"I believe I have a suspect in the cherub mystery," Kushiel said with a slight smile as he spoke with Jehovah through a portal. "Her name's Azure. You know, Techelet's daughter. She works in the Grand Library, she's Penemue's right-hand angel... and her father's Belial."
"You think she may be more loyal to her father than to Heaven?" Jehovah asked.
"My Inquisitors have been watching her in secret for a while," Kushiel answered. "She's deeply curious about the father she never knew. Belial left Heaven while Techelet was still pregnant with Azure, and she grew up without a father. I don't believe Techelet remarried until the late Bronze Age, after all. Belial's a general; he would know how to exploit an enemy's weaknesses. And he's an archduke; he has the resources to contact her in secret."
"And you think Belial is aligned with Beelzbub's conspiracy?" asked Jehovah.
"It makes sense," Kushiel said. "Belial is a firebrand, a patriot, and a radical. He detests angels and Heaven. It is likely that he would wish to restart the war. He is also quite rash... perhaps rash enough to mistake Chaos for a worthwhile ally. Azure is likely his pawn. I wonder what they're plotting together in that library... and what spell she used. Do I have your official warrant to arrest her and bring her in for questioning?"
"It would be a shame to see an angel of such good track record be arrested," Jehovah sighed.
"My Lord, your daughter is in danger as long as she continues to work with a likely traitor in that library. I need to isolate and interrogate all potential threats. Tarfiel already proved to be a heretic, as you know from my reports. Who knows how deep this conspiracy goes up here? Heaven is no longer safe for your children."
Jehovah sighed defeatedly. "Very well, Lord Kushiel. I give you my legal permission to arrest Azure Skywing and deal with her however you see fit. Anything to protect Penemue." Still sighing, God closed the communication.
Kushiel grinned. He now had his perfect scapegoat. Now came the fun part: putting her through her paces in the torture chamber.
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"I don't get what your problem with her is," Cromwell said to Church as they read. "I know she doesn't look altogether human, but you have the head of a hawk. And Dr. Bashir has the head and tail of a lion."
"That's different," said Church. "WE don't have those hideous animal legs, and our bodies aren't covered in fur. An angel who deviates so drastically from the human form as her must be corrupted by Hell."
"But she seems so kind," Cromwell sighed.
"She's a sly temptress," Church scoffed, "just like that Maisy whore! Or that Penny girl Josh is dating! Don't let lust cloud your judgment."
"Was Penny really so bad?" Cromwell asked. "She seemed like a good Christian girl that one time you introduced us."
"I thought so for a while," Church grumbled. "Then the bitch took Rebecca's side after Rachel came out! She showed her true colors that night, so I punched her."
"Violence is a sin," Cromwell remarked.
Before Church could answer, the doors of the library flew open to reveal a squad of angels dressed in scarlet robes. "Lady Azure Skywing!" their captain thundered. "On the orders of Lord Kushiel Moonwing and King Jehovah Caelestis, we of the Inquisition are here to place you under arrest for interference with the actions of God and conspiracy with Hell!"
"WHAT?!" Azure gasped. "What are you talking about?!"
"Don't play dumb, demonspawn," barked the inquisitor. "We all know that your father is Archduke Belial!"
"I've never even met him!" Azure protested.
"Lies!" shouted the inquisitor. "Boys, take her away!"
The other inquisitors put a terrified Azure in chains and dragged her off to the Inquisitorial Headquarters. Cromwell looked on grimly, his lip trembling as Azure was hauled off to who-knows-where.
"Ha!" Church laughed triumphantly. "I told you she was a bad apple!"
"This has to be a mistake!" Cromwell wailed. "It's got to be a misunderstanding! She's innocent, I know it!"
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Semyaza poured himself a celebratory sherry. He had just gotten news that Azure had been sent to the dungeons on Kushiel's orders. An innocent angel would have many uses to Qesem and Heka. They could sacrifice her to fuel the Chaos spirits, make her a lesser Chaos thrall, or even a greater Chaos thrall.
It also helped that Azure was only the daughter of a minor duchess rather than a daughter of Jehovah. Beelzebub had sent him a memo to not send anyone who would attract search parties. The disgraced daughter of a minor noble would do the trick nicely. He could easily go around Kushiel. Heka and Qesem would portal Azure out of her cell and into their lair, and Semyaza would claim that the prisoner died of her wounds and had dissolved into sparks of light as dying angels all do. It would be the perfect crime; Semyaza would outsmart Jehovah and Kushiel alike!
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Heka amd Qesem admired Tarfiel. More accurately, they admired the Chaos thrall who had once been Tarfiel. The replacement wings made from Chaos energy were an especially entertaining touch. The two sorcerers wished that they could work their forbidden magic on angels more often; it was so fun to make mockeries of the hated children of the Light! The cackled sadistically as they fondled the possessed angel's naked breasts.
Two demons then marched up to the cave mouth. Their blank eyes crackled with Chaos energy, and an aura of terrible power radiated from them. These were clearly greater Chaos thralls made by the magic of Beelzebub himself!
"Speak, Chaos!" said Qesem. "Who are you, and what brings you here."
The mouth of the thrall began to stiffly and jerkily move. A raspy and unnatural voice echoed through the cave. "We are two pieces of Chaos wearing the skins of tow demons who displeased your master. We are here to defend you."
Heka suppressed an instinctive shudder and smiled. "Yesssss, that isssss good. The one called Jahi essssscaped, assssss did the sssssssave-wife called Pallaca and one of the Iron Knight ssssoulsssssssss."
"The ledgers say his name is Father Patrick Murphy," Qesem interjected.
"Yesssssss, quite right," Heka nodded, "but thesssssse esssssssssscapesssssssss sssssstop now." She cackled at the thought of some crazy fool running right into the arms of greater Chaos thralls.