IN> "The Waters will Rise!" setting: The Ocean's Heart

[-=|horsefly|=-]

Nathaniel strode proudly in his ursine form, walking protectively
close to the celestial he accompanied. It had been an age since he'd
worn his true form in Heaven. Twelve feet tall at the shoulder with
majestic, golden wings, the polar bear seeming was too painful a
reminder of the one who'd formed him, and the loss. Now, Oannes swam,
trudged, lept, and skittered beside him, and though his archangel of
old was not as he remembered, nor even yet an archangel, the Cherub
was proud to walk as his creator had shaped him so long ago.

Everywhere, Blessed souls and angels alike stopped and stared at the
gargantuan Kyriotate in all its aquatic conglomeration. Sometimes
Oannes floated a few paces as if blown by a breeze, and at other
points large frog-looking flippers propelled him beyond the gait of
his companion. The walk from Khalid's Mosque to the Seraphim Council
chambers was not long, and they made quick time, with important news
to share. Wheels of Faith had already been dispatched to bring word to
the Council directly, as well as to Archangel Khalid. Word spread
quickly among the Host, and the Chambers inside were thoroughly
packed.

Once the Archangels had assembled, Oannes regarded each fully,
embracing them in turn. Those who had known him were stunned by his
new form, but all agreed that he knew them, spoke with the same
voice--even if it was a multitude of voices now--and his eyes, though
many times what he had formerly possessed, were the same turbulent
blue as they'd last seen. The Seraphim wondered how this could Truly
be Oannes, yet found no deception before them. Gabriel appeared
briefly, whirling about her once-lost friend, "The seas have returned
you to us in part, but they still conceal a mystery. The Heart will
know the way. Find the Heart and restore your own." Murmuring erupted,
and before Dominic could summon a Triad or lay "hands" on her
directly, the Archangel of Fire flashed out and was gone.

"My friends," Oannes declared, raising his voice like the tide upon a
stubborn reef, "my friends who knew me once and those of you I will
meet soon enough, the Word speaks as ever through our prophet-sister.
For the Ocean's Heart is indeed what I had when I slew Vephar, and how
I was able to destroy him so utterly as I did. When Belial came upon
me, I had it in my grip still. I believe that our energies--The
Waters' and Oceans'--merged somehow in Infernal Fire's attack upon my
being. Further, as I disintegrated," he paused, letting the full Truth
of the statement settle upon those present, "I felt myself split apart
along the pull of Oceans' Tethers and my own. I must find Oceans'
Heart. It will lead me to the rest of myself. Some have chanced upon
me as I was recently, childlike creatures in many places on Earth. I
must find all of those parts of myself, for they are in fact my Word
made flesh. I cannot do this alone. My last battle showed me what
working apart from my brothers and sisters cost me: my Word, my life,
my treasured Servitors and friends. The Waters cover much, sustain
many, and hoard secrets. I am returned somehow, though not restored.
Friends, will you help me be The Waters once more, and that I may
serve Heaven to my fullest?"

To say the affirmative reply from the assembly was deafening would
not, in point of fact, be True. It was, however, quite loud. Dominic
insisted on conferring with Oannes and hearing what had restored him
and how. The Kyriotate obliged his old friend, answering every
question he could, though there were several points on which his
memory was cloudy, missing entirely, or he could not even conjecture.
"How were you restored?" was one of the last.

"I know not, brother," Oannes answered sadly. "I was not. For a very
long time, I simply was not. Then a Voice came, and said things atop
one of my eldest Tethers, and that is where I appeared. You have heard
the rest of Nathaniel, I am sure."

Khalid, who had been been observing closely, pulled his Servitor
aside, "Why is it that you did not tell me of this?"

