CREATOR UNKNOWN

A thesis submitted to the Kent State University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for General Honors

by Coralmarie Louise Rich May, 2011 Thesis written by Coralmarie Louise Rich

Approved by

______, Advisor

______, Chair, Department of English

Accepted by

______, Dean, Honors College ii Table of Contents Preface……………………………………………………………………………………..v Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………...vi Isaiah Quote...... vii Chapter I. In the Clouds...... 1 II. The Three Hundred Year Staircase...... 8 III. Companions on the Journey...... 18 IV. An Audience with Abdiel, Ariella, and Andres...... 34 V. Unearthing Eden...... 48 VI. Forbidden Fruits...... 58 VII. The Power of love...... 67 VIII. A Snake in the Garden...... 80 IX. Dragged From Paradise...... 95 X. Deadly Curiosity...... 101 XI. Judgment Day...... 116 XII. Death Penalty...... 122 XIII. With Every Death There is New Life...... 127 XIV. The Bonds of Friendship...... 135 XV. A Most Loyal Servant...... 140 XVI. A Fugitive of Heaven...... 152 XVII. Pray...... 160

XVIII. A New Order...... 174

iii XIX. A Tribute to Love...... 178 XX. I Solemnly Swear...... 181 Afterward...... 184

iv Preface I am so happy to have completed my honors senior thesis. It was my first attempt at writing a young adult novel, and as I wrote it I learned a great deal about myself, especially in regards to my own personal belief system. I was being raised in a Catholic home and attended Catholic primary and secondary schools all my life, yet I never really questioned my beliefs until about the age of sixteen. Ever since then I feel like I have been on a long journey of self-discovery to determine who I am and what I really believe in. In no way am I using this novel as a piece of propaganda. I would say that this story was the result of twelve years of Catholic education, some twisted insight gained from my life experiences, and a little divine inspiration. Fortunately for me I was able to work on my thesis for one semester, study abroad for a semester, and then return to finish it this Fall 2010. I believe it was the time away from the project that made writing it more enjoyable and it allowed me to look at it with fresh eyes. Not thinking about my thesis for months, made it exciting for me to come back and read it. I remembered what I was thinking when I wrote a certain chapter, why I wrote a certain line of dialogue, or why I created a certain character. I became more excited as I realized some new revisions that I could make based on my newly gained experiences. Overall I am very pleased with how this novel turned out. I think it is a great reflection of me as a writer, and I hope that it will be the novel that will launch my writing career. I would also like to recognize the fact that I could not have done this project on my own. Many wonderful people in my life were great sources of inspiration and support and I know that without them this project would not be what it is today. v Acknowledgments The first person that I need to thank is Dr. Kimberly Winebrenner for taking over as my thesis advisor. The project was already halfway completed when my original advisor, Mrs. Kimberly Todd-White, tragically passed away, but Dr. Winebrenner graciously agreed to take over her position as my new thesis advisor to see my project to its completion. She was both a wonderful critic and supporter of my work and I can never thank her enough for all that she has done for me. I would like to thank my oral defense committee members Mr. Patrick Lyons, and Dr. John Updegraff, for taking the time from their busy schedules to read my first attempt at young adult literature. I am grateful to have such an esteemed panel of people reading my work. Financially this project was somewhat costly and so I definitely need to thank Marianna Hofer of the University of Findlay for sponsoring me. Some other people whom I would like to thank are Victoria Bocchichio and Becky Gares of the honors college who have been wonderful advisors to me throughout my years at Kent. If it weren’t for the honors college I would not have gotten the opportunity to write this thesis. I would also like to thank my number one supporter and best friend, Barbara Rich, although I call her mom. She has always been there for me and so much of who I am today is because of her. I love you so much mom. Finally and most importantly I would like to recognize and thank a wonderful woman who unfortunately is no longer with us, Mrs. Kimberly Todd-White. She was such a great spirit, a fantastic professor and thesis advisor to me, and I would like to dedicate this project to her. I hope that it makes her proud. vi “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” Isaiah 45:7

vii CHAPTER I In the Clouds

His long, thin fingers gently caressed the wispy clouds that covered the hard mar- ble floor beneath him. The swirling particles tickled his tender alabaster flesh, dancing at his lightest touch. Lavender eyelids were closed against the brilliant sun, which bathed his entire body in its warmth. All around him was a cerulean sky dotted with thousands of floating white islands. All were sumptuously soft, and bathed in a golden glow. Yet another glorious day... Mihael’s chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh as he shifted restlessly. The clouds around him molded instantly to accommodate his new position, but he shifted yet again unable to feel comfortable. His fingers forgot about caressing the cloud and moved to run through his ebony colored hair. The pale fingers were a striking contrast as they moved roughly through the thick waterfall of locks, disturbing the seamless flow. His heavy eyelids lifted slowly to reveal shining emeralds. Their radiant color rivaled that of the skies above, but unlike the peaceful cerulean, Mihael’s emerald eyes were troubled. He sighed again, turning his head to the right. A few feet away lay Rhamiel. He was the picture of peace, sprawled gracefully across one of the plush chaise lounges that decorated the breathtaking outdoor balcony. His body shim- mered. Rhamiel was a golden angel, the most revered class of all heaven’s angels. With light honey-colored skin, hazel eyes hidden behind marigold eyelids, and a head of golden curls that gently framed his delicate features, he was an amazing sight to behold. Mihael contin- ued to stare at Rhamiel with a mixture of admiration and envy. As if sensing Mihael’s gaze, Rhamiel’s warm eyes opened. He turned his head to 1 2

stare back at Mihael. For several moments the two angels merely gazed at one another. Em- erald boring into topaz. “Peaceful isn’t it, Mihael?” Rhamiel asked, trying to make polite conversation. “I guess so,” Mihael replied, redirecting his gaze to the bright blue sky. His fingers returned to stirring the cloud beneath him. Mihael was surprised to have Rhamiel out on the balcony with him. Most of the other angels avoided this place in heaven because they knew that Mihael had claimed it as his unofficial, make-shift home. The view of the sky did not matter to them. If Mihael was out on the balcony they were more content to remain inside one of the other small chapels and alcoves of heaven without any view. Rhamiel was one of the few angels that didn’t seem to mind being around Mihael. Even though he was a golden angel, he didn’t use his high position against the other angels. Rhamiel respected the fact that Mihael had been created before himself, and acknowledged that Mihael wielded more power than he. Almost all other angels, be they of gold, silver, or opal rank, ignored the order of creation. They chose instead to believe that it was the group to which you belonged that determined the level of respect you received. Since Mihael be- longed to none of the three groups, he received zero respect. Rhamiel, however, was a rare exception in that he did not seek anything beyond the mere bliss that heaven offered its occupants. For his peaceful nature, Mihael both envied and pitied him. At the moment his presence seemed like a soothing balm, wrapping Mihael in his radiant energy and enticing him to be happy. Mihael could feel Rhamiel reaching out to him with his power. Surely it would have been easier to allow the flood of warm euphoria to overtake him, but Mihael refused to surrender to the feeling, knowing that it would disappear the minute Rhamiel left his side. Power continued to come at him in waves as Rhamiel attempted again and again to project his bliss onto Mihael. Finally he had had enough. 3

“I appreciate the effort, Rhamiel,” Mihael said, his gaze not leaving the sky, “but I don’t think even your power can help me right now.” “Just trying to help,” Rhamiel replied in a gentle voice barely above a whisper. His eyes remained closed in an almost peaceful slumber. “I can feel your anxiety. Your whole body is riddled with tension. So much so that even the softest clouds could not bring you comfort Mihael.” “Sorry if my bad mood is disturbing you,” he answered, truly sorry for ruining Rhamiel’s serenity. “I can leave if you want me to.” “I certainly do not wish for you to leave,” Rhamiel said, his body still a motionless gold form without the slightest hint of tension. “You of all angels should seek the serenity of the clouds. I merely wish there was something I could do for you to make you feel less ambivalent. Your energy is not one that I am accustomed to feeling. It is heavy and wracked with confusion. And you won’t allow me to use my power on you...” Mihael sighed. “No, don’t waste your power on me. I don’t know what I want exactly...” Finally his emerald gaze left the sky. He stared down at the hand still caressing the cloud. The pale fingers were lost in the haze of white that had gathered around him. Fright- ened, he sat up quickly, emitting a small gasp. “Something wrong?” Rhamiel inquired. Mihael massaged his hand, relaxing slightly as he felt it quite solidly beneath his fingertips. A shiver shot through his spine as he imagined his hand disappearing. “No, I’m fine,” he answered shakily, rising to his feet. Mihael felt oddly unnerved at the sight of his arm without a hand. Though it had been only momentarily lost among the clouds that covered the marble floor, it was frightening. Trying to shake his misplaced feel- ings of fear, he walked over to the very edge of the balcony and looked resolutely into the blue. “Fine,” he stated once again. 4

