his chin.

"You mean a request?" Samael crossed his arms. "The Consul doesn't have authority over me. Only God has. If there's no request about it in divinity, it doesn't exist for me." He was not going to be the tool they wielded anymore. His exile stopped that.

"Contact it now," Lucifer said.

Samael lifted his eyebrows.

"Contact it now," Lucifer repeated, this time she added, "Please."

Samael did. He frowned as divinity whispered the information into his consciousness. It was the same request he heard from Lucifer's mouth. There it was, clear and undeniable. Anger stirred in his chest. He turned on his heel, and as he passed Gabriel, he gestured for him to follow.

"Hey," Mitzy yelled.

Samael ignored him and stepped through the portal.

Gaap, standing by the portal, gasped at the sight of Samael.

Samael faced Gabriel, who joined him in the Inferno. "Is God still in seclusion?"

"Yes, God is still in the First Heaven."

"I assume she won't leave anytime soon?"

"I... I don't know."

"She gave the Consul the authority to execute the Calamity as they see fit?" Samael asked, though he already knew that if the task was listed in divinity, it must be true.

"I assume so."

"Who knows about this?"

"Even I didn't know until now," Gabriel told him.

"You're quite cooperative today."

"I'm still shocked," Gabriel admitted.

"Tell me about it." Samael pressed his lips together. He was not only annoyed but angry. Those snobs were trying to use him again for the things he thought he left behind when he became the leader of the Reformatory and Inferno. He pressed his hands together as in a prayer, but instead of praying, he tapped his forefingers together. Of course, he's not going to execute the task that was given to him, at least not the way they want him to do it. He said goodbye to Gabriel and, cloaked, returned to his rooms in the Inferno.

He needed to think about this, to decide how and what he was going to do. He knew the timing—after the rebellion in the Inferno either failed or succeeded. Though, with the rebels' numbers and dedication, he had no doubt they wouldn't succeed. Though, with the rebels' numbers and dedication, he had no doubt they wouldn't win.

Sitting on the platform, his gaze fixed on the little apple tree he had nurtured so gently to calm his ire, he began to meditate.