The Third Throne: Angel of Darkness

by Tabitha Barret

  “No. It’s not that. I can see everything they’ve done and it hurts. It feels like something is trying to tear loose from inside of me. Between the pain and the images, I can’t get my bearings,” she gritted out.

  She clawed at the floor and crumpled on her side. Deep inside of her, it felt like a storm was raging, trying to break her into pieces to escape. The storm was threatening to come out while the evil around her barraged her senses. She witnessed their corruption. The putrid taste of their lies coated her tongue. Their cruel words echoed in her ears. The smell of the blood spilt from their victims permeated her nose. She felt each of the searing cuts and brutal blows they inflicted upon their enemies. She was drowning in all the evil surrounding her. She felt like she was losing her mind.

  “Listen to me and ignore the images. Think of something good in your life, something positive. It will pass, I promise,” Lucifer was kneeling next to her, purring in her ear.

  She vaguely heard his pleas over the voices. She tried to think about CJ and Uncle Bob, but the evil was stronger. Guns, knives, swords, and whips flashed through her mind and then choking, stabbing, and beating took over. The violence in her head was too much. She grabbed her head and screamed, rocking back and forth, curled up on the ground. She tried to focus on his voice as he attempted to guide her back to sanity.

  He desperately tried to think of helpful things to say to her, encouraging things. He told her what it was like to be in Heaven, how amazing the sunrise and sunset had looked from upon high. He explained what it was like to fly and soar thought the sky, the wind rushing through his wings and hair. The stories tumbled out of him as he thought about all the times he had experienced joy. He even told her how happy he’d been while intimate with her.

  The image of Lucifer naked and in his glory popped into her mind and helped to push aside the other images. She took a few deep breaths and thought about how he made her feel. Not only had she felt wanted, but she also felt cared for. She remembered the look of contentment on his face when they were lying on the bed side by side. She too had felt content.

  The pain eased and the images slowed. She thought about Lucifer and his soft skin and his hard body and was finally able to open her eyes.

  Lucifer took her into his arms and rocked her. His arms were warm and strong. Somehow, she felt safer being close to him.

  “Better?” he was sweating and shaking.

  She nodded her head and he helped her to her feet. “Why are you sweating?” she asked shakily, wiping his brow.

  “I was scared for you. Not everyone can withstand the suffering here. I shouldn’t have brought you, but I wanted you to understand what I must endure every day,” he smiled hesitantly at her.

  He was afraid the darkness would overtake her and she would be lost to him. He prayed that she was powerful enough to endure the worst criminals in Hell. He admitted to himself that it was a test. If she couldn’t survive the Realm of Nightmares, she would never be able to survive him or be able to remain by his side.

  “I think I’m okay now. I can handle it. All the foulness is still around me, but I’m pretty sure I can keep it at bay. It scares me, but I know they aren’t my feelings and thoughts. It’s like being surrounded by a thick fog. I just have to shut it out,” Michelle rubbed her arms, trying to warm and steady herself.

  She still saw the images, but she forced herself to focus and control what she saw. She was able to push everything away and choose one image at a time. She wasn’t sure how she was able to accomplish all this, but was grateful that she hadn’t lost her mind. She knew the evil could have easily driven her completely insane, but she managed to draw on an inner strength and remain in control.

  Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room for the source of the prisoners’ pain, but she didn’t see or hear anything that would make them cry out. She and Lucifer were the only non-prisoners in the enormous room. None of the Fallen were present. Nothing was on fire. There were no whips or chains, no animals, no frost, and no water to drown in, only screaming souls in their cells. Nothing was physically being done to them, and yet they continued to cry.

  “No one is hurting them,” she was confused and somewhat grateful she wasn’t being tortured in one of those cells.

