He endured the gloomy darkness of the Euphrates River, feeling alone and abandoned by everyone he once loved. He lay bound in chains, unable to move or defend against the relentless torture of the river monsters.
The only taste on his tongue was of the moldy cloth Jetrel had stuffed in his mouth to quiet him. The taste was pungent, bitter, and rancid. The decomposing material oozed into his throat like putrid slime. The rotting fabric did not, however, satisfy the intense hunger pangs in his stomach.
His keen eyesight enabled him to see around him, even in the murky depths of the river, and as the river’s current slowly pushed him to shallower depths, where the sun’s rays penetrated the water, he was able to see even more. He knew this, too, was a curse, for he believed he lost his eyes when he first plunged into the depths of the waterway. An explosion had occurred behind the blindfolds Jetrel placed on them, yet he was still able to see. The band once covering his eyes was now diaphanous and torn, barely obstructing his view. Beelzebub would have preferred his eyes plucked rather than having to witness the terrors that surrounded him.
A giant, brown, disk-shaped fish swam above him, increasing the darkness around him with the shadow of its large form. It floated undulating its ovoid fins and lingered over him.
The stingray peered at him with its tiny yellowish eyes and brought its mouth closer. Beelzebub flinched, expecting the creature to bite him, but the flat fish swam past him, its long, black, whip-like tail trailing behind. He shook with fear as he noticed the end of the creature’s tail was a menacing spine, constructed with serrated edges and a sharp point.
The creature swam past him, flapping its sides like wings. Then without warning, it returned. It raised its tail, and stabbed him again and again with its serrated spike. The barb pierced and mashed the bones in his legs. Beelzebub wailed in agony. No one could hear the howling in his head. He continued to suffer long after the creature departed.
Even after Beelzebub ceased his muffled cries, the pain persisted, worsening with time. He burst into laughing fits. Why? Why must I suffer so? I am so alone!
Before long, he spotted a predatory fish approaching in the near distance, accompanied by four others identical to it. They looked aggressive. Beelzebub squirmed and burst into high-pitched laughter. “No more pain, no more!” he shouted in his mind, but suffering appeared to be his destiny.
The silver fish flaunted muscular bodies with black horizontal stripes. They displayed interlocking, razor-sharp teeth. Having bodies built for speed, the fish whooshed to him when they caught sight of him.
In a wild fury they attacked his bare feet, head, face, and any areas they could get to between the chains. “No more! No more!” Beelzebub screamed.
The water was tainted red with his blood. The immense pain contorted his face and his body convulsed. He lost consciousness. When the ferocious fish were done, portions of flesh were torn from his face, neck, and body. His feet were no more, having been devoured by the creatures. Pointy stubs at the end of his misshapen legs remained in their place.
Beelzebub awoke to ineffable agony and disappointment. “Why did the creatures not end my miserable existence? I wish I had never survived the fall from Floraison. I have ruminated about the bad things that have happened but cannot make sense of them. I long for death.”
Days turned into nights. Time passed, and whether there was light or darkness he was able to see in every direction as though his mind wore eyes.
He had a deep, burning hole of hunger where his stomach should be. He was starving, but he was cursed to live. Swathed in gloom and oblivion, he no longer remembered the beauty of Floraison’s radiance.
Tiny sea leeches with elongated, tube-like bodies slithered on him like snakes. They carried sturdy spines on their fins, which clawed and scratched Beelzebub as they moved across his body. This became intolerable when they tore through injured areas of his body. He shrieked, slowly losing his mind. Despite the pain, he shook his body, trying to get them off. It was of no use.
“Go away! Why must you torment me? Leave me be!” He attempted to speak but the rotting cloth in his mouth stifled his cries. An abundance of putrefied slime flowed sluggishly into his throat. He gagged and retched. Bile, acid, and slime erupted from his stomach into his throat and mouth. Having nowhere to go, it slid back into his stomach and the repulsive taste lingered in his mouth.
