“Enough Lilith!” Satan frowned. She pressed her lips together. “Let Samael finish his account.” Satan returned his attention to Samael. “Please go on.”
“I strolled farther into the oasis,” Samael said, “and a brilliant tree in the center of the garden caught my eye. It was dissimilar to anything I had seen during Creation. The tree yielded golden fruit irresistible to the senses. Its fragrance produced a feeling of euphoria. The sound of the wind slipping through its branches emulated Gabriel playing one of his wind instruments—beautiful and soothing.
“The fruit did not hang from branches by a stem, but rather were held in the clutches of the branches, as though they contained hands and fingers. The tree’s trunk sparkled, and the tree’s leaves twinkled with captured sunbeams when the breeze moved them. The leaves’ colors changed with the direction of the wind. I could have stood there gazing at the marvelous tree for hours, enthralled by its beauty, like a beacon in the middle of the garden.
“I stepped toward the tree, squinting, for its brilliance was intense. I lifted my nose and took a whiff its aroma. But as I stood before it, I realized it was slowly draining the energy I had gained upon entering paradise.
“The tree’s succulent fruits called to me. I reached for one. That is when Cam appeared before me, wielding his flaming sword.”
Gadreel inhaled a sharp breath. Lilith leaned forward.
Satan stood tall, his eyes fierce nocturnal seas. He stepped forward with arms clasped behind his body. “Continue!”
“His red hair flickered and danced like the flames on his sword, and his vivid green eyes glared at me. Cam’s large, powerful body was almost as brilliant as the tree he guarded, and his six large white wings were fully outstretched, as he loomed over me like a threatening storm.
“Cam pointed his blazing sword at me, and demanded I leave the Garden of Eden.”
Lilith narrowed her eyes. Satan clenched his jaw and his hands balled into fists.
“He touched his blade here.” Samael pointed to the black heart-shaped mark on his chest.
Lilith frowned. “I had often wondered where the mark had originated.”
“My knees faltered and my legs collapsed beneath me. I did not have the strength to fight. I placed a hand over the painful area on my chest, stared at Cam and waited for my end.
“‘You are in the Garden of Eden, and this is the Tree of Life. You are not worthy to eat of its fruit.’ Cam’s voice was commanding. ‘Step away from the tree and be gone from this place, for you do not belong here.’
“I had no weapon.” Samael licked his lips. “I did not have a shield against his mighty sword, so I hurried to my feet and moved away from the tree. Afraid to turn my sights from Cam, I thus stumbled, fell backward, hit my head on a rock, and lost consciousness.”
Lilith opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes met Satan’s, so she bit her lip instead and remained silent while Samael continued.
“When I opened my eyes, I saw the most fetching creature kneeling by my side. I gazed at her flawless, wingless, bare body and knew at once who she was. I heard the gurgling of flowing water. I raised my head and looked around. I was lying on the banks of a tranquil river.”
“I asked her, ‘Are you the one God calls Eve?’
“Eve recoiled and stared at me with her big almond-shaped eyes, her head tilted to one side. ‘Are you of this world?’ she asked me in a silvery voice.
“I smiled and gradually sat upright, attempting not to frighten her. She was truly magnificent to look upon.”
Lilith wore a sour expression.
“‘I am known as Samael. I am from a place far beyond the eyes.’ I stretched my arm toward the skies. Eve lifted her eyes toward Heaven. I explained how I once lived in Floraison, the lowermost realm of Heaven with God. ‘I watched Him create you from the dust of the Earth, but now I live on Earth as you do,’ I told her. She tried to smile at me, but it was as if the effort would injure her. She took me by the hand and pulled me into the river. She poured water over me, washing off the embedded sand particles. I submerged my entire body in the river, causing her to gasp. I emerged from the water and splashed her. She giggled and bit her lip.
“‘You are a fascinating creature––you appear haggard, yet beautiful in a sad way.’ Eve gazed at me.
“We shared a special attraction and bond I had never experienced with anyone else.”
Lilith and Gadreel glimpsed at each other. Lilith turned away lips primed. Gadreel crossed her arms.
