For too long, the proprietor of The Goth House had been away from
the affairs, concerns, and patrons of his establishment. After the
unexpected confrontations with St. Judas, the attempted incursion by
representatives of both Fae Courts, and the revelation of the anti-
Goth House - Tapps -- Zophiel had found himself wanting for respite.
He had retired to the arboretum to be with his mortal enamourata,
Christiane. Now, he found that some of the accusations and
suppositions made by his recent adversaries might have some basis in
fact or, at least, in the realm of the possible.
When was the last time, exactly, that the angel had served his
mission properly? Certainly, the redemption of Verrine and the
release of the Fioratura were significant achievements in Zophiel's
eternal quest to find the Unjustly Damned and Genuinely Penitent.
But, ironically the conflagration at Efchal's bar had served to spark
a crisis of Faith.
The reason for the existence of Evil had never puzzled Zophiel. It
was a creation of God as part of the equation that made Free Will
possible. But until meeting The Keeper the angel had always believed
in the eventual triumph of Good. It now seemed that there could be
none.
Affiliation with mortals had caused a shift in the perception of
time for the head of the Goth House. Eternity was a long time to
wait. All angels and devils knew the final outcome would mean the
Good/Evil equation would be solved. God would divide the forces of
Evil by zero, they would vanish neatly along with the need for Free
Will, and all survivors would bask in the glory of God forever...
...and ever. Amen?
Reflecting on that projected future has always filled Zophiel with
peace. It didn't sound so wonderful now that he'd had a chance to
examine the cost.
"Why punish generations of souls to live lives in pain and
confusion? Why make each mortal strut and fret their guts out on the
stage when they've no idea about the purpose of the play?" Zophiel
pondered.
Finally he realized where he'd heard those questions before. They
were not quite as bad as the open treason of Lucifer but, they did
sound remarkably like the arguements Grigor had used to encourage the
Nephilim to abandon their mission.
Zophiel decided it was time he met one -- if any Nephilim survived.
It wasn't common knowledge among mortals but Moses and Joshua had
served as judge, jury, and executioner over the entire race descended
from Grigor. The last of them seen alive by Zophiel had been Anak.
A Nephilim might be able to explain the sins of his fathers so that
the angel might not become the new Grigor.

His mind filled with these concepts and partial plans, Zophiel
entered the main rooms of the Goth House.