The night after the uproar in the square, I lay awake in Samuel's house, staring at the ceiling. Sleep would not come. The voices of the villagers echoed in my mind—some pleading, some accusing, all tearing at my heart.
The house was still. Samuel and Grace slept in their room, the children resting quietly. I rose and stepped outside, the air cool against my face. The moon hung pale above, casting silver light on the farmland.
I walked toward the barn, seeking solitude to pray. Yet before I could kneel, a sudden brilliance split the night. Light poured down like a waterfall, illuminating the ground as though it were midday.
Shielding my eyes, I saw him—Gabriel, radiant as before, yet his expression grave. His wings stretched wide, and his voice carried the weight of eternity.
"Alfred," he said, "the time grows short. The storm you see is not of men alone. Darkness presses hard against the light, for it knows its end draws near."
My knees buckled, but I steadied myself. "What must I do? The people are divided, and I fear my presence brings more strife than peace."
Gabriel's gaze pierced me. "You are not sent to bring peace, but truth. Truth divides—it cuts as a sword, separating heart from heart. Do not despair, for those who receive the word will be saved by it."
"But what of the stranger, Darius?" I asked. "He sows doubt, and the people listen."
Gabriel's voice thundered like rolling water. "Darius walks in the counsel of shadows. He is an agent of the deceiver, sent to undo what has been planted. Yet his power is limited. He may stir hearts, but he cannot overcome the word of God."
As he spoke, another light appeared beside him. A second angel descended, smaller in stature, yet burning with fiery brightness. His eyes blazed, and his voice was sharp as a trumpet.
"This is Michael," Gabriel said, "captain of the heavenly host. He stands ready, for the battle is not only of earth but of heaven also."
Michael stepped forward, his gaze fierce. "The deceiver's servants draw near. But fear not—heaven watches. Stand firm, Alfred. The appointed days will not fail."
Tears welled in my eyes. "I am but a man. My strength fails. How can I bear this weight?"
Gabriel extended his hand, and a scroll appeared, glowing with light. "Take this. It is not for the people, but for you. Its words will strengthen your spirit when fear overwhelms you."
I reached out, and as my fingers touched the scroll, warmth surged through me, filling me with courage and peace. My trembling stilled.
Gabriel's voice softened. "Hold fast, Alfred. Soon, you will see why you were chosen. Do not let the darkness steal your resolve."
With that, the two angels lifted, their light rising like fire into the heavens. The night returned to silence, the barn once again shadowed under the moon.
I clutched the glowing scroll to my chest, heart steady for the first time in many days. The midnight visitation had reminded me: I was not alone. Heaven itself stood watch, though the world around me trembled.