I Just had to open my big fat mouth. Over at AbsoluteWrite.com, we have a monthly blog chain, and they were looking for ideas for July’s chain. I pipped up ‘Why not craft a scene that shows your antagonist in a sympathetic light?’ Well, people loved the idea and here we are. This was much more difficult than I had initially thought. Oh, I knew my antagonists’ motivations alright, and I could show those. But sympathetic? That is a bit more difficult. After three re-writes, here is my entry:

Classified: Anguish-level restriction, Inquisitors or Witnesses with Level 6 Conditioning only.

Taken from transcripts of Etienne Olivier’s interview with Celestial Aziriphale on 4/9/1748, as dictated by Witness R. Gautier. Transcripts purged for Heresy after Olivier’s trial by order of Inquisitor B. Adomo, this singular copy is kept for Inquisition records.

“Good evening Celestial, thank you for taking the time to see me.”

“Not at all Etienne, I rather enjoy conversing with you humans. You are such passionate creatures. Bright and fierce as moths. Did my Church handlers give you any grief?”

“Nothing to terrible. I had to sign all kinds of papers to speak to you. I have been slogging through Church bureaucracy for three years to get this interview. I got the impression that they would love to keep any of us from the secular world from speaking to you and the other Angels.”

“Yes, I am afraid the men of the Church are jealous guardians. And the Church handlers assigned to me are a rather unimaginative bunch. I really do enjoy speaking to humans from all walks of life. Your race fascinates me, your passions, your arts, your minds burn so intensely with such thoughts!”

“You enjoy the arts?”

“Oh yes, we do. I have a particular fondness for poetry.”

“Poetry. You enjoy reading poetry?”

“I rather enjoy hearing it aloud, preferably read by the writer. I find I also enjoy the theater, though most of my fellow Angels do not share my interests.”

“Really? Do they not enjoy art, or have they no taste for the theatrical arts?”

“We all have our own tastes, though we are less varied than you humans. Most Angels prefer painting or sculpture, something less transient and temporary. I, however, love the ephemeral nature of a performance. The uniqueness of each performance suits your nature. I am afraid that I am somewhat unique amongst the Host. Perhaps that is why you and your art appeals to me so. For the first time in your history you are creating art that can move even the heart of an Angel.”

“Is that why you finally showed yourselves to us ten years ago?”

“Oh dear, I do believe that was one of the questions you agreed not to ask me, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. The list of prohibited questions was surprisingly long. I was quite thrilled when you agreed to meet me in private.”

[Aziriphale laughs] “Those clerics are such bores. From time to time, I crave a more free conversation with humans. I will answer your question, to reward your audacity. No, that is not why we finally made our presence known.  Not in the way you phrased the question.”

“What do you mean?”

“Belief shapes the world. Especially for us.”

“How so? The world is the way it is. It always has been, always will be. We know a great deal about how the world works now, and we are learning more every year. There are laws, basic physical laws that govern everything, and-”

“And that is exactly the problem. The world is a magical place, Etienne, full of wonder. And the more you know, the less you believe. A few hundred years ago, anything was possible. But the more you learn, you more narrow your world becomes, the less is possible. Belief is a powerful thing. Men will fight for it, or kill for it, or die for it.  For some of you, your belief is so strong, that if I told them a pot of boiling water was cool, they could place their hand inside it without feeling pain. I read in your newspapers that your fair city has the occasional problem with undead, is that correct?”

“Occasionally, yes. Ghouls sometimes infest the sewers, and just last year Special Branch put down another wampyr. Why do you bring that up?”

“Did you know, that if you recite scripture in front of the undead, they cannot approach you? Hold forth an Orbis and they will flee. Even if they did not believe in life, they are bound in death. Wampyr will not enter a room unless they are invited. Do you know why that is?”

“I do not. I am a journalist, not a researcher of necromancy.”

“The world has rules, Etienne, not just natural laws. Rules that I and my kind must obey. Belief changes those rules. And you new age of enlightenment and science is changing that. You have learned so much that even the common people have begun to accept it. The world is changing, and it is your belief that is changing it. That is why we are here.”

“I don’t think I understand-”

“When was the last time you saw a gryphon? Or a manticore? Even in the circus? The world was once a magical place, full of wonder. Science and mathematics pushes the magic into the dark corners of the world. Some creatures are small enough that they can adapt, like the faeries. There are no more pixies frolicking in meadows, now there are coal-sprites and boiler-gremlins. But that is not for us. We Angels are too big, to grand. We can no longer sit by and let your science of smoke and steam push us aside. That is why we showed ourselves ten years ago.”

“So, by showing yourselves, we again believe in you and magic? I can understand it. Is it working?”

“No. It is not. The Church is too big and too slow to oppose this progress. I am afraid it is up to me to act.”

“You?”

“It is sad, isn’t it? That my people, who have existed since the dawn of time could very well be wiped out by a few formula and algorithms? My brother Celestials do nothing but sit and bask in your worship and live as gods. They do nothing!”

“What would you have them do?”

“Something, anything! Our entire race is endeared! There is no room in the world any more for Angels and Dragons, it is too full of engines and commerce and progress! You do not need us anymore.”

“So, that’s the problem then. We don’t need you any more? There was a time when we did, but now we have medicine and the Ministry of Agriculture. We know thunder and lighting are not the wrath of God, but natural forces. We no longer hide in caves and fear the night! And that is not likely to change any time soon. There would have to be something big, some natural disaster or war or plague. Something to bring us back to the dark ages-”

“That, Etienne, is exactly the problem. And perhaps you have given me the solution. You may go now.”

That’s it for me this month. Sorry that was so long; I simply could not wrap it up in less than a thousand words. A special thanks to Aheila for hosting three of these events in a row.

Please check out the other participants, and leave comments for them:

CScottMorris: http://cscottmorrisbooks.com/

Aheïla: http://thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com

AuburnAssassin: http://clairegillian.wordpress.com/

Collectonian: http://collectonian.livejournal.com/

DavidZahir: http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/

IrishAnnie: http://superpenpower.blogspot.com/

Anarchicq: http://anarchicq.com/

Proach: http://everythinghistorical.wordpress.com/

devero: http://mysticcrossroads.wordpress.com/

bri ness: http://briallison.blogspot.com/

hillaryjacques: http://www.hillaryjacques.blogspot.com/

LadyMage: http://www.katherinegilraine.com/

M.R.J. Le Blanc: http://libraryofandunien.blogspot.com/

Mariekeme: http://www.mariekenijkamp.com/

aimeelaine: http://www.aimeelaine.com/writing/blog

Lyra Jean: http://lyratorres.wordpress.com/

Fokker Aeroplanbau: http://rightfarright.blogspot.com/

Irissel: http://irissel.blogspot.com/

CowgirlPoet: http://frontnotes.blogspot.com/

Alpha Echo: http://writersramblings81.blogspot.com/

cryaegm: http://enigmainklings.blogspot.com/