The islands of white did not seem like such peaceful places anymore. Somehow with their swirling particles, they offered only quaint comfort as much as they offered quick con- sumption. In the vast stretch of sky, Mihael wondered what would happen to him if he were to jump from the balcony. Would he fall forever into the sea of blue? Would he disappear within it? Or would the soft clouds break his fall? Somehow he thought they wouldn’t. He glanced again at Rhamiel, hoping for some reassurance. He was still lounging peacefully on his back, completely at ease. His golden form looked undoubtedly solid. He was in no danger. Mihael hated to disturb him, but he desperately needed to find some answers. Rhamiel who was always wise, calm, and content seemed like the perfect angel to offer him guidance. “Rhamiel?” “Hmm?” “Do you ever wonder what this is all about?” “Whatever do you mean, Mihael?” “I just mean why are we here? We don’t really do anything. What’s our purpose?” Rhamiel opened his eyes to stare at Mihael a second time. His hazel eyes were laden with sympathy. “You’re really not happy are you Mihael?” Running a hand roughly through his hair, Mihael looked out at the endless expanse of blue before him. “No,” he admitted quietly, “I’m not.” At this admission, Rhamiel sat up as well. He mirrored Mihael’s position for a while, and both gazed out into the skies.

“Mihael? Perhaps you would allow me to try something?” “What did you have in mind?” Mihael asked, feeling slightly uneasy. “A meditation. No powers involved.” 5

Mihael was skeptical of the idea. Meditation had never been a regular practice for him, even though it was something that most angels did frequently. As he began to refuse Rhamiel’s offer, Mihael noted the hope in his eyes. In his innocence, Rhamiel was both in- spiring and infuriating. But Mihael could not bring himself to refuse Rhamiel’s idea. “Alright,” Mihael sighed, “I warn you that it probably won’t work, but I’ll try it.” “Good,” Rhamiel replied, rising from his seated position in one fluid movement. With an equal amount of grace, he glided over to the center of the balcony and motioned for Mihael to come and sit across from him. He smiled encouragingly at Mihael as he folded his legs beneath him and assumed a meditative position. “Now,” he instructed, “sit like this.” Mihael moved from his place at the edge of the balcony and did as Rhamiel told him, folding his long legs beneath him and resting his hands on his knees with the palms facing upward. Rhamiel placed his hands directly above Mihael’s, careful not to make any contact with him. Mihael could feel the heat that radiated from Rhamiel, but as promised he felt no power pulling at him. He knew that Rhamiel would never lie to him. With this reassurance in mind, Mihael allowed himself to relax. He closed his eyes and tried to allow Rhamiel’s calm to wash over him. There was no need to say anything as Rhamiel began to hum a soothing song. For a while Mihael enjoyed it, listening in contentment, but after a short while he grew restless again. His shoulders sagged in disappointment. Rhamiel only hummed louder, determined that meditation was the answer. “Rhamiel...” Mihael interjected loudly, “I’m sorry, but this really isn’t helping me.” Rhamiel sighed, allowing his hands to fall into his lap. “Mihael, have you thought about going to Abdiel with this problem of yours? Perhaps he can do something for you.” Mihael pondered the suggestion. He had not thought about going to see Abdiel.

The very elusive and secretive angel Abdiel never left his royal throne room in the highest echelon of heaven. Being the head of the holy triad and God’s very first creation, Abdiel prided himself on not mingling with those creatures below him. He would work alongside 6

the other two triad members because that was what God had commanded him to do. There was no holy command issued, however, that forced him to interact with the other angels of heaven. In truth, Mihael had never even met Abdiel in all the years of his life. “Have you ever met Abdiel?” Mihael asked tentatively. “No, I have not met him,” Rhamiel admitted openly. He did not seem at all con- cerned about this fact. “So you would go to him if you had a problem like mine?” “I imagine I would. You seem truly unhappy Mihael, and until this moment I be- lieved that to be an impossible feat. Your aura is in absolute turmoil.” Aside from his projection powers, Rhamiel had one other power that Mihael knew about: the ability to see auras. It was this particular talent which made Rhamiel’s power of projection so potent. He could see and sense any tension and then dispell it by projecting his peaceful state of mind onto others. It was often times a deceptive power that if given to the wrong angel could be horribly misused. Only Rhamiel and one other angel shared this particular combination of powers. “What does my aura look like, Rhamiel?” Rhamiel gazed intently at Mihael, carefully studying him. “Your aura is like tumbling clouds of red and black. Each color seems to be trying to overpower the other. I have never seen an angel with this color aura before.” Rhamiel’s gaze held a tinge of curiosity and fear as he continued gazing at Mihael. The uncertainty of Rhamiel’s otherwise peaceful expression troubled Mihael. “Well maybe this new aura isn’t a problem?” Mihael suggested in a feeble attempt to regain some peace of mind. “Maybe since I’m an exper---” “No,” Rhamiel cut him off. “No angel has this aura. It is a problem Mihael. I don’t mean to offend you, but experimental angel or not, you should not have that color aura.” He paused for a moment considering something. After some reflection he decided. “Let me 7

show you what an angelic aura is supposed to look like.” “But how can I see your aura? I don’t have that power,” Mihael told him. “No you don’t,” Rhamiel replied, rising to his feet. “But it is in my power to allow you to see my aura. Just as I can project feelings onto you, I can also reveal my aura to you if I choose to do so. Observe.” In a blinding wave of blue, Rhamiel’s aura burst from his very core, rippling outward in perfect bands of azure, indigo, and sapphire. The very edges were trimmed in the lightest shade of lavender. It was a fantastic sight. His solid golden form contrasted sublimely against his glowing blue aura. He was the picture of heavenly radiance, but in a flash his aura disappeared. “So you see,” he began after a short pause, “that is what an aura should look like.” “Yeah,” Mihael replied pulling his bent legs closer to himself so that he could rest his elbows on top of them, “I can’t imagine my aura looking anything like that.” His chin fell onto his arms as his black hair flowed down over his shoulders, partially covering his face. He hoped that Rhamiel would not see his shame. Quite unexpectedly, Rhamiel came over to Mihael and placed his hand just above his shoulder in a kind gesture of comfort. “Mihael, why don’t you go see Abdiel? I know that few angels have seen him, but I am almost certain that he could help you. He is the oldest angel and must possess a great amount of wisdom.” “May b e .” Mihael gazed pensively out at the infinite expanse of sky before him. Perhaps a trip to the holy triad’s lair would do him some good. The time that it took him to get there might even be enough to soothe his mood on its own… CHAPTER II The Three-Hundred-Year Staircase