“You must not utter words. No one can hear you. Even if they did, they would not stop. You were meant to suffer.” Beelzebub’s alter ego communicated in his mind.
The small, spiny fish continued to crawl on him. One dug a home in his ear canal, scratching and scraping the delicate structures within while Beelzebub wobbled his head, gnashing his teeth. Two others tore into his nostrils, deeply embedding their spikes. He blew out his nose, trying to eject them, but only managed to make them angry. They burrowed through the septum dividing his nostrils, collapsing his nose. Afterward, the spiny fish moved to his sinuses, lodging their sharp spines there. Large drops floated from Beelzebub’s black globes and mingled with the river water.
He feared the little fiends would crawl into his mouth if he opened it, so he continued to clench his jaw, only shrieking on the inside.
Yet another spiny fish forced itself into his urethra, tearing the tube along its path. He tightened his hands into fists until his knuckles turned white. Blood vessel after blood vessel burst as he squealed in anguish and torment. Wheezing and hacking, he underwent convulsive attacks, which caused him more pain as the chains bit into his flesh. The miniature creatures buried their spikes deeper into him when he moved, but the fits were involuntary. Thus, his torture, both physical and mental, was constant.
More days and nights went by and the malevolent change began. Pain became second nature to him. The creatures in the river seemed to hold but one function—to punish him in some way.
Dismayed, broken, and contorted by torture and mutilation, Beelzebub was transformed into a grotesque and evil monstrosity. His skin took on a fungus-green tone and barnacles attached to his head and face. His eyes were large, spherical, protruding globules that glowed red, with black vertical slits in its center.
He was a vile creature, bred by hatred, loneliness and pain. He lay seething in the depths of the Euphrates River, waiting for the day he would be set free to bring torment and chaos to Earth.
Lilith’s eyes snapped wide open and her mouth gaped. She inhaled a sharp, screeching breath and grasped her neck as she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes darted in every direction. She heard the gurgling of the waterfall and exhaled in relief. “I am by the pretty lake.” Her breathing became less labored. “It was another vision.” Her shoulders relaxed feeling relieved but then she clenched her arms. “My vision indicates that Beelzebub has become pure evil, and he despises me above everyone else.”
Chapter 33
Evil Omen
Lilith hastened to inform Satan and the others of her revelation. Before long, the sunset would announce it was time to resume their journey.
“It is time we were on our way,” Satan said. “I sense we are close to finding Beelzebub. I shall not rest while our friend yet lies in bondage.”
Lilith approached. “Please remain a moment longer.”
“Of course, we shall not leave you behind.” Satan chuckled. “I was about to instruct Samael to––”
“I mean we must discontinue our search for him!” Lilith bowed her head as she interrupted.
“Suspend our search?” Satan frowned and eyed her askance. “That is absurd. I shall not stop until we find him.”
“You do not understand. I had another vision.” Lilith’s lips quivered. “Beelzebub has become pure evil. There is no part of our friend left in this monster. He feels nothing but hatred and rage.”
“How do you know your vision has come to pass?” Satan asked. “In Floraison, you had visions of the future of mankind. Perhaps your vision was Beelzebub’s future if we do not rescue him now.”
Lilith s
tared at him with imploring eyes, but he turned his back on her and faced the others. “Prepare to resume our journey.”
What if Satan was right? Perhaps what she saw was the monster Beelzebub could become. If this was so, perhaps she could sway him to become this monster for her cause, and use him to exact her revenge on God. On the other hand, she feared for her existence if he harbored half the hate for her that she experienced in her vision.
Either way, Lilith had no choice but to go along with Satan’s plan. The fallen angels departed. Fornues, Dagon, and the twin mermaids voyaged by sea. The rest of them journeyed by air.
After giving birth, Gadreel regained her strength and endurance and kept up with the others. Her wings beat the air as if it took no effort. She swooped and twirled, laughing and humming against the cerulean-kissed skies. With each burst of giggles, Lilith glared at her with a suffocating stare, but Gadreel took no notice of her.