“Eve touched the small black symbol left on my skin by Cam’s blazing sword. I had forgotten about it because it was healed, although a scar remained, in the same way my entire body was healed in this place.
“I desired her, so I pulled her close. She remained entranced by me. Her lips parted slightly and her bosoms heaved with quick, shallow breaths. We ogled each other and I leaned in and nuzzled my face against her neck and face. I sniffed her skin and hair. She smelled of frangipani blossoms, warm and comforting clove buds, spicy, sweet frankincense, and desire. I moved in to kiss her.
“‘Release her at once,’ a voice nearby cried, disconcerting both of us. Eve jolted. When I turned my head in the direction of the voice, I saw the man God called Adam advancing toward me. I stepped out of the river, feeling refreshed and invigorated.
‘Move away from her and leave Eden at once!’ Adam said. I outstretched my hideous black wings to intimidate him, but they terrified Eve as well. She screamed and ran into his arms as if I were a terrible beast.” Samael ended his story with a downward glance.
“What happened afterward?” Satan asked.
“I flew away. Soon, I was soaring across a large expanse of desert. The shrill sound, which was somehow dimmed to a faint undertone in the Garden of Eden, pierced my mind like a lightning bolt, so I resumed my quest to its source.
“In flight, I stared at the desert and marveled at the russet, star-shaped dunes, but the marvelous landscape could not prevent thoughts of the beautiful, glowing creature Eve, and I wondered if I would ever see her again. And then I saw two winged figures in the desert, and I noticed that—”
“You spoke earlier of being weak, at the brink of death. How then were you able to fly?” Lilith did not want him to tell Satan about how she had abandoned Gadreel.
“As I mentioned earlier, I was feeble when I first entered Eden, near death. The garden rejuvenated me. Merely strolling through Eden restored me to full strength.”
“If you were restored to full strength simply by being there––imagine the power you would have gained if you had eaten the fruits and drank the water from this place.” Lilith’s eyes widened. “We must go there!”
“Indeed!” Satan nodded. “We shall visit the Garden of Eden, but first things first. We shall journey now to find Beelzebub.”
“Why not first refresh and strengthen ourselves in the river in Eden of which Samael spoke?” Lilith asked.
“No. Beelzebub needs us,” Satan said.
“The journey to find him shall be long and arduous. Would it not be wise to feed and bathe in the Garden of Eden first? Who knows what powers we could gain and––”
“Enough!” Satan jutted his chin. “I have spoken.”
Lilith turned away, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists in frustration.
Dagon and Fornues returned. Lilith inhaled a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
“Fornues and Dagon, you can head north and follow the coast around the landmass.” Satan wasted no time. “We shall meet again on the northern shore. There, we shall head to the east.”
“Your wish is our command,” Dagon said.
“We have wasted enough time, we must be on our way at once.” Satan took to the sky.
Lilith, Samael, and Gadreel flew after him. Fornues and Dagon returned to the depths of the ocean. At last, the journey to find Beelzebub was set in motion.
Chapter 24
Dagon’s Sacrifice
Gadreel glided through the nig
ht sky. She grinned as the cool breeze caressed her face––happy she was no longer alone in the desert with Lilith. Although Lilith had always been mischievous and from time-to-time wicked, nothing could have prepared Gadreel for her conduct on Earth. Losing the war in Floraison changed her forever. She was now callous, wrathful, and unkind. She only sought one thing: revenge.
Gadreel feared her, for she believed there was little good left in her. Lilith was capable of committing any atrocity she set her mind to. Gadreel’s flesh crawled contemplating it. She set her sights on Satan and inhaled a deep breath relieved to be in his company.
A large bird swooped past, jolting her. The bird returned and flew by her side. When she saw him, she gasped. “It is you! You are the bird from the beach. I recognize your brown plumage and the golden feathers adorning the back of your head and neck. Greetings, it is good to see you again.” Gadreel communicated with the large bird in her mind. The bird whistled a high-pitched, soft sound in response. She gaped at the golden eagle and giggled. Lilith, who had been scrutinizing her since they left the beach, flew to her side.