The grand staircase found in the very heart of heaven is said to be so long that it takes three hundred years to climb. It is a monstrous structure of white marble, ascending infinitely into the clouds above. Mihael had always marveled at its grandeur, but now as he contemplated climbing it, the task seemed incredibly daunting. While three hundred years was not so long for an angel, the idea of coming face-to-face with the triad was a surreal notion. The only triad member that Mihael had ever been in contact with was Andres. He was the third and fi- nal member of the triad who acted as a heavenly messenger. A kind, gentle angel, Andres served as the mediator between Abdiel and Ariella. He maintained balance and was not ashamed to associate with all of the angels no matter their class. If Abdiel was anything like Andres perhaps meeting him would not be so terrible. As Mihael stood at the foot of the staircase, several gold, silver, and opal angels floated past him. They kept their eyes averted, some ducking into the many chapels that were scattered in between the wings where they normally resided. Most angels just wanted to avoid Mihael. None of them were the least bit curious as to why he stood stationary in front of the grand staircase. They almost always travelled in groups, each one remaining with members of his or her class. Mihael, however, stood alone, watching the others bustle around him as if there was some great work to be done of which he was not aware. He sighed, leaning his head against one of the glass pillars that guarded the stairway to God. As he felt the cool glass beneath his forehead his eyes followed the tumbling clouds trapped inside. They moved at a frantic pace in all directions. Their movements seemed to 8 9

mimic his tumultuous mood. How many times had he passed these very pillars and not even noticed them. Though he could not explain it, he felt the sudden urge to smash the glass and allow the clouds to be free once more. As his hand balled into a fist, a small float- ing voice made him jump. “Good day Mihael,” Jaeda greeted him coolly as she stepped out from behind the op- posite pillar. Mihael whirled around quickly to face her. Jaeda was God’s latest creation; an opal angel barely twelve years in age. Her pearly hair cascaded to her waist, a subtle contrast to her white skin which shimmered softly with flecks of green and pink. But it was her eyes that always haunted Mihael whenever their paths crossed. They were all white except for a tint of silver which outlined where her iris was. As she stood before him, gazing at him intently with her long robes covering her tiny hands, Mihael felt a shiver run through his spine. “Good day Jaeda,” he nodded at her, unable to meet her blind gaze. “Forgive me but you startled me.” “Did I?” she asked coyly, taking another step toward him. “Forgive me.” She smiled, seeming quite pleased with herself. “It’s fine,” Mihael replied shaking his hand free of the fist he had made. “Is something wrong with your hand?” She slithered up to him, grabbing hold of his fingers. Mihael pulled away from her, and even though their contact was brief he shuddered at her ice cold touch. Angels never touched each other. It was an unspoken rule of heaven, and Jaeda was the last angel that Mihael would ever want to touch him. His thoughts re- turned to Rhamiel’s near touches which radiated warmth and comfort, a far cry from this icy cold that now shook him to his very core. Across from them two silver angels gasped at the scandal. One whispered to the other and they both disappeared toward the silver wing. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded of Jaeda, surprised at the panic in his voice. 10

“What?” she asked, her eyes opening even wider in an attempt at feigning innocence. “I was only trying to help.” Her head tilted to the side as she smiled at him. Tossing her hair, Jaeda laughed as she began to skip around Mihael. Her high-pitched, childish laugh made Mihael’s skin crawl. He spun with her, making sure that she was always within his view. Her laughter drew the attention of some male golden angels who glared before heading toward the serenity of their own golden haven. “Grow up Jaeda,” Mihael spat at her, trying to sound more annoyed than afraid. She ignored him and kept skipping until he became dizzy, almost losing his balance. As he stumbled, Jaeda laughed even harder. “Why so tense today Mihael?” she asked with a grin, coming to an abrupt stop in front of him. “Well he is being annoyed by a lowly opal angel,” came a voice. Emerging from an alcove between the gold and silver wings was Lucinda, the only other experimental angel in all of heaven. Her auburn hair flowed in thick curls to just be- neath her shoulders, her blue eyes were a strong sapphire, and her skin a shimmering ala- baster. She walked forward, strong and confident, tossing her hair in the same way as Jaeda had. Her robes billowed out behind her as she moved with a grace that gave her a most regal appearance. All of the remaining angels seemed to sense the tension and fled, leaving only the three. Upon seeing Lucinda, Mihael breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that his salvation had come. His eyes met Lucinda’s in a silent thanks. She smiled at him as she came to a stop in front of Jaeda. As tall as she was, Lucinda towered over the small opal child. She placed her hands on her hips and smiled down at Jaeda as she said, “Little opal, why don’t you run on back to your own wing of heaven and play with your other little friends?” Jaeda glared. Her white eyes narrowed as opal burned into sapphire. “Don’t pa- tronize me Lucinda” she hissed. Her body was livid with anger as she moved to put more 11

distance between herself and Lucinda. At this Lucinda laughed, and although it was a high- pitched sound, it rang clear and sweet. It was not nearly as annoying as Jaeda’s laugh. “Well I am superior to you, Jaeda,” Lucinda politely reminded her. “You are a mere child after all. You must come to learn your place in heaven.” “I am only too aware of my place,” Jaeda spat, “the question is are you? You, an ex- perimental angel who is nothing like the rest of us. You think that because you were one of the first creations that you have a higher rank than us, but you don’t. Being created first doesn’t put you above me, it just makes you older than me. The truth is that you don’t even have a place here. You’re not really one of us.” She sneered as she finished, putting her hands on her own hips. Mihael bristled at her words, not daring to admit that he believed them to be true. How often he felt like he did not belong amidst the gold, silver, and opal of heaven. How often the other angels treated him like a leper among them. Few of them could look upon his emerald eyes and not shrink from their brilliant color. In no way did he believe himself to be as pristine as the other angels; he was just strange. Quietly Mihael hung his head, his body sagging as he leaned against the glass pillar. Lucinda, however, was not going to have a twelve-year-old opal angel tell her what her place was. “You think you know it all don’t you?” Lucinda seethed, her face only inches from Jaeda’s. “Arrogant fool. I pity you.” “Please,” Jaeda rolled her eyes, “Save your pity. Mihael there needs it more than I do.” At her words, Lucinda glanced sideways at him, concern flooding her face. Silently he could feel her apologize for not addressing him sooner. Without another thought over Jaeda, Lucinda turned her full attention toward Mihael. “Mihael,” her voice came soft and soothing, “what is wrong?” Her blue eyes were tender with a reassuring gaze that made Mi- hael want to confide in her, but as he was about to speak Jaeda interrupted him. “Yes Mihael, what is wrong? Do you find my words troublesome?” Her white eyes 12

burned into him as she advanced. “You know I’m right don’t you? You’re not as oblivious as this righteous experiment gone wrong over here are you?” Her voice was cold and hard. “You know you don’t belong here. Experiment. That’s all you are is a mis---” Before the last word could pass Jaeda’s small, white lips, Lucinda lashed out with her power. Jaeda’s small body was knocked backward into the glass pillar opposite of Mihael. She gasped in a mixture of surprise and pain, though that was the last sound she made. Try- ing to maintain her pride, her lips locked as she crumpled to the floor in a heap, writhing in pain but refusing to scream. Mihael silently admired her youthful willpower. “Learn your place little one.” With Jaeda still cringing on the white marble floor, Lucinda turned back to Mihael and smiled. “Now, tell me Mihael, what’s wrong?” Still stung by Jaeda’s words and stunned by Lucinda’s outburst of power, Mihael could not seem to pull his gaze from the small white figure slithering on the floor. “What... what are you doing to her?” “She’ll be fine once she calms down,” Lucinda explained, not seeming at all worried that Jaeda’s convulsions were getting worse and not better. “She is feeling her own anger and dislike for me actually. You forget that my power is the same as Rhamiel’s. I sense how she feels about me and I thought it would be a good lesson for her to know what that feels like. Right now she is even more furious that I’m using my power against her, but she’ll calm down eventually so you needn’t worry.” “She isn’t in too much pain is she?” Mihael could not explain his sudden sympathy for the small opal angel. Though he did not trust her and certainly did not like her, he didn’t want to see her small, silent form contorting with spasms of pain. It was unnerving.

