Michael moved to kneel at his side. I cautiously remained where I was.
“Azazel, are you hurt?” asked Michael.
“I cannot wake her, Michael,” sobbed Asmodeus. “She is lost to me.”
“Here, let me try,” he offered.
“No, brother. We will not ask for your help, not after all we have done. It shames me and I cannot bear the thought of it.” He looked up. “Can you ever forgive me? Forgive us?”
“I already have, my brother, as has our Father. But you must forgive yourself first.”
His head slumped. “That may take a while.”
“I’m sorry, Azazel,” I said quietly, stepping forward. “Truly. I never wanted to hurt her.”
“I knew her thoughts were dark, Sariel. I knew she joined with Lucifer. I had known it for years. I tried to help her. That’s why I came with her. I thought I could bring her back. Rescue her.” He looked up and stared at me. “Would you have done any less for your soul mate?”
Soul mate? I blinked, stunned. Throughout these millennia, I had no idea the two of them were soul mates. Sadness filled me. “Yes, I would have done the same.”
He nodded. “Please go. I think I’ll just sit here for a while.”
Michael rose. We walked towards a massive double door at the end of the hall and swung it open.
Another vast chamber greeted us, this one larger than the last. Thousands of bodies littered the floor in contorted poses, each face frozen in a rictus of pain. Great sconces set against the golden walls cast deep orange glows over the chamber. Massive pillars of ivory and gold rose up so high I could not see their end. The ceiling above was an illusion of the open night sky and it was replete with endless stars across swirling galaxies. In the center of the room, on a massive circular dais upon which rose a great throne of polished granite, sat Lucifer, hooded and cloaked, as if he was the center of the universe.
“Welcome, my brothers,” said Lucifer. “Please, come closer.” With a wave of his hand he parted the bodies, pushing them against the walls to clear a path.
Michael and I strode forward. Lucifer sat enormous, easily as tall as the statues depicting him in the previous hall. His massive frame and muscles bulged under a deep black cloak. But his great size was to be expected from the prana siphoned from the thousands he had slain in this chamber.
His face was cowled and hidden. Only his hands were visible, fingers long and pale. His blackened claws drummed the flat armrests of his throne as we approached.
Lucifer sat back in his throne in a relaxed position. “Interesting evening, wouldn’t you agree brothers?”
“It’s over, Sammael,” said Michael.
“I think not.”
“Do you believe that siphoning the prana from the bodies of these poor souls can give you enough power to defeat us?”
“Perhaps not both of you. But one of you? Certainly. Especially here, in my center of power.”
“Then you should have accounted for two of us.” Michael drew his sword, as did I.
“Oh, but I did,” he said, swinging towards me. “I think you should leave, Sariel. This is between Michael and me. It always was.”
I glared back at him. “Not anymore, Lucifer. You’ve committed atrocities too monstrous to describe, hurt and killed loved ones dear to me, and now you’ve taken my son. You think I’ll just walk away? No, you and I will settle this.”
“No, we will not. Let’s make this simple, shall we? You leave my sphere or your boy dies.”
“You harm him and I’ll cut you down where you sit!” I growled.
“Don’t threaten me, Sariel!” he roared. “This is your last warning. Leave now.”
“Not without my son.”
“Then let his death be on your head.” He raised his hand.
“Wait!” I cried, my eyes darting around the chamber for signs of my son. He was nowhere to be found. But I thought I could sense him, if barely, somewhere on this sphere.
“Choose your next words carefully, Sariel,” said Lucifer. “If I don’t like what I hear, I will crush the life from him.”
I licked my lips, suddenly dry, and sheathed my sword. “I will not interfere in any way between you and Michael, but I cannot leave this sphere. Not without at least seeing my son.”
He paused. “Agreed. And I think I might rather enjoy a witness to this battle. Give me your oath you will not interfere.”
“I swear it.”
“And afterwards, you will raise no hand against me. Swear it.”
“I give you my word.”
He nodded. “So be it.”
