Silence hung heavy over the village. No one dared speak, their eyes fixed on the radiant figure before them. The air itself seemed to hold its breath.
At last, a single voice broke through—a woman's, trembling with both fear and awe.
"This… this is Tumbleton, m-my lord."
Her words carried a weight that rippled through the crowd. The villagers exchanged uneasy glances, some clutching their children closer, others bowing their heads as if in reverence.
Gabriel stood still, absorbing the name, the sound of it echoing in his mind.
This name feels familiar, Gabriel thought. He remembered that it was a village from a book he had once read before—The World of A Song of Ice and Fire.This is a village within the Reach, Gabriel reflected. Tumbleton… so this is where I have been sent.
Gabriel snapped out of his musings when a voice rose from the crowd.
"He must have been sent by the Seven…" someone whispered, and at once the villagers began to kneel, their movements slow and reverent, as though bowing before a god.
The sight startled Gabriel. He lifted his hands, his voice firm yet gentle.
"Do not kneel," he declared. "I was not sent by the ones you call the Seven."
"I was sent by the true God," Gabriel declared, his voice steady, "the One who is many, yet still One. Do not kneel before me, for I am not a god to be worshiped. I am like you."
The villagers listened in silence, their awe tempered by confusion.
Gabriel's thoughts turned inward. Will these wings disappear? he wondered.
He focused, willing the radiant appendages to fold back into himself. Slowly, the wings of light began to draw inward, sinking into his back until they vanished completely. The flickering glow faded, leaving only the white robes upon his body.
Gabriel exhaled, astonished. So they can be hidden…
Gasps rippled through the crowd as Gabriel's wings dissolved into his back, leaving only the white robes upon him. The villagers stared in disbelief, some of their fear shifting into wonder.
Some whispered to one another, voices trembling. Did we truly see wings? Or was it a vision? Others clutched their hearts, uncertain if this was a miracle or something else.
The woman who had spoken earlier pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. Around her, children peeked from behind their parents, curiosity shining brighter than fear.
Gabriel spoke to them, his voice calm yet commanding.
"I am Gabriel. The wings you saw earlier are proof—I am an angel, by the grace of God. But do not be afraid of my purpose here. I was sent by the Lord to help those in need, to feed the hungry, to give a future to those who struggle."
His gaze shifted, softening as it fell upon the children clustered near their parents, and then upon the followers who stood behind them. The light in his eyes carried both promise and compassion, a quiet assurance that his mission was one of mercy.
The people spoke at last, their voices trembling with both fear and curiosity.
"But, my lord Gabriel… what is an angel?"
Their question hung in the air, heavy with wonder, as dozens of eyes fixed upon him, waiting for his answer.
Gabriel thought to himself, So they truly do not know what an angel is in this world.
He recalled the book he had once read—The World of A Song of Ice and Fire. There was no mention of angels in the Faith of the Seven, he realized.
He raised his voice, steady and clear.
"An angel is a servant of the true God," he said. "We are not gods ourselves, nor beings to be worshiped. We are His messengers, sent to guide, to protect, and to bring hope where there is despair."
The villagers listened intently, their confusion softening into wonder. Some clutched their children closer, others leaned forward, eager to understand.
Gabriel's gaze swept across them, his words carrying both authority and compassion.
"I was sent here not to rule you, but to help you. That is what it means to be an angel."
Then a septon, who had been watching silently, finally spoke.
"If it was not the Seven, nor any of them who sent you, my lord… then what is the name of the god who did?"
Gabriel paused, recalling what the Lord had told him. In this world, He was called The Old Gods.
So that was what He meant, Gabriel thought. Perhaps because God takes many forms, the people believe there are many of Him. That is why they call Him 'Gods.'
He lifted his voice to the crowd.
"The Old Gods," Gabriel declared.