“Well the amount of pain she is in really depends on her,” Lucinda replied matter-of- factly. Still seeing Mihael’s skeptical expression, Lucinda tried to reassure him. “Don’t worry about her Mihael. I promise you that she will be fine. Trust me.” 13

With one last lingering glance at Jaeda, Mihael turned to confess his dilemma to Lucinda. She was the only other angel like himself. Perhaps, he thought, she might even understand his confusion. “I’m just not happy right now,” he sighed. “Earlier I was talk- ing to Rhamiel and just asking him what is this all about? Why are we here? Our existence just doesn’t seem to have a purpose.” He glanced tentatively into Lucinda’s eyes, and where Rhamiel’s eyes had held sympathy and confusion when he had spoken this fear, Lucinda’s eyes held understanding. “I feel exactly the same way,” she breathed with a smile of relief. “For so long I have wondered what we are doing here; floating on clouds, meditating, and worshipping a God who we can’t even see. What’s the point?” “Yes!” Mihael exclaimed, glad that some other angel finally understood his confu- sion. He stared in wonder at Lucinda. How she had been dealing with this confusion for so long was beyond him. “How do you do it?” he pleaded. “Live each day without a known purpose? How do you live as an outsider and not come to be resentful? It’s made me so mis- erable that heaven no longer seems to hold any joy for me.” “Mihael,” Lucinda purred, “Heaven was not meant to bring joy, only peace. There is nothing here beyond that, although even that is questionable.” She cast a side glance at Jaeda’s now twitching form. “So that’s it?” Mihael asked, disappointed. He had hoped that Lucinda would have the answer; that she would hold some divine wisdom that would provide him with the purpose to continue living his eternal life. Now hearing her simple analysis of heavenly life, Mihael felt even more hopeless. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We really have got nothing then.” Lucinda gazed at him with a sad expression in her blue eyes.

“I certainly hope that’s not the case,” she whispered. Finding himself even more frustrated, Mihael turned away from her. Returning his emerald gaze to the three-hundred-year staircase, Mihael pondered the journey. It would 14

only be three hundred years, but it would give him a purpose if only for a while. Lucinda came to stand beside him and followed his gaze up the white marble stairs. “What are you thinking?” she asked. “Rhamiel suggested that I go to see Abdiel. Maybe he would know the purpose of our existence.” “Does Rhamiel really believe that?” Lucinda asked, sounding shocked. “I think he does,” Mihael returned, equally surprised. “Why do you ask?” Lucinda shrugged, “I guess I’m just curious because Adbiel never associates with us. Why in the name of heaven would he want to tell us the meaning of our angelic lives?” “Well Rhamiel suggested that since he was God’s first creation he might be able to help me. He is after all the head of the triad, and I’m sure God would not have appointed him to that job if he were not a wise and capable leader.” Even as he said the words, he felt the doubt creeping into his voice. “Oh yes, our wise and capable leader who will not even condescend to speak to us face-to-face,” Lucinda rolled her eyes. “Come on Mihael, you don’t believe that and neither do I. Abdiel may be God’s first creation, but he is no better than the rest of us. Trust me Mi- hael, Abdiel is just an angel with a swelled head who wants to be God. That’s why he won’t let us see his face. No one except for Abdiel has seen God’s face, and who knows for sure if that is even true?” “Well maybe we should go and ask him then,” Mihael retorted, gesturing to the staircase. He was still upset that Lucinda could not provide him with anything more than the simple reminder that heaven merely existed to be a realm of peace. “We should,” Lucinda said in a firm voice, her blue eyes blazing at the challenge.

“What?” Mihael asked. He had not expected her to accept the idea, let alone be so enthusiastic about it. “Yes. I’m going with you. I want to see our leaders. Even if I were to just catch one 15

glimpse of the face of God I think that I would be satisfied. Don’t you think so?” Mihael had never really thought about seeing God’s face. Since his very creation Mihael had just innately known that he was to worship God. It was as if he had been pro- grammed that way with no other option. Prayer, meditation, and daily adoration were not purposeful, but mere requirements of being an angel. Until this moment he had never ques- tioned that knowledge. “Blasphemous traitors!” screamed Jaeda from her place on the floor, alerting them once again to her presence. At her outburst she began convulsing in pain again, her anger being reflected back upon her through Lucinda’s power. Still she continued her rant, “How dare you contemplate seeing our Lord’s face. You are not worthy! Not worthy!” “Oh but you are worthy is that right?” Lucinda demanded, stepping over toward Jaeda so that the small opal angel lay in a fetal position at her feet. “No,” Jaeda whispered bowing her head to her chest, “I am but a lowly servant of the Lord. I would never believe myself so worthy to stand in his presence, let alone gaze upon his glorious face. He is the great creator who breathed life into me, and for that gift I will serve him as a loyal follower who---” “Yes, yes, loyal follower,” Lucinda scoffed, “more like blind follower. You worship a God whom you cannot see. You believe yourself to be inferior and yet you have no proof of God’s superiority. You worship a distant deity that will have nothing to do with you. How can you defend that choice?” “It is not a choice that I have to defend,” Jaeda returned, seeming to develop immu- nity to her pain. “He is my God and I will serve him and follow him in whatever he instructs me. I trust in his judgment. He does not need to show himself to me because I have a strong faith unlike you experimental mongrels. You are despicable; questioning the very being who created you.” Lucinda laughed. “The same being who created us as, what was it you were going 16

to say earlier? Mistakes I believe was the word that you did not get to say. Your God makes mistakes then by your own admission. Am I correct in saying that?” Jaeda flinched as her own words were turned and thrown back at her. In her at- tempt to usurp Lucinda’s authority, she had unwittingly made a horrible accusation against the God that she so vehemently adored. She turned her face away from Lucinda, refusing to meet her gaze as she quietly stated, “God does not make mistakes. There are, of course, choices he makes that we as lowly angels cannot understand because we are not of his divine nature. But God is never wrong.” Lucinda smiled, knowing that she had made her point. Though Jaeda would never admit it, Lucinda had made some valid points about her faith in God. He really was a mys- terious being who was so removed from his creations that they had very little reason to defend him. Jaeda, however, was a fledgling angel with her faith newly born into her system. She, like every other angel before her, accepted God’s existence and commands unques- tioningly. Although even if Jaeda did have her doubts about God, she would never admit those doubts to Lucinda. She would instead defend her faith even more as long as Lucinda believed in something different. Still Lucinda would not let the subject go at that. “Just one more question Jaeda,” Lucinda asked politely, “you never want to see the face of your God?” Jaeda was silent for a moment as she pondered the idea of seeing God. Even in her blank eyes Mihael could see her secret desire; how much she truly wanted to see the face of her Lord. She did believe herself worthy, that was not the issue. She only knew that angels were not permitted to see God’s face and it was purely due to the heavenly laws that she answered, “No.”

With a sigh of relief she was released from Lucinda’s power. Her small body re- laxed, her cheek resting peacefully against the cold marble floor. Eyes closed she whispered, “You’ll pay for your sins.” 17

Lucinda ignored Jaeda’s infantile prophecy. “Go back to where you belong,” she hissed, disgusted. For possibly the first time, Jaeda obeyed Lucinda’s request. Picking herself up care- fully, still tense and sore from Lucinda’s power, Jaeda headed off toward the opal wing. As Mihael watched her leave, he found himself slightly envious that she at least had a place to belong. The white doors that shimmered with light flecks of pink, purple, and green opened welcomingly as she stood before them, and closed with a smart click after she had passed between them. Mihael and Lucinda were left alone. “So how about it Mihael? Are we going to see God?” “I thought I was going to see Abdiel,” he replied, “but if I could see God then that would fix everything I’m sure.” As he spoke the words he found that he believed them. See- ing God would be the key to finding purpose. Just one glimpse would satisfy him for the rest of his eternal life. He smiled at the idea of a purpose, and as his eyes met Lucinda’s gleaming sapphires, he smiled, “Let’s go.” She smiled in return. Side-by-side they took their first steps up the three-hundred-year staircase. CHAPTER III Companions on the Journey