Lucifer rose and shrugged off his robe. His massive body was as I had seen it once before, half beast, half angel. His face was stretched into a partial snout and razor teeth glistened beneath peeled back lips. Two black horns protruded from his brow, like those of a young ram, and curled back, the points resting just outside his ears. Brown tufts of hair crowned the base of the horns and hung like stringy ropes to his shoulders. His red eyes smoldered and bulged as if the prana he stole could scarcely be contained. His neck, broad shoulders, arms, and chest were all heavily muscled and lined randomly with purple and protruding veins. Thick fur began at his stomach and grew down his legs to his cloven hooves.
He stepped down from the dais. Only then did I see his long tail curl around him, the tip pointed and barbed like an arrowhead. He extended his wings, large and black, and raised his right fist. A sword appeared there, its black mammoth blade glowing dully. In his left arm appeared a shield, similar to the one I wore, except three times the size.
“Well, Michael, I always knew it would come down to this,” said Lucifer. “Truth be told, I’m glad this day has finally come. I grew weary of the uncertainty of my destiny so long as you ruled in the Causal and cast your shadow over me. With you gone, who can oppose me?”
Michael stood tall and pointed his sword upwards at Lucifer. “You cannot win this day, brother, even should you overcome me. Your armies have been defeated.”
“Defeated? Hardly. Half the spheres are mine and I will soon add the ninth to my domain. Do you not think I could raise billions more to serve my cause with but a wave of my hand?”
Michael shook his head. “Your cause is lost, brother. It’s over.”
“Wrong, brother! This will never be over! God tasked me with my duty and blessed me above all others. I still serve him gladly, far more than you and with far more sacrifice than you could possibly know.”
“It is not God you serve, else why would I be here to oppose you?”
“Because you are a charlatan, Michael! As long as you live, you stifle God’s will. Under your leadership, you drove away a third of the Archangels. Nearly half your Seraphim fled from you. Half the spheres resist you now. You are an abomination to God. That is why He sent you to me, so that I may destroy you. After today, you will neither oppose me nor God any longer. I will be free to continue my holy work into eternity. I have foreseen it.”
“Work? What is it that you have accomplished except to split God’s creation in two?”
“Isn’t that enough in and of itself? The dual natures I have introduced will forever affect the souls in the three planes. All must succumb to it and be tested by it according to God’s will. Those that overcome will be strengthened as never before and shall be granted the power to create new worlds from the old as they see fit. It will be glorious!”
“No, it will not. By God’s grace, all will be free of your malevolence, one soul at a time, so they may return to their rightful place in Heaven from whence they came. This, I have foreseen.”
“One of us is wrong, brother. Let us find out who.” Lucifer stepped forward.
“Very well. Sariel, bear witness. If I fall this day, return my body to the Causal. Let another take the mantle of leadership to continue this fight, without malice, until each soul is at last redeemed, including that of our lost brother, Sammael.”
“It will be as you say, Michael,” I said, standing off to o
ne side.
Lucifer leapt with a mighty yell. His sword flashed through the air and came crashing down. Michael raised his shield barely in time. Sparks showered. The blow boomed like a thunderclap and crushed Michael to his knees. Lucifer loomed over Michael as if he were a small child, such was the difference in size and weight.
Michael shoved Lucifer’s blade aside with a grunt and slashed out with his sword. Lucifer batted it away then kicked out with a cloven hoof. Michael caught the blow on his shield. It sent him sliding backwards, still on his knees. He spread his wings and slowed to a stop before he rose.
Lucifer charged with a cry and hammered another blow downwards with blistering speed. Michael caught it on his shield and sidestepped. The glancing blow smashed through tile cutting a wide fissure in the floor. Michael leapt and slid his blade towards Lucifer’s armpit on his unprotected side. Lucifer released his sword, still lodged deep in the floor, and twisted. The blow glanced off his shoulder, grazing his skin. Roaring, Lucifer backhanded Michael and sent him spinning.
Lucifer ripped his sword free and swung towards him. Michael hovered, facing him. They circled one another.
