by Andrew Gille
“They are yours, my Lord,” Machenrauch stepped back from the pool and made a sweeping gesture with his hand welcoming Lucifer to the Transfiguration Keys.
“Your angelic brethren shall speak of today as the day in which the rebellion against the tyrant Os was won. They will laud your name as a hero Machariel, they will know your name upon Earth and the four worlds of Heaven,”
At this moment, Lucifer felt deep admiration and respect for the lower angel, he could sense Machariel’s reverence, an angel that respected him and who would give up something so intensely precious and dear to him for Lucifer’s cause was an ally; indeed, he had no doubts. He didn’t need Michael, a weak vassal of Os. He would make Machariel so much more powerful, stronger than Gabriel, than Raphael, than all but Lucifer himself.
“Machariel, I want you to receive the power of the Mother Stone, the stone with which powers will be granted to you. Accept this gift, and you shall tower above giants, you shall order Thrones and Dominions to their knees, and all within the realm of Heaven shall know your name as a great and powerful angel,”
A decision he had wanted to make carefully, traveling to all four of heaven’s inhabited worlds, researching and comparing the best angel for this task was made in an instant based on his emotions, based on implied flattery that he felt from the lesser angel. The decision of who would receive the powers of the Mother Stone, the first, and he hoped only, Transfiguration Key he would have to use, should have been a long, careful and methodical process, but instead, it was done mere moments after he took possession of the stones. It was the first of many mistakes he would make in his attempt to wrest the power of Heaven from the Almighty Os.
“My Lord, this responsibility is quite above me, should this honor not go to a more deserving arch-angel or cherub?”
“No, the ritual can only be performed on a lesser angel such as yourself."
The texts offered no ways of using them on a high angel, had there been any way to use them to increase his power even slightly, Lucifer would have used all three on himself.
“If you have doubts about this mission, let me take you to Earth to show you the creatures Os wants us to serve. You will be fascinated by them, you will want them to serve us, but you will be appalled by the notion that we should dedicate our existence to them. Come with me and let me show you these creatures he claims should supersede us as the rulers of heaven.”
Lucifer began the incantation for the portal to Earth, his exceptional magic skills allowed him to remember the parameters of the spell he saw being cast. When Shalos had cast this spell, he made a note so he could get back to Earth at any time he wanted.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Michael meets with The Heavenly Council
Michael stood in a massive hall in Elysian Palace. Seated above him would be the Heavenly Council consisting of 5 of the most powerful angels in heaven. Lucifer, Leviathan, Gabriel, Asmodeus, and Mammon. The council served as a means for angels to govern themselves and resolve matters to which Os did not take heed and to determine whether specific issues should be brought to Os’ attention. More and more lately, the council served as the only voice of governance in the realm as Os seemed to turn his attention away from all that was happening in his very home.
“I do not understand why I cannot speak to Os directly, or Shalos or Entera. Why do they not make themselves available at this crucial time? I am told to pray, and nothing comes of my prayers, so upon my insistence, I am sent to a council that Lucifer heads? Why will Os not answer me personally?” a frustrated Michael remarked to Gabriel.
“This is not the attitude to take with this council Michael. Many of us are frustrated at Os’ lack of action, but you cannot go in there and say this, it will insult the council, and your words will certainly not be heard,” Gabriel said in hushed tones to his archangel compatriot as the angels began filling their seats on the council podium.
“This cannot continue, why can you not tell the council that this needs to happen?” Michael pleaded with Gabriel.
“As a council member I am not allowed to introduce measures, only debate them and vote on them based on those debates. Another angel must bring an issue before us to have it considered,” Gabriel explained.
“Seems a ridiculous way for the council to function, who made these rules in the first place?”
“Os,” Gabriel answered raising his eyebrows.
“Understood,” was the last thing Michael said as Gabriel turned to be seated on the council.
With Lucifer absent, the four remaining angels sat on an elevated podium, a massive marble table before them, carved intricately with a mural of Os creating the heavens. The middle seat sat conspicuously empty.
Michael stood before the council nearly craning his neck to speak to the angels on the podium, it was clear that the members of the committee were meant to be venerated and held in higher esteem than the speaker by the design of the room.
“Michael, the archangel speaks to us today about a concern,” Mammon, the creator of the economic engines of Heaven, financier and great ally of Lucifer spoke first.
“Yes, my liege,” Michael responded, “I come to you with a concern.”
“Silence,” Mammon snapped, “We will first sign the hymn of praise to Os.”
The members stood and began singing a hymn written by Selaphiel, heaven’s most celebrated musician. Michael, as all angels did, knew the hymn and sang along with the members of the council. When it finished, he waited for his opportunity to speak. Mammon broke the long silence by admonishing Michael.
“Well, speak archangel,” Mammon said in a mocking tone.
Michael was discomposed by the interruptions and the surreptitious protocol of the council but continued.