For a hundred years Mihael and Lucinda climbed the marble stairs without stop- ping. Though their movements were graceful and fluid, they were also mechanical. They had a set goal and an intense determination to realize it. Their time was spent in silence with only a vague awareness of the other angel traveler. Still the company was a great com- fort even if words were not spoken. After the first hundred years, however, it was Lucinda who finally broke the silence. “How about we stop for a while,” she suggested gently. Her sapphire eyes were still determined but they reflected a tinge of fatigue. It had been a long journey with nothing in sight except seemingly endless marble stairs. Mihael did not show his fatigue nearly as much as Lucinda, but he knew that he had to be considerate of his companion. “Sure,” Mihael conceded. “We can rest for a bit.” With a great elegance he sat down upon the marble stairs, stretching his long legs out before him. Lucinda seemed to sigh with relief as she sat down. In a gentle motion, she laid down upon the hard stairs, trying to find some comfort. With arms folded be- neath her head, the soft waterfall of auburn curls cascaded over her face but she paid them no mind. Her soft pink eyelids closed as she savored her first brief period of rest in one hundred years. Mihael could not help but smile at her near sleeping form. Her long body gracefully draped across the stairs enticed Mihael to lie down beside her with his hands clasped behind his head. As he gazed into the clear blue sky above, he sighed. It was the happiest he had felt in a long time. Finally he felt both joy and peace. Sleep was quickly tugging at Lucinda. Her breathing had slowed and her body 18 19

remained motionless in a fashion that reminded Mihael of Rhamiel. He marveled at how some angels could find such contentment in simply resting. Perhaps this was the secret, he thought. As an angel he did not require much sleep, and he certainly did not rest very often since he rarely found himself tired. He had no idea, however, how much the other angels slept. Maybe that was why he was so miserable. As he glanced at Lucinda’s now sleeping form, he smiled as he allowed his fatigue to wash over him and began to succumb to slumber. Clouds parted before him as he took his final step on the three-hundred-year stair- case. He had done it. Before him stood a long hallway lined with glass pillars and at the end he could see the rumored pearly gates which led to the God whom he was most anxious to meet. With great haste he rushed forward, ebony hair flying out behind him. The gates opened in a welcoming manner, as he drew near them. There was Andres, Ariella, and Ab- diel, all there waiting to greet him. Their golden faces were warm and glowing as they bowed to him. “We’ve been expecting you,” Abdiel announced. His smile was radiant and his tone inviting. “Please, follow me.” Mihael obeyed and followed directly behind Abdiel while Ariella and Andres walked on either side of him. He gazed in silent astonishment at the house of God that rose from the clouds around him. It was a castle, majestic in size and exquisite with shining walls of white gold that gleamed in the radiant light of the sun. The large front doors were encrusted with diamonds that sparkled so brightly it was nearly blinding. The foyer was an open space with marble floors and high-vaulted glass ceilings above. Three golden thrones sat in a row at the middle of the foyer. The middle throne was the largest and it was engraved with Abdiel’s name in swirling print. Ariella resided to his right, and Andres to his left. Each throne was glowing, encrusted with jewels and covered in the finest silk. Behind the thrones, however, was yet another sweeping marble staircase. 20

“Is that...?”Mihael began to ask. “Yes, Mihael,” Abdiel replied patiently, “that is the way to God’s chambers. Come.” Ariella and Andres bowed respectfully to the pair before taking their places on the golden thrones. Abdiel continued alone with Mihael behind the thrones and up the staircase. Mihael could barely prevent himself from running up the stairs ahead of Abdiel. Here he was, mere moments away from meeting God, and yet Abdiel seemed to be moving so slowly. Perhaps he seen God on a regular basis and climbing this staircase was an everyday occur- rence for him. This staircase was not nearly as long as the three hundred year staircase, and at the top stood large doors of white gold which reached to the ceiling and were covered in diamonds, pearls, and opals. Mihael stopped and stood in awe of their glory. “Go ahead,” Abdiel commanded him. “You’re meant to be here.” Mihael took a step toward the doors but hesitated. Was he really worthy? Was he really ready? He glanced back at Abdiel, uncertain. Abdiel’s eyes were a warm topaz that calmed Mihael’s fears. He offered a reassuring smile that filled Mihael with confidence. With that last reassuring smile from Abdiel, Mihael stepped closer yet to the doors. In the same way as the pearly gates, they opened slowly before him, welcoming him in. With a flash of blinding light, he was transported into a world full of color. To his right was a blue ribbon more vibrant than the skies above. It was alive and moving in swift currents, dancing off into the distance. Beneath his bare feet was a green carpet that was jagged but strangely soft like a cloud. Before him were chestnut columns that held arrangements of green petals and orbs of all colors. It was a place more amazing than even the triad’s throne room. “Come, my dear Mihael,” a strong, booming voice called, “come meet your creator.” Mihael followed after the voice, and there behind one of the chestnut columns stood his God; a tall man with flowing ebony hair like his and sapphire eyes the same color as Lucinda’s. He wore flowing white robes that billowed about him despite the absence of wind. Mihael’s face broke into a smile upon seeing him, and his expression was mirrored in God’s 21

own face. “Welcome home,” God greeted. Mihael ran into his open arms and lost himself in the softness of God’s embrace.... A great warmth spread through Mihael as his eyes slowly opened. During the few times that he slept he had always seen visions, but never anything as grand as this. It was God and heaven exactly as he prayed it would be. How much he wanted to hurry on; to finish this journey and see his God face-to-face. His vision had to be true. It had felt so real... Seeing Lucinda still sleeping peacefully beside him, Mihael felt a tinge of guilt at the idea of waking her, but his excitement would not allow her further sleep. This was the most elated he had felt in all of his existence. He had to tell her of his vision. “Lucinda,” he whispered. She did not respond. He tried again louder, “Lucinda.” “Hmm?” She purred sleepily beside him, not moving. “Wake up I need to tell you something.” “Mihael,” she groaned, turning away from him on the stairs. “Please Lucinda, this is really important. I think I saw God.” At this statement she turned back to stare at him in confusion. “What do you mean you think you saw God?” “Well it’s hard to explain, but...when you sleep, do you see visions?” Her eyes opened wider at this. The radiant sapphire registered great confusion. “What do you mean visions?” “I mean when I sleep I see things. I always have, but this time I saw God and the triad. They’re expecting us Lucinda. There’s a world up there that’s filled with color. The floor is green and soft, not marble at all. There are these colorful things that grow and smell good, and they’re all over up there. God has blue eyes like yours and long black hair 22

like me. He’s kind and warm. I wish you could have seen it.” Lucinda could only gaze at Mihael. Her sapphire eyes seemed uncertain, but hope- ful; terrified, yet curious. Mihael was puzzled by her reaction, or rather her lack of reac- tion. “You...you mean you don’t have visions when you sleep?” he asked. He felt disap- pointed that Lucinda did not share in his ability. For all of their similarities, and all that they shared, this, which was most important to him, she could not seem to understand. He hung his head, letting his black hair flow over his face so that she could not see his dis- appointment. Was this vision ability just another difference that would separate him even from Lucinda? Would he always find something that made him so different from all of the other heavenly beings? “Well I may not see visions when I sleep,” Lucinda said, breaking into Mihael’s thoughts, “but maybe that is just your power?” “I don’t think so,” Mihael replied, gazing down at the marble stair that he sat on. “I have the power to conjure and I don’t think I have any other power besides that one.” “How can you be so sure?” she asked. He shrugged. “I guess I can’t be sure, but since every other angel seems to have only one power, why should I be any different? Then again with everything else that makes me so odd...” “Well I have more than one power,” Lucinda pointed out. “So does Rhamiel. The triad members I’m sure must have more than one power. You could very well have the power to see visions while you sleep.” “I guess,” he responded, though he was still skeptical. The idea of seeing visions as a power seemed like a farfetched idea. Lucinda’s powers naturally complemented each other, but conjuring and having visions did not seem to fit together so easily. Perhaps Lucinda also got visions, but could not remember them. How much he wanted to believe 23

that. “You’re certain that you don’t see anything when you’re asleep?” he pleaded once more. Lucinda sat up, and looked out into the sky that surrounded them. Her face wore a strange look of longing. It was a while before she finally answered, “No Mihael, I’ve never had a vision while I slept. I know this to be true because sleeping is the only time when I’m truly at peace. I’m lost in nothingness, and for a brief time I cease to exist. It’s absolute- ly wonderful.” She looked over at Mihael and as their eyes met, he saw a twinkle in those deep sapphires. It was a glimmer of hope. “You don’t want to exist anymore?” Lucinda sighed. “I don’t know...Sometimes I think it would be nice to just sleep forever. I mean what are we really doing here for all eternity? Would nonexistence really be so terrible?” Mihael returned his gaze to the marble stairs as he contemplated the thought of nonexistence. To no longer feel the warmth of the sun upon his face, to no longer feel the clouds tickling his flesh as he ran his hand over them...those simple moments of comfort gone forever was in truth a great deal to give up. Nonexistence, however, seemed to offer up its charms as well. No more days of wandering the cold, hard, marble floors of heaven with nowhere to go and nowhere to belong, and none of the other angels refusing to meet his emerald gaze...it was equally as tempting. Both scenarios as he imagined them felt unsettling. “Lucinda,” he whispered. “Hmm?” “Would you miss anything if you didn’t exist?”

