Raphael

**Raphael** is a supporting character in the *Divine Comedy*.

He is the chief medical officer, governor of Heaven's sixth Sphere Temperance, and overseer of the guardian angels. Raphael is also one of the Seraphim, the fourth oldest of God and Goddess's children, and the archangel that Asmodeus and Azazel have a strong grudge against.

## History

### Background

Raphael was born after Gabriel with Uriel following in tow. He took part in the Genesis Jam like his siblings and later would help in developing the universe's growth. Raphael found his purpose through healing as he would come to mend unstable stars and broken planets.

In the past, Raphael was the "sweet child" of the siblings as he was optimistic, perky, and quite supportive. His siblings had a tendency to protect him as he often exuded a timid and shy nature. Raphael's timidness would also make him a target of Lucifer's mischief but it was never out of malicious intent. Raphael also tended to Lucifer's injuries whenever his mischief would go too far such as when he provoked the Cherubim and they nearly mauled him.

### War in Heaven

When the war in Heaven erupted, Raphael was the field medic for the injured angels. He did not actively participate in the war as it repulsed him but was forced to when he saw Asmodeus plowing through several angels. Raphael and Asmodeus engaged in a fierce battle though Raphael pleaded with Asmodeus to stop during the battle.

Seeing that Asmodeus would not relent, Raphael no longer restrained himself and overwhelmed the Cherub, resulting in Asmodeus' defeat. Aghast at what he had done, Raphael approached the injured Asmodeus to heal him only to realize too late that Asmodeus lunged at him with a knife to his throat. Before the blade could reach him, Chamuel arrived in the nick of time and slashed off a piece of Asmodeus' body.

After the war, Raphael was said to have been traumatized by the experience especially at what he was forced to commit as it went against his profession as a healer. Raphael himself revealed that when Lucifer and the rebels fell, he wanted to help them but knew that if he did he would be labeled a traitor and banished alongside them.

### Watcher Incident

After the creation of the Nephilim due to the lustful actions of the Watchers when they mated with human women, Raphael was amongst the archangels tasked by Heaven to deal with this situation. During that time, Azazel, one of the chiefs of the Watchers, taught the humans how to fight and how to use weapons against one another.

Raphael was tasked to deal with Azazel himself and the archangel descends down from the Heavens, confronting the former Watcher angel. Azazel tried to negotiate with the archangels in that he would be punished for his crimes alone and spare his siblings as well as heal his dying daughter. Raphael accepted the bargain, promising that they won't be harmed and that he would heal his child on the condition that Azazel surrenders to which he did. As Raphael led Azazel to the desert where the Watchers would be judged, Azazel discovered that the archangels would not keep their word causing an enraged Azazel to attack Raphael for lying to him though Raphael claims that he had no idea that the archangels would not keep their word as he had not even spoke to them about it yet; it is revealed that the archangels were actually listening to the conversation via Raphael's halo.

Raphael defeated and subdued Azazel. He then received orders from Heaven to bind Azazel's hands and feet, but not before witnessing the angels openly killing Azazel's child in front of him which Raphael reacted with utter shock and disgust towards their actions. Raphael scolded them harshly only to be shut down by Zadkiel who exclaimed that abominations like the Nephilim do not deserve mercy. Raphael was then ordered to open a fissure in the desert which leads to Dudael and tosses Azazel inside, again binding him against a set of jagged pointy rocks whilst also covering his face so that he might never see the light again. This incident with Azazel would have a profound effect on Raphael's views to Heaven and the way it is run.

### Battle with Asmodeus

Asmodeus and Raphael clashed once again when Asmodeus was trying to woo a human woman by the name of Sarah to the point of killing all her potential suitors. When her last suitor, Tobias, came to ask Sarah's hand in marriage, Raphael accompanied him in disguise alongside Chamuel. Seeing that he was reluctant, Chamuel tells Tobias and Sarah to pray three days before consummating on their marriage. Raphael tells them that on the first day he should lay the liver of the fish on the fire which will repel Asmodeus and that by the third night he will receive a blessing that will see him impregnate Sarah. And then on the fourth day, he will give her a child but not out of lust, rather love.

Tobias then took out the fish liver, burning it on a set of coals which prevents Asmodeus from coming near the newly weds. An enraged Asmodeus sought to unleash devastation against the entire palace only for Raphael to quickly intercept and fight him in a lengthy battle. Their fight took them all the way to the desert of Upper Egypt where Raphael defeated Asmodeus once again. Asmodeus dared Raphael to kill him but instead the archangel bound him there on a rock surrounded by water, completely cutting him off from ever laying his hands on Sarah and her offspring. This event cemented Asmodeus' hatred towards Raphael though the archangel tried to reason with the Lust King that he was only following orders but was met with a venomous scoff from Asmodeus.

## Trivia

* He is based on the archangel of the same name mentioned in Jewish works such as the *Book of Tobit* and the *Book of Enoch*.
* In Hebrew, "Raphael" means "to heal" and can be translated as "God has healed".
* Raphael has a large pool used exclusively to test different types of healing remedies. This pool may correlate to the biblical Pool of Bethesda.
* His favorite animals are fish.
* Raphael puffs up his feathers when he is trying to be serious.
* Out of all the archangels, Raphael has the "steadiest" relationship with most of the emperors. This is mostly due to the fact that he designed a remedy to help stabilize the unstable physiology of their Nephilim children.
	+ Raphael is also said to be Eve's favorite heavenly visitor barring Gabriel.