Michael pointed his blade at Lucifer. It glowed a deep red before a blast of fire burst from it.
Lucifer laughed and stepped into the flames. “Fire is my element, brother. It cannot harm me. Let us see how you fare against it.”
He stomped on the ground. A geyser of flame erupted under Michael and gushed upward. Michael tumbled in the air as he sailed towards the ceiling of stars. Righting himself with his wings outspread, he stepped from the flames. His tunic was singed. He dove.
Lucifer spread his wings and shot upwards. The two collided in mid-air, shield on shield. The concussion rippled outwards. Two mighty pillars buckled and collapsed.
Lucifer’s blade slashed and Michael blocked. Lucifer struck again, spinning, twirling, his movements almost too blindingly fast to follow. Michael countered, spinning and striking, blow after blow, the sound of steel hammering against steel rung madly.
Each blow on both sides hit with immeasurable impact. Mountains would have toppled under the crushing force of it. Sparks flashed brilliantly with each strike, energies crackled and sizzled as if the very air ripped apart.
Lucifer fell back, breathing heavy. Michael, chest heaving, did the same.
“It appears we are evenly matched,” said Lucifer. “It is not surprising. Did we not fight as one when I was of the Four Towers? I know your every move as if it were my own. I’m certain you can say the same about me. Let us see how we fare without these.” He tossed away his shield and sword.
Michael nodded, releasing his sword and shield to fall to the floor below. He clenched his fists. “Come brother.”
Lucifer growled and lunged, driving his shoulder into Michael’s stomach, tackling him backwards to smash into a wall of gold.
Michael wrapped his arms around Lucifer’s head and brought up his knee, crunching it against Lucifer’s face. The fallen Archangel roared, wrenching his head backward. A horn ripped into Michael’s chest, catching him, and flinging him upward.
Lucifer’s hand darted out before Michael sailed outside his reach. He grabbed Michael’s leg and yanked him downward into a waiting uppercut. Michael’s head snapped backwards. Lucifer followed in with another blow but Michael caught the monstrous fist in both hands and kicked Lucifer’s stomach.
Air exploded from Lucifer’s lungs and he doubled over. Michael crashed a mighty fist to his temple, to his jaw, and to the back of his head in rapid succession. Lucifer’s horn cracked. A powerful uppercut sent Lucifer hurtling upwards.
Lucifer spread his wings and sailed to a stop. He rubbed his jaw, blood pouring freely from his nose, his mouth, and his right ear. Michael floated upwards and matched the other’s height.
“I always wondered if my strength alone was enough to best you.” Lucifer reached up and pulled gently at his cracked horn. It broke free. He tossed it aside before spitting out a tooth. “I can see now that it is not. You are the strongest of us, there is no doubt.”
“Then yield.”
Lucifer grinned bloody teeth then pointed below him. “Do you see those bodies on the floor? I picked each one carefully based on strength, speed, fortitude, and zeal. I kept them in this room nigh twenty years. Do you know why? I did it for you, Michael. Just for you. I never knew when you may want to pay me a visit and I needed to be prepared at all times. I fed them and kept them strong and brought them entertainment. They wanted for nothing. Do you know how difficult that was? Do you not feel honored? And today, mere moments before you arrived, each one gave me his strength to me. Just for this hour.”
“It did you no good. You said yourself you have not the strength to defeat me.”
“A slight misunderstanding, brother. I said my strength alone was not enough to defeat you. I had yet to add theirs to mine when I spoke.” He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. “But now I have.”
He charged, impossibly swift.
The first blow crashed against Michael’s jaw. Michael spun as a second took him in the stomach. A third rocked him backwards. Lucifer grabbed Michael’s head in one massive palm and wrenched downward. It smashed against his knee, once, twice, then he reached down and wrapped his fingers around one of Michael’s legs.