“That bird has been flying by your side for quite a ways now,” Lilith said. “It is a large bird and perhaps can feed us later.”
Gadreel’s mouth dropped open. The memory of Lilith and Samael devouring the little camel in the ice cave was still fresh in her mind.
“Go, my friend! Fly far away from here, now!” Gadreel shouted in her mind. The eagle immediately veered off and flew hastily in the opposite direction. Lilith’s head swiveled to follow the bird, stunned by its sudden departure.
“What happened? Why did the bird fly away without warning?”
“How could I know the mind of a bird?” Gadreel gave her a one-sided shoulder shrug. “Perhaps it understood when you spoke about turning it into a meal.”
Lilith narrowed her eyes and glanced at her sideways. “If you are concealing something from me, it is a mistake.” Lilith glowered at her for a while and then returned to her place between Satan and Samael.
They flew by night and in the morning. By midday, when the sun rode high in the sky and swathed them in fiery radiance, the fallen angels dove to the seashore to feed and find shade. They strolled a strip of beach to a group of palm trees whose bluish-green fronds created a wide canopy.
Lilith spotted small brown fruits covering the ground beneath the palms. As she brought one to her nose, she found it was sticky and squishy between her fingers. Detecting a sweet quality, she ventured to take a bite.
She picked several of the dates from the ground, brushed off the sand, and offered a handful to Satan. He stared at the sticky brown fruit and furrowed his brow.
“What is this? It resembles bird droppings.”
Gadreel chortled.
Lilith rolled her eyes upward. “Take a bite, it is sweet and sustaining, but be wary of a large, hard seed in the middle.”
Satan took a small bite of the date. He grinned and nodded as he chewed. Upon seeing Satan’s delighted expression, Samael and Gadreel began gathering fruit. They quickly consumed the dates scattered on the ground. Lilith cast her eyes at the palms’ canopy, where fruit hung in bunches. She flew up, picked a few bunches off the tree, and tossed them to the ground. They ate until their bellies were full. Afterward, they accommodated themselves under the date palms to rest, avoiding the harshest hours of the day.
Gadreel strolled to the shore, as she often did, to contemplate the sea. Several days and nights had passed since they last saw Dagon and Fornues. She squeezed her brow together and stared out to sea.
All of a sudden, she hunched and cringed. A sensation of uneasiness and disquiet in her upper stomach made her legs falter. She fell to her knees, and the contents of her stomach were forcefully expelled onto the sand.
She pressed a hand to her throat. Wide-eyed she craned her neck to see past the palms to check the others for signs of ill health, but they slept at ease. “What is happening to me? Lately, I feel weak and tire so easily, but this has not happened before. Are my days on Earth numbered?” What would become of her if she could no longer keep any nourishment in her system? Gadreel grimaced with revulsion as she buried her vomitus. Its offensive, sweet rot smell caused her to gag yet again. She hung her head while on hands and knees. She crawled to shore and splashed water on her face. “Why is this happening to me?” Her lips quivered.
Gadreel got to her feet and entered further in the water, which splashed against her legs, cool and refreshing. Since it always made her feel better, she began to sing. Her voice was lyrical, and melodic. Soon several kinds of aquatic creatures surrounded her. A dolphin approached and nudged her on the leg. She chuckled. The dolphin chattered and invited her to come along, signaling with its head. She gazed at the mammal with a curious expression. The dolphin communicated using a combination of squeaks and chirrups. She decided to honor its invitation and go for a swim in the open sea.
Then it proceeded to put on a show for her. It leapt fifteen feet out of the ocean. The dolphin performed multiple flips, splashing her while she shook with laughter and clapped her hands. The sea mammal jumped and tail-walked across the surface of the water as she gasped in awe.
The dolphin approached her and kissed her on the cheek. It commenced a high-pitched clicking in rapid succession while moving away by beating its fluke back and forth.
“Goodbye my friend!” Gadreel waved. Soon the dolphin was gone, and she was alone in the middle of the ocean. The shoreline seemed miles away. It had been a mistake to swim so far. The sun parched her. She rubbed her weary eyes and swam toward the beach, but her arms and legs grew heavy.
