by Pottle, Bill
flew up as well, to counter the beast from the top.
A beast with six eyes and six horns charged forward to face Alizel, and he had to turn his attention away from the flying threat and face this one. His attacker only had a short dagger, but this time Alizel did not have to be very patient. He skewered the demon before he could get within striking distance.
Alizel couldn't say how long the battle wore on before Lucifer's side finally called a retreat. Well, strictly speaking, he could have said as angels did have perfect memories…but he refused to look back on that horrid time in any great detail. Whether it was a day, week, or month, the battle raged fiercely with neither side giving the slightest bit of quarter. This was the real enemy, ruthless, strategic, and powerful. As angels still in communion with God, they had been prone to discount the power of hate, especially when they had seen it only in small doses.
But there was no discounting it now. When thousands upon thousands of infected angels all charged together…certainly they had seen the real strength of the enemy.
The army regrouped back at the foot of Mt. Zion. They had lost over a quarter of their troops. How many the enemy had lost was not certain, but Alizel estimated about one third to one half. It was little comfort. How could anyone look at a life, and rejoice that only tens of thousands of irreplaceable souls had been forever lost in a single battle? The fact that God could choose to open up the Containment as Mupiel suggested was little solace.
As he brooded over this in his mind, Alizel came very close to finally doubting God. He wasn’t proud to admit it, but the whole thing seemed such a waste. And although He might preserve a victory for those who were left, what of those who had fallen? Where was their victory?
129
A L I Z E L ’ S S O N G
There had to be some higher purpose to the war. That is, if God was omnipotent. Well, if God was both omnipotent and beneficial. Alizel didn't want to admit the possibility that God didn't have complete control over the situation. Yes, it might explain things better if he thought that it was possible for God to lose control. He could still be the strongest, wisest being in existence, but that didn't mean that He had complete control.
There was no doubt about it, no way to get around the issue. Bad things were happening. It was as simple as that. Bad things were happening to good, loyal angels. Of course God did things that the angels could never understand. But this…
Neither option was tenable. Either God was not in control, or He was in control and was purposefully letting bad things happen. Alizel just didn't know what to make of it. What was the point of this entire war?
Alizel had to push the thoughts from his head. He just couldn't handle it anymore. Maybe when this whole thing was over, there would be some answers. He didn’t think God Himself would come down and fill them in like He had over the creation of man. But, at least it would be nice if some of the higher-ups could explain some of the main questions.
They didn't have much time to rest. They didn't need it, and it was clear that hate was a more or less steady source of fuel for Lucifer's troops. Michael made some small adjustments in their formations, but there wasn’t time for large scale retraining, for the next day, Lucifer's forces came again.
Alizel didn't know whether the losses had affected them psychologically or not, but they did seem to attack with a new determination. This time the battle was fought at the very base of Mt. Zion itself. Alizel never could have imagined that it would come to this, but here they were. The mountain itself was too massive for Lucifer's troops to surround, and Michael’s forces spread their half-spheres out over less than a quarter of it. The spheres bubbled up against the mountain, using the slope as a part of the sphere they didn't have to defend. They reinforced the ends of their main lines instead, in case Lucifer tried to outflank them.
130
B I L L P O T T L E
Alizel couldn't imagine what Lucifer's plan was. After all this, it was finally time for him to show his hand. Alizel’s company was lined up directly between Lucifer's forces and God. He glanced backwards over his shoulder to see God's Glory burning from the Throne. The Cherubim still ringed the Lord, facing inward. They did not seem to mind the trouble below.
His eyebrows furrowed in perturbed curiosity. Were the flames of God’s Energy blazing just a bit differently?
Did God feel sorrow at the choices they had made?
He turned back to the front, his doubt and confusion swirling through his mind. Had Lucifer's forces come to Mt. Zion to attack God, or had they chosen to attack Michael’s army and come to Mt. Zion simply because that's where they were camped? Alizel had seen many things that he didn't believe, but he still couldn't imagine that Lucifer would march right up and try to…what? Slay? Threaten? Blackmail? God? What could Lucifer do? What! Lucifer's own weapon came from God himself. Could Lucifer stand there before the majesty and power of God? Lucifer could not even stand in God's presence without His permission.
Still, Lucifer knew the inevitability of this truth as much as Alizel did. Had hate really destroyed his reason so much?
Yet, searching back, Alizel remembered the time when Lucifer and Gabriel had been talking during the beginning of Zebub’s rebellion. Lucifer had mentioned the existence of a plan before he had rejected God. One thing was sure—Lucifer's endgame was near.
They were methodical as they attacked this time. It was times like these when the armor really proved its worth.