“Sing us a song, Gadreel.” Satan beamed at her. Lilith shook her head and massaged her temples.
Gadreel sang about the joys of being a mother, of seeing Dagon again, and of their journey. Samael beamed and performed acrobatic feats in the air. Satan soared with his giant wingspan. Lilith watched them through eyes crinkled by frustration.
They traveled three days and nights before spotting a large river.
“We should land near that body of water.” Lilith pointed at the Euphrates River from the sky. “I recognize it to be the same river I saw in my vision.”
Satan nodded. “Somewhere in its depths, our friend lies in chains.”
Lilith stared at Satan and trembled. “I hope you are right and my vision depicts a possible future and not reality.”
They landed near the riverbank.
“There are many creatures inhabiting this river.” Gadreel stared wide-eyed at the jackals, hippos, and mongooses along the river. “How shall we get close enough to search for Beelzebub?”
“We shall not find him by simply scanning the surface of the water,” Satan said. “As told to us by both Dagon and Lilith, he is lying on the riverbed. We must submerge ourselves and search for him underwater.”
Gadreel gasped and shook her head. “That is impossible. We cannot breathe underwater like Fornues and Dagon. Our insides shall fill with water!”
Lilith rolled her eyes. “How would you have knowledge of this?”
“I have acquired this understanding through experience.” Gadreel wrapped her arms around herself. “Not long ago, I swam too far into the ocean without realizing. My body became fatigued in my pregnant state, and I was unable to return to shore. Since treading water weakened me so, I began to sink. Water rushed into my body by way of my mouth. I was almost in death’s grasp. Dagon snatched me from the deep at that precise moment, saving my life, and unknowingly, that of our unborn children. We cannot do what you are requesting, Satan.”
“Shall we all perish striving to rescue Beelzebub?” Samael ran a hand through his hair.
Satan sucked air through his teeth and waggled his head side to side. “We must not attempt to breathe underwater, for we are incapable of doing so. We, however, have the ability to hold our breath below the water’s surface for long periods of time. Our bodies can also withstand the pressures of the deep. I have already tested this concept.” He turned to Gadreel. “You nearly drowned because you made an attempt to breathe while submerged. Instead of air, you inhaled water. If you would have held your breath, you would have been fine.”
Gadreel lowered her head. “Apologies, for I should have known better than to doubt you.”
Satan heaved an exasperated sigh and gave a dismissive wave of his hand.
“We shall proceed to the coast by foot since it is not far, and wait for Fornues and Dagon to arrive. Thence, we shall return to the river and begin our underwater search.”
Chapter 34
Possession
Upon returning to the coast Gadreel hurried to the water and stood knee-deep, singing.
“Do you sing to lure your lover and lost offspring to shore?” Lilith curled her upper lip as she sneered.
Gadreel kept her eyes on the rolling waves. “If by lure, you mean persuading, then yes. I am guiding Dagon and my little ones to me, for I miss them so.”
“I am certain your singing is not necessary. If Dagon desires your company, he shall come without the enticement. If he loves you, he would desire to make you happy, thereby fetching your offspring for you. He would make haste, finding it unbearable to be without you.”
“What does a serpent know of love?” Gadreel dove farther into the ocean, the saltwater washing away the sorrow and uncertainty flowing from her eyes, and when she was far enough from Lilith she began to sing again.
Lilith stood frozen staring ahead with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, as if Gadreel’s reply pierced her heart like a blade. She abandoned the beach in search of Samael.
*
Gadreel’s voice was sublime and haunting, it surged with the ocean currents to Dagon’s ears. He advanced at full speed toward the shoreline, and Fornues followed as close as his immense size allowed.
“I cannot go any further, my friend,” Fornues communicated. “I shall wait here. Go to her, follow her song, for I feel the presence of her voice, and it is the most delightful sound on Earth.”