“Maybe, but it would be nice to miss things. You would appreciate them more. You know?” “Yeah, I do.” 24

Lucinda looked over at him and smiled. Her alabaster flesh looked so creamy and soft that Mihael longed to touch her delicate face. Slowly and carefully he extended his hand toward her. Though he knew that angels did not touch each other, the rule had never been officially decreed...Jaeda after all had touched him without being reprimanded. Somehow he reasoned, touching Lucinda would bring him peace and comfort. As his hand came closer though, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What are doing?” His hand froze. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “It’s just that...I had this strong desire to touch you. Your skin just looks so soft and...sorry, I never should have let myself even think such thoughts.” Ashamed, Mihael’s hand fell back to his side. Lucinda didn’t seem as revolted by the idea as Mihael would have anticipated. She merely gazed at him in a curious manner as if she was giving serious thought to the idea of allowing him to touch her. “Mihael,” she whispered timidly, “you can touch my face if you really want to.” He looked over at her, his emerald eyes ablaze with hope. Lucinda did not find him an unimaginably, disgusting creature. She had even consented for him to touch her. “Are you sure?” he asked, noting the slight fear in her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure. No other angel has ever touched me. I want to know what it feels l i ke .” Slowly and carefully, Mihael extended his hand once more toward Lucinda’s shim- mering alabaster face. Even though she had said yes, he could still sense her uncertainty. He hesitated when she closed her eyes, but that only made his need to touch her even greater. Gently he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. At his touch her whole body shivered. “Is my touch cold?” Mihael asked her, though he did not remove his hand. “No,” she replied softly, “you’re actually quite warm.” 25

“So are you,” he replied, “and your skin is even softer than I imagined it would be.” For a few moments longer Mihael stroked her cheek, savoring each second, afraid that he might never have this chance again. Lucinda’s eyes remained closed the entire time, and gradually her body became less tense as she allowed herself to enjoy this strange, new sensation. After only too short a time, Mihael sadly withdrew his hand, eagerly awaiting Lucinda’s reaction. She remained silent, however, not moving or opening her eyes to him yet. The anticipation was almost too much for Mihael as he fidgeted on the stairs, running his hands through his hair and trying to resist the urge to touch her again. “Lucinda?” he finally called out slightly louder than he intended. “Yes?” “Are you...are you alright?” “Yes. I’m alright.” Her stoic nature frustrated him. He wanted to know what she was thinking. Did she regret allowing him to touch her? Was she repulsed by him? What was going to hap- pen now? “Lucinda, please say something,” he begged. “What?” she asked him, finally opening her eyes. “What do you want me to say?” “Do you...do you regret it?” He prayed silently that she would not. “No I don’t regret it,” she answered softly, and as a rush of pink filled her cheeks, she went on to say, “I rather enjoyed it actually.” Mihael’s face lit up with a smile. He felt elated. Perhaps she might even allow him to touch her once more. Before he could even contemplate asking her, however, her small voice halted his thoughts as she suggested, “Since we’re all rested now, we should probably continue. We still have a long way to go.”

“Yeah, I guess we should get going,” Mihael replied, standing up somewhat disap- pointed. Lucinda, however, seemed relieved at the prospect of travel, and as she moved 26

quickly to stand, she lost her balance. It was pure instinct that made Mihael reach for her and prevent her from falling back to the marble stairs. His strong hands held her securely by the waist as he steadied her. “Thank you,” she said, looking up at him wide-eyed with gratitude. “No problem,” he replied, noting the hint of fear that still lingered in her eyes. Whether it was her near fall or his touch that frightened her he could not be sure, but as he removed his hands from her waist, he suddenly felt his own face growing hot. They stood there for only a few more moments before Lucinda took the lead up the stairs. Slowly their journey began again---another one hundred years of silence.

* * * * * * * * * * “I think I need to rest again,” Lucinda finally said, carefully lowering herself on the stairs. The years had passed by with the awkwardness only growing between them. Although they had not spoken, and although Mihael did not share Lucinda’s power to feel things and see auras, he could sense that she was still uneasy about what had trans- pired between them. Still he felt helpless to change anything since he did not know what exactly to change. He desperately wanted to say something to her. He had to make things right again. Silently he cursed himself for his need to touch her. Even as they had climbed the marble stairs these last one hundred years, touching her face was what he had mostly thought about. Perhaps she had sensed that and it was because of him that things between them were so uncomfortable. As he sat down beside her, he meant to say something, but found her already sleeping. Her silent form looked peaceful once more. Since she was sleeping, he thought, perhaps it would be alright.... Quietly he extended his fingers toward her once more, but found himself hesitat- ing. It felt wrong. He couldn’t do it. Sadly he pulled his hand back. He could not touch her without her consent. No matter how much he desired just one more touch of that creamy 27

alabaster flesh, he had to restrain himself. Slowly he lowered himself down beside her, and with one last glance ather sweet face, he drifted off to sleep. Her hair blew out behind her as she ran from him, her laughter ringing through the white halls of heaven like the sweetest silver bell. Slightly out of breath he stopped to look for her. He knew that she was here, hiding somewhere behind these glass columns. The clouds that swirled inside the glass, however, did a superb job of hiding her. “Lucinda!” he called. “Come out! I will find you!” His ears were met with only a distant laughter. She was getting farther and farther away from him. “Lucinda!” he called more frantically. He began to run. The hallway only seemed to get longer, twisting and turning away from him. He could not see her and her laughter was fading. Where was she? “Lucinda!” Mihael woke with a start, gasping for breath. Beside him Lucinda froze in mid- motion, her hand poised just above his. Her eyes widened at his waking. “I’m sorry,” she apologized quickly, “I just...I just thought since you were sleeping you wouldn’t mind if I....well....I’m sorry. It was wrong to do that. It won’t happen again.” Quickly she folded her arms beneath her chin and lowered her eyes in shame. Her face glowed pink again.

Mihael was still reeling from his dream as he tried to assess what had just hap- pened. It took him a few moments before he realized that she had been about to touch him. He stared down at her in amazement but she would not look at him. Finally he called her name, “Lucinda?” “Yes,” she mumbled, still not looking at him, but lowering her head even further. “Were you going to touch me?” Her sapphire eyes glanced up at him timidly. Quietly she admitted, “Yes.” “I wouldn’t mind,” he confessed, feeling more at ease as he gazed upon her quite 28

solid form lying beside him. Still she seemed hesitant. “Why did you wake up like that?” she asked, trying to change the subject, “did you have another vision?” “Yes,” he admitted, “but it’s alright. It wasn’t really a vision. It was...” He paused un- sure of what he had just experienced. He had seen the hallways of heaven, but it had been nothing like his vision of the triad and God. Mostly he had just felt fear. Still he knew that he could not tell Lucinda. She could never know what he had felt. “It was what?” she pressed. “Nothing,” he replied waving his hand. “Now were you just about to touch me or not?” “Yes,” she admitted, sullenly. “Why would you want to? I thought you didn’t like it when I touched you.” “I never said that!” “Well you certainly acted like it,” Mihael almost shouted back, finding himself sud- denly angry. “I told you that I enjoyed it!” “Sure you said that, but that was a hundred years ago and we haven’t talked about it since.” “We’ve been traveling. When did I have the time to talk to you about it?” “You could have if you wanted to.” “Well you could have said something if you were even the least bit concerned about it!” Her blue eyes were blazing with anger. Mihael’s green eyes returned her hostile stare. For several moments they silently feuded with each other over who should have said something first, who had the right to be angry in this situation, and who would break the silence now. For the first time, Mihael took the initiative. “Okay,” he began, “I apologize for not saying anything. I should not have just as- 29