An abrupt painful cramp in her leg muscles made her squeal. Despite her desperate efforts to stay afloat, she began to sink. She opened her mouth to scream, and water rushed in. She sank deeper. Her eyes were wide and staring and her body wilted, as if she had given up. As her eyes began to close, a pair of strong arms took hold of her and carried her to the surface.
Dagon kept her head and shoulders above the surface as he swam toward the coastline. She coughed and gasped, expelling water from her lungs. After several deep breaths, she moved her lips to speak, but could not form words.
“You do not need to speak,” Dagon whispered. “I am pleased that Fornues perceived you were in danger, and we were nearby and able to come to your aid.”
“Thank you, Fornues,” Gadreel imparted with her mind.
She gazed into Dagon’s piercing gray-blue eyes. “You are kind, unlike Samael who had left you to die. Thank you for saving me.”
“Why were you so far from shore?”
“Several reasons. I have not been feeling well and have not been myself. I was also worried about you and Fornues. We have not seen you since we first began our journey to find Beelzebub.”
“Fornues is king of the ocean, and I am with him. Thus, there is no need to fear for us.”
She gazed up at him through her lashes.
“It has been awhile since I walked on two legs. I much desire to spend time with you.” Dagon made eye contact with her. She put her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest.
As Dagon swam toward the shoreline, Fornues asked, “Do you recall what it is like when you return to your fish form?”
“I remember hurting when I lost my legs to this fish tail, but spending time with Gadreel is well worth the pain.”
“Do you recall what happened when you re-entered the sea after you had walked on land?”
“I drowned, as I did when I fell from Floraison.”
“The like shall happen again if you walk the Earth,” Fornues said. “Upon returning to sea, water shall flood your lungs until they burst. You shall drown once more, my friend. Surely being with Gadreel a few hours cannot be worth that.”
“A few hours spent with her are worth that and more.” Dagon swam ahead of Fornues.
Near the coast, Dagon willed his angel form and waded to shore, carrying Gadreel in his arms. He placed her on the sand and kissed her
on the forehead. She caressed his face. He leaned forward, and they kissed on the lips.
“Thank you once again for saving my life,” she said.
“I would do anything for you.” His breaths quickened.
She took him by the hand and guided him to one of the date palms. She selected a date and presented it to him.
“Taste it. It is a sweet fruit.”
He shook his head. “I satisfied my appetite with nourishment from the sea.”
“Oh. I see.” Gadreel poked out her bottom lip and tossed the date to the ground.
He grabbed her by the shoulders, pushed her against a palm, and began to kiss her with brute force. She squirmed and he pinned her to the tree.
“Stop!” she yelled. She shoved him away. “Please do not force yourself on me. If you continue to do so, I shall grow to despise you!”
He gaped at her and stepped back holding up his palms. “I do not desire your hate. I want you to feel what my heart feels for you.”
“I know not if I shall ever feel as you do, but if you ignore my mind, surely hate shall flourish in my heart.” Gadreel shambled away.
When Lilith heard Gadreel holler, she advanced toward her voice and hid behind a rock to watch. Thus, she observed and overheard everything occurring between them and watched Gadreel shuffle away.
“Greetings!” Lilith walked from behind the rock.
Dagon jolted, disconcerted. “Lilith––I did not see you there.”
“I observed what transpired between you and Gadreel. If you desire to hear it, I have guidance, which may help you win her heart.” If she aided Dagon in conquering Gadreel’s heart, this would keep her away from Samael. This would please Lilith.
“Please tell me, for I long to gain her love.” Dagon leaned toward her.
“Samael is a cherished sexual partner. He knows how to give pleasure to a female.”
Dagon scowled. “What has that to do with me?”
“You are like an animal: rough, awkward, and crude. You hurt Gadreel physically and emotionally when you force yourself upon her. This is why she rejects you. If you desire to be a suitable lover, you must be mild, calm, use little force, and pay mind to what feels good to your companion. You must observe Samael. You can learn much from him.”
The Fall of Lilith Page 34