“I stand before you today, knowing that what I will say may upset some of you as the information I bring you regards the very head of this council. Lucifer,” Michael said as he looked up at the podium. Mammon looked back at him condescendingly, Gabriel smiled, Leviathan seemed expressionless, and Asmodeus scowled.
“Right now heaven’s forges are stoked during the entirety of their planet’s working hours, producing weapons and armor at the command of Lucifer. He has not specified the reason for the need of these implements, but most of the theories point to nefarious reasons for their production,” Michael stated.
Asmodeus scoffed as he looked down at the archangel, “Nefarious? You speak of the highest angel in all of the heavens this way? Of what impiousness do you accuse him? What need would he have for the production of these items but for their obvious function as decorative parade hardware? The specifications for these items specifically state that they are decorative and their design is so obviously flowery and symbolic, how could one think anything differently. You come here to accuse the arch-seraph of something wicked? He merely produces parade outfits for an upcoming celebration of Os’ creation on Earth.”
“Decorative parade hardware does not need tempering and differential heat treatment. Lucifer plans to make war on Os, and his ultimate goal is to assume the throne of Heaven which he feels is rightfully his,” Michael again explained.
Mammon then spoke, “Michael, if you’re speaking of the Anatalian Letters, I know for a fact that arch-seraph Lucifer does not believe their contents and is not a propagator of their lies. Metatron, the great scribe and my good friend is implicated in these false documents, and I dare say many angels believe him to be the author of these blasphemies. That the documents mention him or even that they exalt him is not an offense for which we can find Lucifer culpable.”
“I realize that Lord Lucifer himself may not believe the contents of the letters, but a vast majority of his followers do, and he willingly allows them to follow this pseudo-religion to fit his own means,” Michael stated.
Leviathan now spoke, “Michael, your accusations are grave, do you really wish to accuse Lord Lucifer of looking to overthrow our Lord and Creator Os, the most high?”
“Yes,” Michael said looking
into Leviathan’s eyes.
“This is preposterous,” Asmodeus said rolling his eyes, “Your claims are baseless.”
“Faithful followers of Os have reported to me that a base is being built on Jirian a moon of Veritas in preparation for an attack on Veritas. Others have told me that he has used forbidden magic to increase the strength of angels loyal to him. Still, others report that he quotes the Anatalian letters in select groups as fact and that he uses them to motivate believers in this apocrypha to support his cause.”
“Nonsense, Lord Lucifer has many enemies due to his position of power. I can name several angels who would want to see him falter based on his admonishments of their violations of Os’ laws alone. When you are the most powerful angel in heaven, you make enemies. When you are a leader you cannot be everyone’s friend, there may be some who sit here in this room who have clashed with Lucifer from time to time. Being the deliverer of Os’ will to the angels is not an easy task,” Asmodeus sat back in his chair scowling at Michael.
Then Leviathan spoke, “Asmodeus, you speak the truth but what of these weapons? For what purpose does Lucifer acquire such hardware? No angel has need of such martial equipment.”
“I…I…I am sure I could ask him,” Asmodeus stuttered, “There is most certainly a reasonable explanation for this, and when I get it, you will be giving a personal apology before this council with Lucifer sitting in his rightful place. I recommend that we adjourn until what time I can procure this explanation and we can meet again.”
“That could take weeks! By then he’ll have churned out enough equipment to dress every angel in heaven,” Michael complained.
“Well, maybe I can get you a suit of this armor, would that make you feel better arch-angel?” Asmodeus mocked.
“The archangel’s claims could have merit,” Leviathan stated, “I would urge caution, perhaps a ceasing of production until you procure your statement from Lord Lucifer, and an investigation can be launched, no one has been able to contact him for weeks. As the leader of this council he should appear before us to answer these claims, yet where is he now?”
“I do not want to answer to the arch-seraph when he asks why his project has been halted and we have to explain that it was because of the here say repeated to us by an archangel,” Asmodeus sat with his arms folded.
“I would think that was Lord Lucifer here, he would ask us to exercise caution, these Anatalian Letters are a powerful piece of propaganda, they use his name to blaspheme. This angel certainly did not make up these tales himself, if the rumors are that he is using the letters, then I think that this is something he should come answer to and if this were any other angel he would ask us why we had not suspended this possibly detrimental project in the interim,” Mammon reasoned.
“I am a biased observer, Michael is a close friend of mine, but this angel would not come before this council and tell tall tales, I too have heard these things, and I have heard rumors of troop movements, training and the building of a ziggurat on Jerian. I shall abstain from a vote, but I too would recommend that production is ceased until we have a clearer picture of what is going on,” Gabriel remarked now.
Michael walked from Elysian Palace satisfied for the first time in quite a while after the council voted 2-1 to halt production of weaponry for Lucifer. A herald was sent to Lucifer to urge him to return to the council’s next meeting, but by the time the date of that meeting would have arrived, it would be all too clear what exactly Lucifer’s intentions really were.
###
After the meeting, Asmodeus took the portly Mammon aside and with ferocity that he’d held back to ensure that he did not betray the protocol of the meeting, lashed into him.