"Milord," bowed the Cherub,  folding his wings in, "my accounting with
Judgment's Triads was openly talked of when I first reported to other
angels of Faith in the region. I never heard from you. I took it as a
cue to let my own faith guide me where it would. I have many times
been cited and censured for my faith in The Waters' return, but never
before did you step forward to defend me, never to strike me down. I
walked my path as I saw your hand in it: striving to make sense of the
Divine, and ever to protect the Chosen People. This I have done."
Throughout he kept his voice level and his eyes on Khalid's, not in
challenge, but for inspection.

The Elohite regarded his angel, resonanting him as Nathaniel had
answered, then nodded. "I have neglected much. Even before the schism
over Islam, I see now that I did not make myself available to you, nor
even summon you to me in all the time of your service. Nor, too, have
you ever Invoked me. Somehow still, however, you have followed and
encouraged my Word. Oannes," he turned to the Kyriotate, "though you
may not yet be Archangel of The Waters in Word, this noble angel," he
gestured to Nathaniel, "has been your Servitor. He has acted purely in
my behalf, and I would return him to you most humbly and graciously.
The Waters will Rise, my friend. I pledge my support and that of my
Word to your restoration."

"And with yours," Michael added, clasping Oannes in comaraderie, "our
sister's, Fire." Dominic arched three sets of brows at that, but said
nothing, casting a glance at Yves, who regarded him in turn with a
quiet smile.

-----------------

Word has gone out through the Host and among angels on Earth to search
for a lost artifact, a map. The Seraphim Council has offered a Word to
the one who recovers the artifact. That is not all they said, nor
exactly as they said it, but that is how word is being spread on
Earth, though selective few are given further details. It is hoped
that they've been vague enough to stymie demonic interception of the
message. Angels of all Words are invited to partake of this quest, and
the Swimmers' League have joined in full and with fervor. Though
Heaven is doing what it can to remain mum about Oannes' return, his
old Servitors cannot help but pass the news along; morale among the
group rides high with the tide, especially as Oannes has taken to
visiting with them to conduct the quest for Oceans' Heart and to talk
of old times, to renew friendships, and to test the waters, so to
speak. Before he returned to Earth, the Archangels let slip that any
angels formerly of The Waters would be welcome to return to the Word,
provided it is restored. The race to find unaccounted for Mephits, as
well as the map itself, has begun....

-----------------

Oceans' Heart
Superior-class Artifact

Responsible for all the water in Hell--or the lack thereof--the
cracked, withered Heart of Vephar churns as if guided by the moon.
Measuring about the size of a large human head and appearing as a hunk
of aquamarine, the Heart rocks slightly in the direction of the lunar
body above, and with a strength or weakness in accord with the current
tides. Though Vephar himself is no more, the Heart contains up to
eighteen points of Essence. A celestial who grips the Heart can use
that Essence or spend its own to instantly determine the direction and
distance of all Tethers to Oceans *and* The Waters--despite many
having dried up since Oannes' and Vephar's final battle (note that
some are still active under other Words, and occupants may be hostile
to an unannounced arrival...)--from the celestial's current location,
as well as the location of each Mephit, former angels of The Waters,
and demons of Oceans. Using the Heart to travel to any of those points
is possible with the Celestial Song of Motion, but the target will be
aware as soon as the Song is sung that they are being sought. In
addition, any Mephits, angels formerly of The Waters or demons
formerly of Oceans can be contacted via the Celestial Song of Tongues.
Note that wielding the Heart confers neither of these Songs. It will,
however, add 6 to a successful Check Digit of either Song, and using
either, while only costing one Essence per use, will trigger an 18
point Disturbance, as will activating the Heart to check for locations
of angels, demons, Mephits, and Tethers. Using the Heart for its
Essence only creates as much Disturbance as Essence harvested. Note
that Heart regenerates Essence slowly: only on the peak night of each
phase of the moon.

-- 
-=|horsefly|=-

"It was a different time: a time of blood and guns and killings.... It
was a time when killers needed saints, for so much of God's
good work was being done."
        --SAINT OF KILLERS #4, Garth Ennis