It was entirely possible for the angelic host to defeat the horde on the field of battle. Somehow, though, Alizel had always considered the clash of armies to be of only secondary importance. It wasn’t that the higher orders, even the Seraphim like Lucifer, Michael, or Gabriel, could outfight an entire army. They had prodigious skill, to be sure, but their value was more as a commander, a strategist, or a rallying point. Still, in the back of Alizel’s mind, he had always figured that tide of the battle must be turned with a clash of Seraphim. But what if things worked out differently? What if God’s army, using armor,
131
A L I Z E L ’ S S O N G
numerical advantages, superior tactics, and the inherent weakness of hate, simply triumphed on the battlefield? Though many angels would be lost, the victory would be no less complete.
The fight wore on and on. The relative thickness of the lines kept only a small fraction of either army engaged at any one time. Lucifer's troops were skilled and patient. These ones would neglect to take a potentially fatal strike if they knew it would leave them open. It was not uncommon for a single confrontation to persist for fifteen or twenty minutes. Yet, the armor was of great worth. A demon might penetrate the defenses of an angel only to be frustrated by the armor he wore underneath. Nothing that the demons possessed had even the faintest chance of slowing down a Heaven's Blade. Once one of Alizel’s comrades made it past the other's sword, each hit landed true.
The depletion of their forces from the previous battles had had one beneficial effect. They had taken the armor from those who had been lost and now nearly everyone had armor on. Alizel had picked up a helmet, and most of the angels at the front end of the sphere had breastplates and shields as well.
The battle was going well. The enemy was again losing more troops than the loyalists were, and Alizel wondered how long Lucifer could afford to keep it up. Still, the angelic losses were painful.
Thus, he was surprised, but only mildly, when the retreat order came. Although they were winning, Michael ordered everyone to fall back to the caverns inside of Mt. Zion. Alizel didn't have to ask why. The caverns were impenetrable. Let Lucifer and his followers try to come in there! Although it would take more time to defeat them, they would be able to manage it with far fewer casualties.
Falling back took some time, with the army forming up several spheres over the various entrance tunnels to Mt. Zion. They gradually shrunk the sizes of the spheres as angels entered the stronghold. The last ones through had a bit of a time, but the majority of the demons did not follow the
m. The screams of the first few that did gave the horde pause.
As he looked around at the angels still alive inside the cavern, Alizel felt a great sense of relief. So many were gone into Un-being,
132
B I L L P O T T L E
but so many still remained. Alizel didn't have much time to ponder, however, as soon a commander came by and ordered them to move away from the entrance, to safety farther up and further in.
133
A L I Z E L ’ S S O N G
134
B I L L P O T T L E
CHAPTER NINE:
LUCIFER’S ENDGAME
Lucifer surveyed the scene around him. His camp was set up on the outskirts of the battle. It would be a lie to say that the mood was mutinous. Yet, there were many grumblings. The war had taken a turn for the worse once they had been forced into the catacombs. They had started the entire campaign at a two to one numerical disadvantage, and through the lost battles had whittled their numbers down to roughly a four to one disadvantage by the time of the last major battle before the angels had retreated to Mt. Zion.
The fighting inside Mt. Zion was worse yet. It was extremely frustrating to have to enter single-file, and be slaughtered by an unseen enemy. So far the demons had sent several hundred troops to the protected fortress, and none of them had come back alive. They had no idea if their patrols were dead or just hopelessly lost. It also seemed unlikely that they had even been able to take any angels into the Containment with them.
“These cowards will continue to hide and pick us off one by one!” Abbadon spat. “They should face us on the open battlefield.”
“Although that's what we all wish,” Kasadya countered, stroking his black goatee as if his mind was somewhere else, “it would be foolish of them to do so. With the walls as well as their armor, they make a trap that it is dangerous for us to enter.”
“Well, we have to do something!” Verin smashed his fist into his other hand. “We can't just wait around for them.”
135
A L I Z E L ’ S S O N G
“We must be patient.” Kasadya shrugged. “We need to stick to the plan.”
“The plan? The plan?” Verin chortled, his red hair aflame. “What has the plan done for us so far? I mean no disrespect,” he caught himself, “but the time we goaded them into attacking us first was about the only good thing we did.”
“One thing is for certain,” Baal Zebub complained, “we cannot win the battle like this. We've lost most of our army. They have a great defensive advantage. As I see it, it's hopeless for us. Let's face it. We've lost, through his bungled command! I should have remained your commander. There's no way we can win this battle!”
His statement was out there. Although the look on his face showed that he might have wished to take it back, he couldn't. Everyone turned to look at Lucifer to see how he would deal with this problem.
Lucifer sat on his throne, only half listening. He was, if anything, amused by the panic in his counsel. He looked around at each one, his gaze lingering just long enough to make each uncomfortable. He gave half a chuckle.