  “Very observant,” he smiled at her, pleased that she had recovered from the onslaught. “I am responsible for this realm. The prisoners outside receive the same punishment as everyone else in the realm. In here, the punishments are tailor-made based on the prisoner’s crimes. It takes a strong mind and will to figure out exactly what will break these souls. They have endured the regular realms, but those punishments weren’t strong enough to keep them from destroying everything they touched, life after life. I get inside their minds, find their greatest weakness, and inflict perpetual agony, so that they cannot plot and scheme. It is my job to make sure they understand the damage they did during their mortal lives and show them that Father no longer has faith in them. I keep them busy so they can no longer cause trouble. There was a time when they used to sit around and decay, having only their sick minds to occupy them. Unfortunately, they led breakouts by tricking the Fallen who occasionally enter here,” Lucifer surveyed his domain like the Lord of the Manor.

  Michelle knew this was where his talents lay. His eyes glittered when he looked around the realm. His shoulders were back and he was filled with pride. He enjoyed his work.

  “It’s all an illusion. You make them think they are in pain,” Michelle wandered around and examined the souls. She was curious about how he punished them.

  “Yes, but I don’t just make them think they are in pain, I destroy their sense of self. I turn their minds against them. They become their own worst enemy,” Lucifer was purring. This was where he belonged.

  Michelle was finally able to sort through some of the images, and understand what she was seeing. She wasn’t just seeing their past crimes, but also the method of torture. She could see what Lucifer was doing to them, or what Lucifer made them believe was happening to them.

  A man who had stolen from countless people tried to keep his money, while thieves surrounded him on all sides. He lived in fear of losing everything and never had a moment’s rest. A murderer was made to feel helpless by being stalked and then felt every agonizing blow as he was killed by his victims. Other punishments were more severe. A dictator who had once been rich and powerful was reduced to poverty and starved to death, just as his people had. He was forced to live under the rules he had decreed.

  Michelle quickly understood Lucifer’s evil side. Being surrounded by these monsters and getting inside their heads would take an enormous toll on anyone, especially without help from God. Lucifer and the Fallen were on their own in Hell and had no way of escaping the depravity that surrounded them.

  “This place is impressive. It took me a second, but I can see what you’re doing,” she said as she looked at the different sections of prisoners.

  “You can see the illusions? See the torture?” Lucifer was both impressed and nervous. He had never met an outsider who could see the tortures so quickly. It usually took time for a Fallen to be able to sort through the memories of the souls. Azazel was the only one who could do it for short periods of time. Most of the others weren’t equipped for the complexity of the task. She surprised him yet again, and it excited him.

  “Yes. However, I think you could do more. No disrespect, but some of the illusions could go further, really drive the nail deeper,” she wasn’t sure where this need to punish was coming from, but she had little choice but to embrace it. She had an overwhelming urge to help Lucifer make sure these people truly understood why they were in Hell.

  “Really? How so?” Lucifer was intrigued by the girl. She could see the sins of man, understand their torture, and wanted to help. She certainly was suited to him in ways he couldn’t have imagined.

  Beautiful and smart, he sighed as he gazed at her.

  “Well, the leader over there, he, like so many before him, cra
ves power. He wants people to worship him and do everything he asks without question. He has a god complex. You have him suffering at the hands of his former people. He’s being stoned and beaten. It’s a physical torture. I think he needs something worse. Make it so that no one will listen to him. No matter whom he turns to, they will laugh at him and mock him. He will never convince anyone to follow his plans. Make him fail in every attempt to garner support. He needs to believe that he will never have a single person support him. He will feel worthless. That will kill his god complex and hurt him more than the beatings,” Michelle could hear the words flowing from her mouth, though she had no idea where they were coming from. It was as if she knew exactly how to punish the man. She suddenly wanted retribution for the crimes he had committed.

  “I like it,” Lucifer was in awe. He was turned on by this side of her. She sounded deadly when she spoke of torture. He knew he shouldn’t be excited by her dark side, but he didn’t care. He wanted this girl in every way possible.