sumed that you were angry at me or that we were....” He trailed off unsure of how to finish. “Well thank you,” Lucinda returned, smiling rather smugly. She seemed to know what he was thinking and had graciously allowed him to leave his thoughts unspoken. Shyly she smiled at him. “So do you think you would mind?” “No. I told you that I wouldn’t.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Well I didn’t really want to touch your hand exactly...” Mihael raised his eyebrows at her. “Well what exactly did you want to touch?” “This,” she replied, reaching over and running her fingers through his long, ebony hair. “Hmm,” she purred in pleasure. “Softer than I imagined.” Mihael grinned at her, hearing his own words in her teasing, melodic voice. “I see you do that a lot,” she said quickly, her face turning a charming shade of pink once more. “Run your hands through your hair that is.” Mihael just laughed. Her attempts to draw attention away from herself when she felt embarrassed were endearing. At first she appeared offended at his laughter, but eventually she laughed along with him. As her bright eyes met his, Mihael could not help himself. He reached out gently and touched her face. This time at his touch she smiled, and inclined her head toward his hand. “Maybe we should get going,” she suggested, standing up quickly, but this time she was careful to retain her balance. “Not this again,” Mihael groaned. “Every time that I touch your face are you just going to suggest that we keep traveling? Why are you so eager to get away from me? Why is it that you are allowed to touch me, or my hair, whenever you want, but if I want to touch your face you get...” “Mihael,” she interrupted him, placing one hand on either side of his face and forcing him to look directly into her eyes, “I don’t want to get away from you. We really do just need to travel. We only have another hundred years left.” She smiled. 30

Though he felt like he wanted to continue arguing with her about her skit- tish behavior, her smile calmed him. “Fine,” he replied, taking the first step up the stairs this time. “Umm, Mihael,” Lucinda called after him, “would you mind?” Mihael glanced down to see her small hand outstretched toward him. She couldn’t be serious. “You mean you want me to...” he found himself unable to speak the idea. It was very uncharacteristic of Lucinda, and yet somehow it wasn’t. He gazed into her eyes, searching for any uncertainty, but he could find none. Still he felt compelled to ask, “You’re sure that you’re ready for this?” She grinned at him. “Yes, I am.” Happily he obliged her simple request. Hand in hand they continued up the stairs toward the end of their journey. * * * * * * * * * * Only seventy-five years passed before Lucinda called a stop this time. “Mihael,” she said softly, “can we stop for a little while?” “Are you tired?” he asked her, slightly concerned since she usually did not tire this quickly. What if something was wrong? Concern flooded his face as his eyes scanned her to make sure that she was alright. Lucinda could feel his concern, and was touched by it, she reached her hand out and touched his cheek. “I’m fine. I just thought we should stop and rest before we actually meet God.” “Oh,” Mihael breathed a sigh of relief, “I suppose that would make sense. Let’s rest then.” “We are going to meet him right?” Her eyes registered uncertainty again. Though he had always found Lucinda to be a confident angel, Mihael was astounded to see that she had her insecurities after all. She was genuinely afraid that her God would reject her 31

like the rest of his creations. “Lucinda,” Mihael replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and hugging her gently to him, “God won’t reject you. He made you.” At least this is what Mihael wanted to believe. God had made the other angels too, yet they still rejected Lucinda and himself. How could he confidently say to her that God would not reject her as well? There was no way that he could be certain of that. “I hope you’re right,” she whispered, “but anything is possible with God right?” Her eyes looked up at Mihael moist with tears and radiating an innocence and vulner- ability that plainly showed her need to be accepted. Her words shook Mihael because they were both terrifying and truthful. Mihael hugged her to himself even tighter, and she hugged him back. Silently tears began to roll down Lucinda’s cheeks as she clung to Mihael, the one angel whom she knew already accepted her. As they pulled apart and Mihael was able to gaze into her deep sapphire eyes, he wiped the tears softly from her face, knowing that he needed to comfort her. Gently, he pressed his lips to her forehead. Her skin was warm and flushed although not from embarrassment this time. She only cried harder at this and buried her face in his chest. Riveted by her response, Mihael was afraid to do more than merely hold her. For how long they sat there on the stairs rocking back and forth was unknown to both of them, but the idea of finally reaching their ultimate goal was terrifying. Would they find acceptance or rejection? And no matter what they found, would they survive it? “Maybe I’ll get my nonexistence after all,” Lucinda said quietly, seeming to read his thoughts. “No,” Mihael yelled, pulling away from her and shaking her by the shoulders, “you can’t think like that. You haven’t even met God and already you’re sentencing yourself to nonexistence? How can you even think that? Do you want to go back? Is that what you’re trying to say?” 32

“No,” Lucinda replied, wide-eyed and frightened by Mihael’s sudden burst of emo- tion. “I just don’t know if I can stand another rejection. The way the other angels look at me...how they go out of their way to separate themselves from me, I can’t take much more of it. If my own creator rejects me....” Her voice trailed off. Neither Mihael nor Lucinda could fathom living for an eternity knowing that their own God, whom they worshipped, rejected them. Though Mihael could not guarantee that God would be all that they hoped for, he felt that he had to say something. “Lucinda, I promise you that no matter what happens up there, we’ll get through it together. I’ll be right there by your side when we meet the triad and hopefully when we meet our God.” As he spoke the words he recalled his vision. It might not be accurate or even real, but it felt like a glimmer of hope to him. “Do you remember the vision that I told you about? That God has blue eyes? Well if that is my power like you said it could be, you might look more like God than any of us.” Mihael felt relieved when Lucinda laughed softly at his suggestion. He could see in her eyes that she did not believe for a second that she of all the angels looked the most like God. Despite everything, she smiled up at him. She knew that he had said it in a feeble attempt to cheer her up, but still she appreciated his effort. “Well we’ve come this far, why go back now?” Mihael smiled at her. “Exactly.” “And I really do hope I get to see God’s face,” Lucinda confessed. “Maybe that will just let me know that my whole existence hasn’t been completely pointless.” “You’re existence has not been pointless,” Mihael told her firmly. “And I want to see God’s face as much as you do. So let’s go.”

He stood quickly and extended his hand to her. She sighed, but stood up as well. “Do you really think we should?” she asked, gesturing to his empty outstretched hand. 33

“Yes,” Mihael replied, “I think we need to.” Lucinda offered him a feeble smile as more tears began to surface in her eyes. She was both grateful for his offer and terrified that if they were still touching one another at the top of the staircase would it mean trouble for them both? Still the comfort of contact overpowered her fear and she took his hand once more as they began the final twenty-five years of their long journey. CHAPTER IV An Audience with Abdiel, Ariella, and Andres

The clouds parted as Mihael and Lucinda reached the top of the three-hundred year staircase. Mihael stared in amazement at the vision before him; a long marble hallway lined with cloud-filled glass pillars. At the very end of the hallway, through the soft white haze, he glimpsed the famous pearly gates gleaming gently in the afternoon sunlight. “Wow,” Lucinda breathed next to him, “this is it.” Without responding, Mihael released Lucinda’s hand and took off running down the marble hallway. “Mihael! Wait! What are you doing?” she cried, running quickly to catch up with him. “C’mon!” he yelled back over his shoulder, “they’re waiting for us!” “What?” The hallway only seemed to get longer as Mihael continued to run toward the gates that he was sure would open to welcome him. Behind those gates was his God. His vision had been right. He had seen this very hallway in his vision, and here he was. Heart racing, Mihael could see the gates finally getting closer. Any moment they would open for him. “Mihael stop! The gates aren’t opening!” Barely able to stop himself, Mihael skidded to a halt just before colliding with cold bars of the pearly gates. Why hadn’t they opened? Mihael stared past them, and in the distance he could see the glorious castle of white gold from his vision. It was exactly as he had foreseen. Maybe something was wrong. He reached out and grasped the bars but quickly withdrew his hands with a violent shiver. The pearly bars were freezing to his 34 35