“I know how I voted and I was apparently the only one? How could you betray the resistance this way Mammon? Leviathan I understand, he’s not with the rebellion and has no idea what we’re doing. He probably fears a war breaking his fragile water city, but you, you’re fully aware of what is happening, why would you vote to stop the forges?”
“My forges no longer make a profit creating these implements for war. Lucifer asks for charity and I have been more than giving to this cause,” Mammon said unapologetically.
“You stop the equipping of our war machine for your own coffers? Your avarice knows no bounds Mammon,” Asmodeus seethed.
“Wealth is what makes Heaven work, my economic principles are the grease that get things done in every corner of the realm. Do you think seraphim and cherubim care about your plight without an incentive? They do not. Even Lord Lucifer himself would not be so motivated if it were not for what he stands to gain from this war,” Mammon’s blubbery neck caused him to have to pause to catch his breath after each sentence.
“If our weaponry is insufficient to defeat Michael’s forces, I will hold you personally responsible Mammon,” Asmodeus boiled but kept his voice down to avoid causing a scene within Elysian Palace.
“Lucifer’s gold has run out, he’s over leveraged himself and I cannot provide further funding for this rebellion. I funded the Ziggurat on Jerian almost wholly myself by liquefying some of my own interests in Oziel City. I’d say I’ve done more than enough for the rebellion, it is now time for a return on my investments.”
Asmodeus said no more to Mammon, he turned and walked away almost running into Gabriel who had come along just as the conversation ended.
“Did you foreclose on one of Asmodeus’ palaces Mammon?” Gabriel mocked.
Mammon scoffed and walked away from the archangel without saying a word.
Gabriel grinned, he was aware that the rebellion had been set back and it had been done by the rules and under the proper protocol so Lucifer could not protest or overturn the ruling.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Machariel's First Visit to Earth
Lucifer and Machenrauch would travel to Earth by casting a typical conveyance spell. Machariel left Veritas so infrequently that he felt a bit ashamed that he needed to ask Lucifer to guide him through the process of casting this quite simple bit of magic. Soon energies flowed through his body, his heart rate increased and a protective shield formed around him. He began ascending, the motion was unfamiliar and awkward. He watched as Lucifer started rising next to him. He saw him from behind his shield urging him to fly faster, Machariel’s apprehension and caution using the conveyance spell was apparent, and Lucifer had forgotten how disconcerting using conveyance to travel could be to an angel who rarely did it.
Machariel spent the majority of his time in the garden and didn’t like to leave Veritas, he had been to Paradisio one time to deliver a particular perennial that a gardener in Arcadia was attempting to foster. He found Conveyance to be a vertiginous, uncomfortable way to travel and for all of the poems and hymns were written to its beauty, Paradisio was in his opinion, climatologically cold and undistinctive compared to his homeworld. He was happy to return to Veritas and take only occasional trips to Hesperides after that. He never had found out if the gardener was successful with the perennial that he had delivered.
For the second time in his existence, he found himself high above his beloved homeworld, Lucifer above him rocketing faster and faster into the stratosphere. Again, the ill feeling gripped his stomach and the sense of dizziness, and lack of control that he had felt so long ago once again gave him a sense of dread. He remembered now why he did not seek to leave his homeworld after the trip to Paradisio.
Faster and faster they sped, now things blurred by, he hadn’t noticed the ringed world of Kalos, by the time he’d gained his senses it had gone by. He looked up at Lucifer’s shield orb glowing silently against the background of the starry voice as he saw the watery world Aequiss, followed by Paradisio, then the outer planets. The beauty of the ringed planet Harborean, then Galena and Sandosia, a ringed planet he’d only read about and never actually saw in the night sky, now its auburn glory shot past him in an instant to quickly to admire or remember as anything more than a blur.
As their speed increased Macha
riel saw a tunnel of light opening before them. He thought he may have seen angels of the Order of the Powers for an instant before he and Lucifer rocketed through at hyper speed headlong into the bridge between the two realms. Swirling, bright light coiled around them like a cyclone as they shot through the twisting tunnel. Machariel could do nothing but exert his body to keep up with Lucifer, the orb seemed to pull them to their destination, at each twist he felt as if he would slam into the wall of light and matter that surrounded him but at each curve, no matter how tight, his shield orb navigated flawlessly through the void.
A loud boom broke the silence of the nothingness of space as the blur of lights stopped and the Earthly world came into focus, it looked remarkably like any of the realms of heaven. He looked into the black void, and nothing seemed familiar, Ilya and Jirian, Veritas’ beautiful moons were gone, now only a solitary rocky moon hung in the cosmos beyond the planet before them. The stars in the sky looked unfamiliar, and the constellations of heaven were now replaced by a foreign arrangement of stars that was at once alien and disconcerting. Machariel saw oceans, land, clouds, he recognized mountain ranges and grasslands, but not in an arrangement he’d ever seen before in his travels or books. It was a new and strange land, and although everything here made sense to him, planets, stars, a sun and a world much like Veritas, its differences were unsettling to him.