Her song guided Dagon and his little mermaids to the beach where she stood. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted to the sky as she uttered her enticing vibrations.
“My love, we are here, anxious to be by your side.” Dagon’s smile crinkled his eyes and nose.
Gadreel opened her eyes. She screamed and jumped with excitement upon seeing him and their girls once again. She waded to them. She embraced him and gaped at her twins, who were already toddlers.
“They have grown so fast.” Her voice had a tinge of sadness. “I have missed much of their growing.” She hugged them both and kissed them over and over again. “Do they yet utter words?”
“No, I have not heard words emerge from them as yet,” Dagon said. “You may spend some time with them now. After a while, I must take them to Fornues so he may look after them while we devote time to each other.”
She hugged and kissed her girls again. They swam around and splashed in the water together. Dolphins, turtles, and manta rays swam around them, joining in their play.
“It is time for me to take the little ones to Fornues.” He wore a doleful expression and held out his arms. “I value our moments alone and do not want our time to expire.”
Gadreel held her young in her arms and continued to kiss them while whimpering her goodbyes. He gently removed them from her. Fornues was expecting them and welcomed them with open tentacles. Dagon thanked him and returned to embrace Gadreel, who was still sobbing.
“When we finally rescue Beelzebub, we shall find a home for us, and then you shall spend every day with them. But for now, it must be this way.” He wiped away her tears. She nodded and kissed him.
*
Lilith watched as Dagon and Gadreel ran to each other’s arms when he arrived. She observed her frolicking cheerfully with her darlings, as he gazed upon them with loving eyes. She gagged as a wave of nausea hit her. Her face fell into a sour expression and she turned her shoulders and crossed her arms. She retched and tasted something vile in her mouth.
“What does a serpent know of love?” Lilith repeated Gadreel’s words under her breath. She clenched her teeth. Her eyes stung with gathering tears. She would have her vengeance against God by making Eden her home. She would give birth many times and fill the garden with her offspring. Gadreel would have to live on a beach somewhere to be near her brood, whilst she would run on lush, green grasses and swim in crystalline rivers in delight with her progeny. She would be happy living in paradise.
“Lilith, I shall have words.” Satan approached her.
She turned away and wiped her tears as fast as she could, and then set her sights on him again. “Yes, my prince?” her tone was sarcastic.
Satan furrowed his brow. “Your eyes betray recent lament.”
She kissed him on the lips. He slipped his tongue between her lips and curled his arm around her waist, tugging her close to him. His male organ grew and hardened against her. She pushed away from him. “Stop,” she said with a petulant toss of her head.
Satan tilted his head and puckered his brow. “Why do you turn from me?”
“Apologies, my love, but I cannot face the red fiend. Not at this moment. I shall not!” She bolted from him.
Satan sagged against a tree and hung his head. Hours passed. Darkness conquered the day again. Satan continued to idle under the tree, brooding. Gadreel and Dagon strolled over to him.
“Satan, the hour grows late. I shall accompany Dagon––” Gadreel’s words drifted off as she noticed his demeanor. “What has come to pass?” Her eyes were wide with alarm, for she had never seen him look so defeated.
“I feel as though a fire has erupted in my chest and my heart grows heavy with sorrow. For the first time, I am at a loss to remedy a situation. I do not know how to satisfy Lilith, and more than anything I aspire to make her happy.” Tears welled in his blue eyes.
Gadreel gave him a pitying look. “You are the best among us. You are a great and powerful being with no equal. Why do you pursue one that has the heart of a serpent?” Dagon yanked her arm and gestured to her to stop speaking.
Satan gazed at her with eyes withered with crying and exhaustion. “We do not decide to love. Love claims each of us as it desires.”
She lowered her head, recognizing the truth in his words. “You may one day find your love in the arms of another, for she is not devoted to you.” Gadreel gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth.
The Fall of Lilith Page 39
