The fallen angels soared in the twilight sky once more, headed toward Beelzebub for the rescue attempt, with one great difference. Satan now knew his exact location.
Chapter 28
Forsaken
This time the journey was quite arduous for Gadreel. In his zeal to reach Beelzebub as soon as possible, Satan overlooked her delicate condition. He demanded they fly faster for longer periods of time, and when they finally stopped to rest, it was for shorter spells. She was exhausted, weak, and kept falling farther and farther behind.
“Samael!” Gadreel flew in a languorous manner. “Help me! I implore you. I know you can hear me.”
Samael lowered his eyebrows and kept on flying. After a while, he groaned, rolled his eyes and turned back to her.
“Your pleas are like insects buzzing in my ears. What is it you want from me?”
Gadreel’s face flushed bright pink. “I feel faint and weak. If you do not help me, I shall fall from the sky and lose my unborn child.”
“What is that to me?”
Gadreel gasped. “I beg you, Samael, show me mercy. Is there nothing left of your former self?”
He pursed his lips and flew away to join the others, leaving her to fend for herself. Lilith and Satan flew ahead, and seemed to be oblivious to what was happening.
All color fled Gadreel’s face. She watched him fly away, leaving her and her unborn offspring to perish. As consciousness slipped away, she tried to call for Satan, but she was too debilitated to form words and he was too far away. She caressed her stomach and sobbed. “There is a fiery boulder in my chest and my mind overflows with regrets.” She clutched her bosom. “Dagon, you shall lose us both, for I am weak. I beg you forgive me.” Gadreel’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her wings flopped and she plummeted to Earth. Meanwhile, the others flew at great speed, pulling farther away.
A large bird of prey soared above Gadreel, slowly circling on its broad wings, screaming, “Kee-eeeee-arr!” It swooped upon her, and with its hooked claws it clutched the shoulders of her wings and glided effortlessly above the Earth.
After making a sweeping descent to a sandy shore flanked by mountains, the giant golden eagle placed her on the beach and stayed by her side until she regained consciousness.
When she opened her eyes, a familiar face met them. It was the bird with the golden plumage.
Gadreel fixed her gaze on the bird. “Greetings again, my friend!”
The eagle expanded one of its massive wings and patted her on the head. She giggled and patted its massive head in return.
“One day I shall learn how to communicate with you better.”
The eagle made a sharp cackling sound. Gadreel jolted and laughed.
“Are you the reason I still live?” Her voice was thick with emotion.
The eagle commenced a series of chattering squeaks. She sat upright and leaned forward. “You caught me in midair and flew me to safety.” With tears flowing, she kissed the eagle on its beak. “I do not have the words to express how grateful I am. ‘Thank you’ does not suffice.” The eagle shifted closer. It spread its foot across her belly, and she knew the bird would not harm her or the child within. The eagle emitted one last, loud, high-pitched squeak and flew away.
Gadreel waved. “Farewell, my friend. I shall always be grateful!”
She got to her feet and noted with relief she was near the sea. “We are alone now.” She gazed at her ever-expanding belly while stroking it in circles.
She waddled about, certain she would find something to eat amongst the greenery surrounding her. She came across a large bush with bright red flowers, which also contained large fruits. The fruit was exquisite, beginning with its smooth, round shape and ruby color to its distinctive little crown.
She picked one and attempted to bite into it, but the skin was too thick. Recalling the coconut, she found a sharp-edged rock, scored the pomegranate, and broke it open. The berry contained many seeds surrounded by a deep red, water-laden pulp. She placed some seeds in her mouth and swished them around. She sucked the tasty pulp, which tasted sweet, refreshing, and a little tart.
When she had eaten, she searched for a source of fresh water. Nearby, she found a small waterfall.
“The great bird placed us here knowing there was food and water in close proximity,” she told her belly.
She gathered water in her hands and drank her fill. She removed her green, leafy garments and went for a swim in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. The water pouring over rocks created a peaceful, bubbling cascade.