  Lucifer pointed to the man in question and he did exactly as she suggested. The man became quiet as the scene in his mind changed. At first, he was frustrated, then he became angry, and finally he wept and tore at his skin as he tried in vain to convince the masses of his ideas.

  “You’re a natural at this,” he smiled and moved her further into the room.

  One by one, they looked through the prisoners and spoke about what was happening. It had been a long time since he was able to discuss his work with another. Anyone who had helped him in the past would inevitably lose their minds to the darkness. His mistress was different from them. She didn’t enjoy the violence of hurting the prisoners, but merely took delight in making sure that the souls suffered and got what they deserved, based on their crimes. He felt pride when he looked at her.

  It became easier for her to process the minds of the different prisoners. She was surprised to see Lucifer giving her a look of approval. She liked that he was pleased with her ideas. She had never imagined doing anything like this before, but felt confident because of Lucifer’s encouragements. It felt right being around him and working with him. Together they moved around the cells and pitched ideas back and forth.

  “You have a way with the mental aspect of the job. You really know how to get inside their heads and use their past crimes to figure out what motivated them to act out and become evil. You understand the reasons why they did these terrible things and you attack them on that level. There are few who have that talent. I’m pleased you are catching on this fast. The other Fallen hate dealing with these prisoners. They have trouble getting to the core of the person and finding out what truly scares them. Sometimes it isn’t simply pain; it’s the loss of something or the knowledge that they will never have something. There were times when I was worn out by the process and resorted to physical measures, as you have seen,” Lucifer watched every move that her body made as she walked around examining the prisoners. He took in every suggestion she made and committed them to memory.

  “I can understand why,” she replied.

  “You did a good job,” Lucifer was beaming at his mistress and knew in his heart that things would somehow work out between them.

  Michelle suddenly felt shy. It was strange having him look at her as if she was important. It was a new feeling for her. She had always been smart in school, but was never praised. Her parents took it for granted that she was good in school and never made a big deal about it.

  Michelle paused. Why was she helping Lucifer? What did it say about her that she was helping the devil? Even worse, she was enjoying it. She wasn’t sure if it was the attention she was getting or that it felt right. She had no idea why she wanted to torture the souls and make sure their punishment fit their crime, but she did. She felt it all the way to her toes. Maybe the evil was invading her senses, just as Lucifer had warned. She worried that she would become lost, just like the others who had tried to help him.

  “I’d like to show you something else,” he said once he was satisfied that she could endure the Realm of Nightmares.

  She nodded, desperate to leave the realm and clear her head. She needed some perspective to understand what was happening. She was concerned that Hell was finally breaking her.

  They walked back up the staircase and out of the castle. They went to the right toward the Caves of Darkness, but turned onto a pathway that led to a tunnel beyond the caves. She’d never ventured into the tunnel before. Lucifer told her they were going to the Hall of Shadows.

  They passed a number of guards stationed throughout the tunnel, and came to another cavern that was larger than the main area that held the realms.

  Michelle looked around and saw every kind of creature chained to the ceiling, floor, and walls. None of them looked pleased and all of them looked like they were ready to murder Lucifer. They weren’t exactly being tortured, but they were suffering. They weren’t locked behind bars, but were restrained with glowing blue manacles around their wrists and feet. They were either hanging in chains a few inches above the ground or chained to the ground, unable to rise up more than a few inches off the floor.

  They all glared at Lucifer as they walked around the cavern. Most took notice of her, or rather her dress. She had expected to see lust filled glances, but instead, most of the prisoners seemed afraid of her dress. She seriously needed to find out the meaning behind her atrocious outfit.

  “This is where the non-mortal prisoners are kept. They aren’t souls, but actual creatures. There are all types of beings in here, Rogue Angels, Veteres, false gods, monsters of myth and legend, and anyone that Father has deemed too dangerous to walk the Mortal Realm. They are the enemies of mortals and angels alike,” Lucifer explained as he walked through the rows of prisoners.