Lucifer roared and surged towards a towering pillar. As he neared it, he whipped Michael around as if he were a club and smashed him against the monolithic column. The stone burst outwards with an ear shattering crack as he broke through it. Michael hung limply upside down, wings splayed, feathers shorn, and blood dripping down his cheeks and arms. Lucifer, laughing, grabbed Michael’s head with his one massive hand and drove it straight down with blistering speed into the ground far below. Michael smashed face first into the floor. The ground buckled and exploded.
“Michael!” I shouted in horror, shielding my face from flying debris.
The dust cleared. Lucifer stood in a deep crater. I could only see his head and shoulders. Barking a laugh he emerged from the pit and brushed himself off.
I raced forward. A huge hand blocked my way.
“Leave him!” commanded Lucifer.
I balled my fists. My arm trembled. I wanted to strike him, hurt him. More than I wanted anything. But my oath forbade it.
Lucifer laughed. “You will return to the Causal without Michael’s body. You will tell them how I defeated him in combat. I will keep him here as a trophy. Tell them they may come and visit him whenever they like. Go now.”
“I will not!” I snarled. Hatred flowed through me.
“Of course you will. As long as I have your son you will do whatever I wish, whenever I wish. We both know it. Go now before your son suffers.”
“Sammael!” a voice shouted from behind. We both turned.
Michael stood at the edge of the pit. His left wing was broken and ripped, blood stained the pristine white feathers. His face was a mass of purple bruises and spattered blood. His tunic, once purest white, was bloodied and torn.
Lucifer growled and marched towards him, claws out. “This time you’ll stay down.”
Michael smiled. “My turn.” He raised his arms above his head, palms up.
Lucifer’s charge stopped in mid-stride. He stared upwards.
A blazing meteor hurtled down from high above leaving a searing red scar across the night sky.
“Impossible,” breathed Lucifer. “The ceiling is only an illusion. We are deep under ground.”
“My Father gave me dominion over heaven and earth,” said Michael quietly. “Can you say the same?”
The meteor struck with an appalling force. The room erupted in a dreadful explosion as if God Himself slapped His hand down in anger.
I sailed backwards and smashed into a wall.
The impact deafened me. All fell silent. I couldn’t see. Only flashes assailed my eyes.
I blinked furiously. My vision cleared for the briefest moment. I stared upwards.
Two m
ore meteors hurtled from above.
I covered my head with my arms and my wings just as they struck.
I didn’t hear the impact. My ears could hear nothing. But I felt it. It slammed against my chest. My body shook like a leaf in a wind. A rain of rubble showered me, burying me.
I don’t know how long I lay there. When I moved, every part of my body ached. Slowly I climbed on trembling legs.
The throne room was no more. Before, where there were walls and doors, there was only endless night on all sides. Stars and galaxies cluttered the sky. Three massive craters gouged the floor. The torn and ruined ground around them stretched forth in all directions. It was as if I walked on a barren moon.
Michael still stood where I had last saw him. Of Lucifer, there was no sign.
I stumbled towards Michael. He stared at me as I drew closer, eyes drooping with exhaustion, then fell to his knees. I reached his side, knelt beside him, and took his arm.
Movement caught my attention. Several feet away, a massive clawed hand twitched. It bled and lay beneath a slab of rock.
Moving over to it, I heaved the debris aside. Lucifer lay on his back. Dust coated him the color of stone and he looked like a massive, bloody statue that toppled over.
His eyes snapped open. With a cry, he bolted upright. His mammoth black sword materialized in his hand and he lunged towards Michael who was still on his knees.
My flaming sword parried his blow and knocked it aside. I did not even realize I had drawn my blade.
Lucifer’s head snapped around, eyes blazing. “Your oath, Sariel!”
“I vowed not to raise my hand against you after your battle with Michael. I said nothing about my sword.” I drove my blade into his chest.
His mouth fell open as he stared down at the protruding hilt in disbelief.
I leaned in close and whispered words meant for his ears alone. “You once asked me how you taste. You taste sweet, brother.”
I flared the sword with all my remaining strength. Light erupted from his mouth, his eyes, his ears. It flashed in a moment of blinding brilliance then faded just as quickly.
Heaven's Night Page 37