After a while, she climbed from the water and found foliage to craft new garments. She strolled toward the seashore, but stopped abruptly when something fell out of her. She looked wide-eyed to the sand between her legs and saw a thick glob of stringy mucous with blood around the edges. She flinched and grimaced in disgust.
What did this indicate? Was she to lose her baby? She sat, rocking back and forth under a tree near the water, and began to sing. Singing always had a calming effect on her. She caressed her belly, feeling a great deal of movement from the baby.
Sitting with her feet in the surf, she sang a dulcet melody about an enormous, regal bird with brown plumage and a golden crown, and how it saved her and her unborn child from plummeting to their deaths.
Chapter 29
Gadreel’s Song
Dagon and Fornues swam furiously in the sea to keep up with Satan, who flew full speed ahead above them. Without warning, Fornues came to a screeching halt. He hovered, wiggling his tentacles in a languid manner. Dagon stopped and stared at him, brow crumpled. Fornues appeared odd, in a hypnotic state.
“Fornues!” Dagon shouted in his mind. “We must move on.”
He scanned his surroundings, expecting to see some strange, aquatic creature with the ability to control minds, but he saw no such thing. “Are you alright?”
“We must turn back,” Fornues said.
“Turn back? What is your meaning? You mean retreat across the same ground?” He frowned and shook his head. “I see no need for this. If we fall too far behind, we may not be able to find the others. I do not wish to lose Gadreel.”
Fornues’ smooth, dark skin turned crimson and bumpy, as he pointed with an outstretched tentacle in the direction they had come. “Listen! Focus your senses and perceive the sound.”
Dagon jolted and reacted when he saw Fornues’ transformation and did as he was told. He puckered his brow and cocked his right ear in the direction Fornues pointed and heard Gadreel’s enchanting song. Her voice was clear and mellifluous. “I do not understand how it went unnoticed before, but you are right, my friend, we must return. Her song comes not from ahead, but from waters left behind.”
“Indeed, we must not delay.”
They reversed their course and followed Gadreel’s song. As they drew closer to her location, the song became purer, rhapsodic, and more gratifying. Near the coast, huge rocks separated an expanse of shallow coastal waters from the sea.
“This is as far as I am able to go. I shall remain here until you and Gadreel are ready to move on.”
“I shall try to hurry.”
Dagon swam past the massive, arched rocks and into the lagoon. He caught sight of Gadreel sitting on a smaller rock singing, while fish jumped and splashed, and dolphins danced over the water around her. He swam to her, mesmerized by her beauty and her exquisite voice.
“Gadreel!”
She stopped singing and turned her sights on Dagon, who clung to the rock she sat upon.
“My love! I sensed your presence nearby, but I thought it was wishful thinking. I am so happy to see you.” She jumped into the water to greet him. She wept aloud as she embraced him, no longer offended by his fishy smell.
“Why do you weep, my darling?”
“I feared I would never see you again.” She held him tighter.
Dagon chuckled and stroked her back. “As long as I draw breath, I shall always find you. Whenever you need me, your song shall lead m
e to you.”
She kissed him on the lips. He looked at her middle. “I noticed your belly is larger, occupied by my burgeoning offspring. I am sure you carry a robust male child within you.” He thrust his jaw forward with pride.
She kissed him again and again. He swam to shore with her in his arms.
“Stop. What do you intend to do?” She looked at him with a solemn expression.
“I miss the feel of the sand beneath my feet, the warmth of your body, and what it feels like to be inside you.” Dagon waggled his eyebrows.
Gadreel remained earnest. “No, Dagon. That shall not happen today.” She beheld his puzzled, disappointed face. “The sun shall set soon. There is no time, and if you want to catch up to the others you must leave now.”
Dagon frowned and shook his head. “I shall not leave you. How is it that you are here alone? Why did the others continue without you?”
She tilted her head and pressed her lips together.
“I was weak. I could not keep up with them.” She crossed her arms and looked down.