  “If they are dangerous, how do you keep them restrained? It’s not like their minds are being kept busy, why don’t they just break loose?” she looked to Lucifer who seemed amused by her questions.

  “The Celestial Bonds around their hands and feet drain the wearer’s strength and power and they are rendered helpless, except for fangs or claws. They are no stronger than the average mortal. The bonds are unbreakable and only a few Fallen have the power to unlock them, though they would lose that ability if they were to have the bonds placed on their own wrists. The prisoners are easily contained by the chains around them,” Lucifer guided her through the hall and showed her things that she had only seen in movies.

  “What do you do with them?” she asked as they walked past a group of furry prisoners.

  “Let them rot,” he sneered. “They are here because they either tried to rise up and take Father’s place or tried to destroy Heaven, Hell, or humanity, and in some cases, all three. There are a number of offspring of the Veteres locked up here. Among them are beings that tried to replace Father and offered themselves as alternative gods,” Lucifer pointed to a number of creatures who looked like mortals or angels but seemed stronger and deadlier.

  “Like the Greek gods?” Michelle walked past something mean and furry that snapped its teeth at her. She jumped away and Lucifer backhanded the monster, who yelped in pain.

  “The Greek gods were mostly angels, but there were others who inserted themselves into the Greek and Roman ideology. There are also Germanic, Hindu, and Japanese gods, creatures who derive power from worshipers. Some have their own power. They all tried to make the mortals denounce Father as their one true God and inserted themselves into different cultures, by different names. There have been other gods and deities, but they can only survive as long as there are people to follow them. Even though Christianity has been around for a few centuries, Father has existed for much longer. He doesn’t need a name as long as people believe that someone created them and watches over them. He’s had many names, but He’s always had believers,” Lucifer explained.

  “You said that you helped clean up the mess that the Greek gods created. What happened?” Michelle looked at the strange faces around her, trying to determine wh
at kind of creatures they were.

  “Over time, many of the Heavenly Angels became jealous of the mortals and tried to convince them that they were the true gods. The mortals started praying to the angels, believing they were gods. It is a sin to worship false gods, so ultimately those mortals ended up in Hell. The problem is, the angels started to believe they were all-powerful and beyond Father’s rule. They already had their own abilities to do tasks for Father, but they began to derive power from sacrifices and tributes and grew stronger. They started to believe that they were more important than they really were. They were denounced by Heaven and were declared Rogues.

  “Michael, Raphael, Hades, myself, and others were tasked to find the Rogues and eliminate them and the threat they presented. We waged war against them for a few years until we finally claimed victory. Many were put to death, others reside here, yet others were forgiven and allowed back home. Mental breakdown my ass, they knew what they were doing. I may have my Rogue moments, but I still love Father. It’s true that I’ve had my infractions, but I have never threatened Father directly or started a war against Him,” Lucifer let out a breath. There were days when he was glad to be in Hell and away from those traitors who were allowed back into Heaven.

  “What about Hades? You said he moonlighted as a god, yet he was a part of the task force to hunt everyone down. How did he manage that?” she knew he was slick, but the angel had serious talents when it came to saving his own backside.

  “Hades had what you would call immunity. He turned spy for me and kept me abreast of the situation, long before Heaven even knew what was happening. The Rogues didn’t particularly like him, but they needed him. The Fallen and Heavenly Angels don’t really get along. They considered him a necessary evil to balance out what they considered their pantheon. Someone needed to be the figurehead for the afterlife. A number of mortals retained their memories of Heaven and Hell due to a separate Rogue plot and the gods used that to their advantage. Many of the mortals remembered Hades, so it was easy for them to incorporate him into their new order. It also helped that one of the Overseers in Heaven looks similar to Hades. Unfortunately, Hades almost lost his life in the battle. The Rogues didn’t like that he had deceived them from the beginning,” Lucifer shook his head. His brother had an uncanny knack of getting himself into trouble.