"Oh, believe me," Skulduggery responded. "Knowing that God exists won't affect belief as much as you think. Humanity is a stubborn species. There are plenty of flesh-and-blood saviours a lot of people still don't believe in." He paused, head tilted to the side. "If it makes you feel any better, I still don't believe in Him."
It was a simple statement, one that his friends might take issue with considering their company, but there was a lot hidden underneath it - remnant feeling that the Archangel might pick up on. Skulduggery and Gabe had had this argument before. Gabriel seemed to think that God was the solution to everything - which was understandable, what with him being an Archangel and all - and that all Skulduggery needed to do was accept forgiveness that was apparently being offered with no strings attached. Quite apart from not believing that in the first place, the only forgiveness Skulduggery sought was his own. And he'd nowhere near earned that yet.
It didn't help that Gabe had given up so much more than Skulduggery thought just to find him. To not even know if he was going to get back? Having faith was all well and good, but at some point, you needed a backup plan. Add to that the injuries, the infected injuries, and... he'd just robbed an entire universe of one of their Archangels.
But what worried Skulduggery even more was that Gabe might be right. His Master might be here right now. Gabe hadn't mentioned Valkyrie's ring yet beyond a possible telepathic connection with her before the treatment started, but Skulduggery doubted God would be as delicate. Maybe there was nothing strictly wrong with Necromancy itself as a branch of magic, but the words 'Death Bringer' didn't bring with them a list of fluffy associations.
no subject
It was a simple statement, one that his friends might take issue with considering their company, but there was a lot hidden underneath it - remnant feeling that the Archangel might pick up on. Skulduggery and Gabe had had this argument before. Gabriel seemed to think that God was the solution to everything - which was understandable, what with him being an Archangel and all - and that all Skulduggery needed to do was accept forgiveness that was apparently being offered with no strings attached. Quite apart from not believing that in the first place, the only forgiveness Skulduggery sought was his own. And he'd nowhere near earned that yet.
It didn't help that Gabe had given up so much more than Skulduggery thought just to find him. To not even know if he was going to get back? Having faith was all well and good, but at some point, you needed a backup plan. Add to that the injuries, the infected injuries, and... he'd just robbed an entire universe of one of their Archangels.
But what worried Skulduggery even more was that Gabe might be right. His Master might be here right now. Gabe hadn't mentioned Valkyrie's ring yet beyond a possible telepathic connection with her before the treatment started, but Skulduggery doubted God would be as delicate. Maybe there was nothing strictly wrong with Necromancy itself as a branch of magic, but the words 'Death Bringer' didn't bring with them a list of fluffy associations.