Dagon narrowed his eyes. “So they left you behind? Satan seemed interested in seeing the birth of our offspring. He told me he would look after you while I was away, and then he abandons you here?”
She lifted her hands. “No, Dagon, that is not what happened.” Gadreel hung her head. “My middle has been growing quite fast. I shall give birth soon. I become weaker as our offspring grows, and I need more rest. This last flight was the hardest for me yet. I kept falling farther and farther behind.”
Gadreel drew a long breath. She met his gaze, maintained eye contact and held out her arms.
“I called Samael to help me, for he was closest to me. I would have called Satan, but he was too far ahead with Lilith, and you know how she distracts him.”
Dagon nodded.
“I begged Samael to help me. I told him I was unable to fly on my own. He refused to help and flew ahead to join the others.”
Dagon clenched his jaw he lowered his brow and flushed crimson with fury.
“My wings grew heavy and I could no longer fly. As I plummeted to Earth, all I could think of was how I had failed you and our child. I lost consciousness. Next thing I remember, I was lying on the beach, and a magnificent bird stood nearby, protecting me. He caught me in midair and flew me to safety and did not leave my side until I was fully awake.” Gadreel observed him, whose red face and enraged expression made her recall the angry mountain in her travels.
Dagon tilted his head back and released a thunderous bellow. Some sea creatures swam away in fear.
“I shall destroy him!” Fornues shouted. “I shall tear him apart with my tentacles and eat him while he still breathes!”
“No!” Dagon’s tusk burst out of his forehead. “You leave him to me!”
“Stop, please, stop!” Gadreel’s hands covered her ears.
Fornues stopped the shrill tone. Dagon peered at her, his chest heaving.
Gadreel said in a soft voice, “There shall come a moment when retaliation against Samael shall be permissible, but now is not that time. At present, he is untouchable, for he is close to Satan and Lilith. We must be patient. His time shall come, I assure you.”
Dagon stared ahead with a sardonic grin. “Perhaps his time shall come, sooner rather than later, for I know things about him that shall turn Satan against him forever.”
“What do you know? That Samael and Lilith are lovers?”
He looked at her slack-mouthed. “How do you know this?”
“Have you forgotten that I spent many days and nights with them before we found you and the others? They engaged in all manner of sex acts without giving a second thought that I was a witness to their betrayal.”
“We have both witnessed their treachery. Why not go to Satan now with this?”
“It is not the right time, Dagon.”
“When then? When shall it be the right time?” He turned away and gave an exasperated sigh.
“When the proper moment presents itself, we shall know it.” Gadreel turned his head in her direction and caressed his cheek. His face twitched, and she glanced at him sideways. “Are you fighting a smile?” She dragged her fingertips up and down his sides and danced her fingernails gently on his waist and middle until he laughed.
“Very well, I shall heed your suggestion and wait, but leaving you here is unthinkable. You shall travel by sea with Fornues and me.”
Her breath quickened. “You and Fornues travel in the black depths of the ocean during the midday hours. I cannot go to such depths, and I shall require shade during such hours.” She raked her fingers through her hair for the third time.
Dagon took her and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
Right then, a large dolphin approached. It began to whistle, along with a loud series of clicks and Gadreel nodded and beamed.
“You are willing to transport me to where I need to go?”
The dolphin bobbed its head and whistled in response.
“I am grateful for your help.”
The dolphin positioned itself, and she mounted its slippery back. Dagon watched Gadreel’s interaction with the dolphin, mouth gaping.
“This creature shall take me where we need to go and bring me to shore during the midday sun, so I may feed and rest in the shade.” Gadreel patted the dolphin’s head.
Dagon looked at the dolphin and stroked the nape of his neck.
“Very well. If you are certain it is safe.”
The dolphin bobbed its head and made burst-pulsed sounds and clicks. Gadreel giggled as she sat astride the dolphin. The other members of its pod performed acrobatic displays—leaping and spinning above the water’s surface. Both Gadreel and Dagon indulged in a hearty guffaw at their amusing ways.
