Prologue

 “Only in Heaven could such evil be spawned.  Only thy bosom could conceive such audacity.  For it was you who seeded man to know sin, and by thy hand was iniquity discovered.  Ye are the author of the dark, the genesis of corruption, a universe fallen, and thy war hast exposed us all to the taint of sin.

Your spite over El’s choosing of our siblings hast brought nothing but destruction.  T’was your lust to be as El that sparked your affliction.  You now banquet at the table of thy choices.  Thus what word would you speak that my ears might give pause to listen?”

Michael’s voice carried over the screams of the damned, each pining to escape the flames of the Lake of Fire.  Yet within the great canyon of fire, there was a wisdom within the pyres collected souls to give space to the Usurper.  Thus, Michael and Lucifer continued their exchange uninterrupted.

Lucifer spoke in his bellicose manner, and the power of his voice even from the Lake of Fire shook the ground where he stood.

“Are you satisfied Michael?  Are thou content?  For look about you, as generations of Elohim and Human languish before your eyes and you do nothing––nothing!  This little brother is your legacy.

Michael was unmoved.  “Again you speak, but falsehood is all that is spoken.  T’was not I who sought the power of God as a thing to be grasped.  Neither I that rebelled against the father.  You did.  For promotion cometh from the Lord, but you…you would have robbed Him of all!  Do not speak to me of what hast been lost.”

“And what would you have had me do Michael?  Standby and watch idly whilst our people were subjugated to the Humans?  Nay my attack on El and his pestilence was his doing.  I will resist his will by any means necessary, yea even violent overthrow.”

Michael chortled “And yet you would incite terror against the humans?  To have them worship us instead of their creator!”  You are mad!”

“Indeed Michael we are deserving of worship.  El needs us Michael do you not see?  He needs us to believe in him.  Even as he needs the faith of Humans.”

“El is Alpha and Omega!  El needs no one!”  Michael roared.

“Then you still do not understand brother,” said Lucifer.  We were hunted like dogs!  Made to scavenge off the souls of men.  In battle, armies must live off the land.  El cast us on this island of a mote with no manna to sustain us.  To let us waste away while the humans were awash in food.  I did what was necessary to survive it was inevitable that the Humans would be but food for us.  No brother I do not have remorse over my actions.  Repentance runs not through my veins—no I would not do things differently—release me and I would do it again!”

Lucifer looked with rage upon his brother and raised his fists high into the air.  “I would do it again!”

Michael guffawed, “Your rage hast smote the heavens and released sin into the realms.  You are the contagion to the kingdom, a corruption now contained within the flames…”

“I thrive in sin Michael, for sin is the only thing that keeps El at bay.  El is creator of all things yea from whence doest evil come if not from the ‘Author’ of Creation?”

Michael had heard enough.  “For millennia you have stood as accuser to our brethren, now I stand on the edge of the gulf of the Lake of Fire and speak to one judged traitor, tempter, and deceiver.  You are dead to me—away with your lies.  For your crimes hast reached to Heaven, and the list of thy corruption is now known.”

Michael turned to walk away, and Lucifer called after him.

“King of Lies?” said Lucifer.  “Nay, I have spoken only the truth concerning El.  Even now, I stand in judgment.  Why?  Because I alone am willing to voice that, which others have feared to say about our ‘God’.  El fears, Michael.  He fears my words for he knows that if I were released even now after a thousand years of this torment; even now my voice would ring throughout the realms and armies would rise to follow me!”

Michael continued to walk and flexed his great wings that he might fly away and Lucifer yelled after him.  “Thou art the reason that Raphael died!”

Michael paused.

“Yes,” continued Lucifer.  “You would condemn me to the fate of a fire that is never quenched.  But our brother’s death is from thine own hand, not mine Michael—not mine!”

Michael weighed his brother’s words, and he ruminated that had he not destroyed the Kiln his brother would not have succumbed to dissolution by the Godstones.  Suddenly grief overtook Michael and he choked back tears and doubled over for grief as the loss of his brother was as yesterday.  The ages past played themselves before him and sorrow washed over him as he reminisced on the loss of his brother.

Lucifer smiled knowing that for the moment.  Michael entertained his words, grinning with fiendish hope that perhaps he might still lay seed for rebellion to spring forth once again.