“Win the battle? Why would I care about that?”
The shock of his remark cut through the council. Even the usually imperturbable Kasadya looked confused. “My lord?”
Lucifer shrugged. “Honestly, it doesn't matter if we win or not.” The demons were aghast. He could see they feared that he might
have finally lost his mind.
“My lord!” Oliver exclaimed, momentarily sickened. “Are you saying that this whole war has been for nothing?”
“Certainly not. The war has served its purpose very well.”
“Its purpose?” Oliver's incredulity was reflected among the demons. They all had the same thought. Why had Lucifer not told them his real plan?
“I hope you don't think me stupid enough to challenge God outright with a war.” Lucifer's face showed that he was not really surprised. “How could I expect to win that way?”
The demons hung on Lucifer's every word.
136
B I L L P O T T L E
“No…we cannot defeat God openly. But, we can destroy Heaven and escape while it falls around His being. We will go to a new location that I have prepared for us, and our sovereignty will be supreme there.”
If any of the demons had grasped Lucifer's plan it wasn't apparent by the looks on their faces.
“My lord,” Abbadon questioned, “how can we hope to destroy Heaven?”
Lucifer smiled, relishing his impending triumph. “It's quite simple. Every order of angels has a specific task associated with it. Yet some of the tasks are known only to the order that holds them…and to me. One of those tasks is that which is entrusted to the Thrones.” He paused. “The Thrones actually hold up Heaven in their bodies.”
It took a while for the gathered counselors to take his meaning, but once they understood, smiles spread over their faces.
“You can see how I could not risk telling anyone of the plan,” Lucifer continued, expounding. “It required all of the pieces being in place before my masterstroke is ordered.”
“My lord!” Abbadon exclaimed. “There is truly a reason you are the Bright One! But, surely Michael knows of this threat.”
“Undoubtedly,” Lucifer agreed.
“That means the Thrones have to be hidden deep inside Mt. Zion.”
“Oh, they are,” Lucifer agreed again.
“And probably guarded heavily, by some of the fiercest angels,” Abbadon pressed.
“By Azazel and his crack Powers, indeed.” Lucifer nodded.
He could see that his demons were once again stumped, wondering if perhaps he was about to announce that this was a joke or that he really had lost his mind.
Lucifer just laughed once more at the bewilderment of his generals. “My friends, do not think you are the only ones loyal to me.” He paused for effect. “Azazel has seen the light of his own reason since almost the beginning.
“More than anything,” the Bright One continued, “Azazel loves weapons. He knew that staying with God as a spy for us was
137
A L I Z E L ’ S S O N G
the only way that he would be able to direct things to ensure that thousands of weapons were created and brought to use. In the battle, the borders have been neglected. I have already prepared our place.” Lucifer raised his hand. “The final victory awaits only my signal.”
With that Lucifer walked over to a large ceremonial brazier. He extended out his hand slowly, folding in his little finger first and then the rest of the fingers in turn like a fan being closed. He clenched his fist tighter, energy surging throughout his powerful arm from the shoulder down. With the suddenness of a snake strike, he opened his hand, shooting a ball of fire into the brazier. Burning on nothing, the fire caught and shot straight upwards, the great signal of Lucifer visible over all of Heaven.
The demons gave a cry of triumph, and turned to face towards the battlefield.
“Yes,” Lucifer exclaimed, panting from excitement, “you shall rejoin the battle. Rejoin with the knowledge that our victory is sealed. When Heaven starts to fall, return to the Portal where we can go to our new place. The Portal does not just lead to the Realm of Matter. It also leads to other places in the Realm of Spirit.”
The demons pounded their weapons on the floor in excitement. This type of hope hadn't existed since the beginning of their rebellion.
“There's just one more thing,” Lucifer spoke quietly, and the rest immediately fell silent. “You,” he said, pointing to one of them already at the edge of the throng. “Oliver, is it? Come here.”
“Yes, sir,” Oliver answered, coming close to Lucifer. He was out of place in the herd of demons, the only one who had still kept his angelic appearance.
“You have served me well as my spy,” Lucifer said. “You have given us much valuable information. Now, you no longer need to take fuel from God. Indeed, His presence here in you is offensive to me.
”
“My lord!” Oliver exclaimed. “You know I exist only to serve you. But let me go now as I am for one last attack. The Thrones will not suspect me.”
“Do you think you can succeed if Azazel were to fail? No, he will not fail me.”
138
B I L L P O T T L E
“Well then,” Oliver continued, “let me stay as a spy for you here in Heaven. Please forgive me for presuming to offer you but a humble suggestion. I could come to your new location and pass you information.”