The dolphin carried Gadreel beyond the lagoon. In the open sea they met Fornues, and the dolphin came to a sudden standstill. Gadreel lurched and almost fell into the water. The mammal refused to go on. It trembled and stared at the enormous creature.
“Do not fear. Fornues shall not harm you.” She kissed the dolphin on the side of its head. It shook its head and again communicated with whistle-like sounds.
“Fornues, please make a vow that you shall never harm this creature or any like him. Do this, I implore you, for they are my friends.” Gadreel looked at Fornues with imploring eyes.
“This I swear: I shall never intentionally harm such a creature, no matter what the circumstance.” Fornues lowered his massive head so that Gadreel and the dolphin may look at his solemn eyes. The dolphin nodded and turned to glance at the members of his pod. The intelligent sea mammal communicated to them with short, sharp sounds.
“Let us be on our way!” Gadreel leaned forward and held on. Fornues led the way. Dagon swam alongside the dolphin, and the rest of the pod followed them closely. They traveled through the night and part of the next day. Later, the sun grew stronger and beamed hard on them.
“It’s time I go ashore to seek shelter from the sun.” A deep flush spread across Gadreel’s face.
Dagon nodded. “You are right, for I, too, feel the grueling effects of the sun’s rays.”
Gadreel leaned toward the dolphin’s ear holes. “Take me as close to shore as possible.” The dolphin obeyed.
Dagon followed her and the dolphin until the mammal stopped and she climbed off its back.
Dagon embraced her and kissed her forehead. “I must go to the depths to feed now before I walk on land, for I shall be no good to you in this weakened state. You shall be fine on your own awhile?”
Gadreel gazed at his sweet concerned expression. “I shall be fine. You go and nourish yourself. I can see this beach shall provide me with plenty of shade and nourishment.”
“I shan’t be long.” Dagon kissed her on the lips, tapped her belly, and dove into the sea.
“Farewell,” Fornues said in her mind, although she could no longer see him. The dolphin also needed to feed, but communicated that it too would return for her. She waded to the beach
and found a shady tree heavily laden with fruit. She ate her fill and curled under it to nap until her love returned.
Chapter 30
Falsehoods
As he flew, Satan’s attention turned away from Lilith for a brief moment. He looked over his shoulder to check on Gadreel, whom he had not seen or heard in a while. He turned, stopped in mid-flight and lingered, but there was no sign of her.
“Where is Gadreel?” Satan stared at Samael.
“She was far behind, the last time I saw her.” Samael licked his lips and shoved his hair away from his face.
Satan scowled. “How long ago was that?”
“It was quite a while now.” Samael’s voice was unsteady.
“You fool!” Satan yelled. “Did I not ask that you look after her?”
“Yes. I-I beg your pardon, but I do not know her whereabouts.” Samael gulped and bit his lip.
“It is not his fault. He is not Gadreel’s keeper,” Lilith said.
Satan glared at her. “Silence! I did not ask for your opinion in this matter.”
Lilith clinched her jaw but then had a sudden change in demeanor. “Perhaps we should delay our search for Beelzebub, and go search for Gadreel instead.” There was a sarcastic tone in her voice and she shrugged and scratched her nose.
“Yes!” Satan said.
Lilith’s eyes widened and she lifted a hand. “Wait––what?”
“You are right,” Satan said. “We must turn around at once and find Gadreel. She and her unborn child may be hurt and in need of our help.”
Lilith gasped. “Are you sure this is what you desire? You seemed eager to rescue Beelzebub.”
She had come to terms with the search for him. After all, she could always manipulate him any way she wished, monster or no. She was certain he would not be angry with her for long. Then she desired to go to the Garden of Eden to claim what was rightfully theirs, and finally take her revenge on God. But now, her plans would be delayed because of that maladroit––Gadreel.
The Fall of Lilith Page 37
