Free Brethren Beginnings ~ Gabriel Seeker by Deena Remiel

Chapter One

    Time is eternal, no beginning and no
end. And yet as humans we are on a constant mission to find when IT
all began, how we came to be, and why we are here. We must have a
purpose to this life, so many of us suggest. Some of us have found
grand, solid purposes to our lives, while others continue to
ponder, wallowing in the muck and mire of a horrid life thrust upon
them without their consent. And so, while many of us live out our
days finding love, building families and careers, others not as
fortunate become predators, sniffing out any excuse to snuff out
another’s purposeful life.
    When humans began to segregate
themselves this way, into people of goodness and people of evil,
the Brethren first appeared on Earth. Their arrival was not one of
brilliance, nor was it apocalyptic. There were no meteor showers
that day. There was no eclipse of the sun. No major earthquakes or
other natural disasters were pointed to, heralding their
coming.
    They simply manifested.
    There was a new awareness of being,
of having hands to touch, a mouth to speak, eyes to
see, and ears to hear, all new, independent and tangible features;
yet each was dependent on another to absorb information and
paint a complete picture of the world around them.
      For all Brethren,
there was, too, an immediate understanding of their
purpose, and an acknowledgement that here was now their home,
to protect, to heal, and to fight for.
    They had known of each other, the
Brethren did. Before manifesting, before becoming individuals here
on earth, they had an awareness of each other, working in concert
as a collective against Evil. But Evil was still gaining
ground and threatening to put a stranglehold on the entire human
race. Each one of the Brethren had agreed to this angelic mission
and its terms for reasons all their own. And in time, each of their
stories shall unfold.
    There were nine angels in all, three
Protectors, three Warriors, and three Saviors. Each triad had their
own powers and orders, and none could cross over without severe
penalty, and possible banishment. Protectors were adept at spinning
spells, weaving magic, and creating talismans for the safety and
protection of the human race. On the rare occasion, they could
wield a sword offensively, however their swords were mostly use for
defense. Warriors had brawn and analytical minds for warfare, and
used blessed swords as their weapon of choice. And
Saviors were meant to heal those with severe injuries and
those who held the hand of death far too prematurely. There was
just one caveat. They had to be called upon through a desperate
plea or a prayer to engage in their angelic duties.
    Their mission would span eternity, and
it was likely they would see many a war against their foe. Satan
had been able to plant his seed deep within the hearts of humans
eons ago, and even had time to hijack a wayward Brethren along the
way. Evil. It’s a tricky bugger to eradicate, but would be dealt
with nonetheless, one demon or possessed human at a
time.
    The first task was to assimilate into
society. Some Brethren turned their abilities into careers, while
others carefully cloaked their identities in creative ways.
Their lives were singular and without attachments beyond their
work. A solitary life was preferred given the dangerous nature of
their mission. Spread out across the world, they could be called
together at a moment’s notice by their boss, E.L., whose
beginnings to this day are shrouded in mystery.
    Gabriel, a Protector, was the
first to settle in.
     

Chapter Two
     
    As the sun set behind the
mountains of the city of Phoenix, Gabriel Seeker’s corporeal
life began, again. He stood at the base of
Camelback Mountain, with a hot wind whipping through his
charcoal mane, contemplating the last tours of duty he had
spent on earth.
    All of the Brethren had their own
unique reasons for signing up, and Gabriel had been no exception.
But his reason was quite simple, really. He