touch. Quickly he began to rub his hands together, trying to find warmth again. Tears welled up in Mihael’s eyes as he glanced horrified at the beautiful bars. They stood resolutely before him, barring his path. Behind them was that magnificent castle. Behind them was his God, and yet he could not reach him. Looking around, he saw no way of even summoning anyone from the castle. The hopelessness of the situation washed over him as he fell to his knees and began to sob. All those years wasted. Panting heavily from her mad dash after him, Lucinda skidded to a halt by his side, her hair floating wildly about her face. She looked down at his sobbing form and then at the locked gates glistening before them. She realized that they were locked and that there was no one to allow them entrance. Unlike Mihael, however, she grew infuriated rather than hopeless. Without hesitation, she gripped the bars firmly and pulled at them. She shook the icy cold metal and she screamed, “Abdiel! Abdiel! Open the gates and let us in! Abdiel!” “What are you doing?” Mihael sobbed, “They’re not going to hear you. They were supposed to be here. It was all for nothing Lucinda.” “No,” she screamed, shaking the bars harder, “it was not for nothing! They will hear us. They have to. Abdiel! God! Hear your angels! Hear us and let us in! God!” “He doesn’t hear you,” Mihael whispered. “The triad should have been here when we arrived. I saw it, just like I saw this hallway. If they’re not here then they never will be. God doesn’t hear us Lucinda, and maybe he never did. He doesn’t want us here. Why else would he stay so far away and put bars in our path to him?” “You can’t give up Mihael. We will see God. Now help me yell. Someone in the castle is bound to hear us.” She shook the bars yet again, but they held strong, barely quivering at her touch. “Those bars are freezing. You shouldn’t touch them. We’re not meant to.” “Oh so now you’re sure of yourself? You didn’t even know if your visions were a 36

gift, but now that you’ve seen this hallway and the locked pearly gates you know that your visions are real? You know that God doesn’t hear us or want to see us? We’re not supposed to touch the gates? C’mon Mihael. We’ve come this far and because of this you want to abandon everything? Get up and help me!” “Aren’t your hands freezing?” “Yes,” she spat at him, “they are freezing, but I can stand the pain because I will get through these gates. You could withstand it too if you weren’t so weak.” More tears rose up at Lucinda’s stinging remark. Emerald eyes glistening with the new wave of moisture, Mihael looked up at her through the ebony hair that had fallen into his face. He met her fiery sapphire gaze, and although she had spoken the harsh words, he could see that she had not meant them. She felt the same. Their journey really could have been for nothing. Her sapphire eyes were fierce, but behind her anger, Mihael could see her fear. Lucinda held tight to the frozen pearly bars because she had to. All of her hopes hung on this journey. She had to see God. Eternity in paradise, acceptance from the other angels, even Mihael himself meant nothing if she could not see him. Since her decision to begin on this journey, she had committed herself completely to the idea of meeting God. To come this far and fail was not an option for her. “God!” she screamed to the clouds. The tears finally flowed from her eyes. “God!” she screamed in agony. “Why have you forsaken me? Forsaken us? God! Open these gates!” She shook them one last time, finally resting her face between the bars, and allowing herself to feel the sting of the frozen pearl on her soft skin. Silently tears fell from her eyes down to the clouds, but never did she release her firm grip on the bars. They were all that kept her standing so that she wouldn’t crumple to the cloud covered floor as

Mihael had beside her. Mihael admired her strength; how she withstood the cold of the gates, how she cried and was not afraid. None of the other angels cried, but then in the paradise that 37

heaven was, they had no reason to do so. Life for them was perfect. They roamed the halls of heaven humming softly along with the ethereal music that was always drifting through the corridors, and echoing off of the white marble walls. They prayed in the small, but elaborately furnished chapels and sat meditating on the floor among the clouds for days, even years, basking in the warmth of the sun. They resided in their own respective wings of heaven with all the others of their class. Mihael had no idea what went on in the gold, silver, or opal halls of heaven. Being an experimental angel, he had no such wing to reside in. Though Mihael had somewhat claimed the outdoor balcony as his home, it paled in comparison to what the other angels knew as home. He and Lucinda often drifted aimlessly amongst the chapels and alcoves of heaven, sleeping there or at times in the grand hall that was a circular room with a large altar. It was there that the angels gathered to worship to their God. All around the grand hall were plush chairs, glass harps, and cloud-filled pillars. It was a place generally buzzing with activity where the angels gave worship to their beloved creator on a daily basis. Mihael could remember the first time that he had approached the grand altar to pray. Whispers had followed him, and eyes had burned into his back as he knelt down before the altar and gave thanks to God for his existence. It was the only time that he had ever knelt before God’s holy altar. Now as he sat before the pearly gates, he felt the same sense of loneliness. He could not worship at the altar without the scrutiny of the other angels, and now he could not even get close to his God because of a cold, relentless barrier. As another tear fell from his emerald eyes, Mihael leaned his face against the pearly gates, resting his cheek on one of the cold, hard bars. Though he could feel the cold seeping into his skin, causing a shooting pain to issue through his jaw, he left his face rest there as Lucinda was doing. In some strange way, the pain felt good. It was like a reminder that he was still alive, that he could still feel something besides defeat. For how long they both stayed there at the gates, silently crying was unknown. It 38

was a sudden gasp from Lucinda that finally broke the silence. “Mihael,” she breathed, “someone’s coming. Look!” Mihael did look. Through the haze of soft, white clouds, he could see the silhouette of another angel in the distance. He repositioned himself onto his knees so that he could grip the bars with both hands and look through them. He had to get the angel’s attention. “Hey! Hey!” he yelled. “Can you open the gates? Please! Please open the gates!” He looked up to see why Lucinda was not yelling as well. He found her still gripping the bars, staring wide-eyed at the silhouette. She looked both terrified and hopeful, yet she remained mute. It was as if her face was frozen, preventing her from calling out to the angel inside the gates. So Mihael yelled for her, “Hello! Please, come open the gates!” Silently, the figure heeded Mihael’s calls and approached them. As he came closer, Mihael recognized the face of Andres, the third member of the triad who occasionally came down to the lower echelons of heaven to deliver Godly decrees. Andres radiated light. His skin was a pale gold, his eyes a glittering topaz. His face was kind and serene as he gazed upon the two visitors inquisitively. “What are you two doing here?” he asked them in his soothing melodic voice. “Please, Andres,” Mihael answered, since Lucinda still seemed incapable of speech. “We would like an audience with the triad. We would like an audience with God.” At this Andres raised his perfectly shaped eyebrows. “You would like an audience with God?” Mihael nodded. “Oh my,” Andres breathed, pacing about in front of the gates. He seemed to be pondering the idea of allowing them entry now that he knew their intentions. As Mihael watched his smooth brow furrow, he wondered if he had made the right decision in blurting out his request. Beside him, Lucinda’s eyes followed every step that Andres took. 39

Silently, Mihael could feel her pleading with him to allow them entry. Finally, after a long silence, Andres turned toward the pair to announce his verdict, “I do not have the authority to take you to God.” At his words Mihael hung his head in defeat, and Lucinda’s body slumped forward as she allowed the bars to fully support her dead weight now. “I can, however, take you to Abdiel,” Andres continued, “perhaps he can take you to God.” Mihael looked up hopefully at Andres. Through his long strands of ebony hair, Mihael could see that Andres was smiling kindly at him. He was going to allow them entry. “Stand back,” Andres instructed. Quickly Mihael rose to his feet and took Lucinda by the arm, leading her away from the gates. When they were far enough away, Andres waved his hands in a grand sweeping gesture, and the pearly gates swung open to admit them. Their pathway to the triad, at least, was clear. Barely able to believe it, Mihael and Lucinda crossed the threshold into the highest echelon of heaven. This was it; the residence of the holy triad, the residence of God. They had done it. Andres bowed to greet them. “Welcome,” he said, “please follow me.” With a graceful stride, he glided back toward the castle shining in the distance. Mihael and Lucinda followed quickly after him, but before they had gone more than a few steps, the gates closed yet again behind them. Mihael felt a shiver travel down his spine as he heard the cold, hard gates snap firmly back into place. Still, he shook off his momentary feeling of uncertainty and followed beside Lucinda toward God’s castle.

It was larger than Mihael had thought. The grand walls of white gold towered over them, puncturing holes in the cerulean sky with their extensive towers. The windows were large, allowing sunlight to penetrate through the castle and gleam brilliantly upon 40

the plush interior. Within, Mihael could see shining marble floors, golden chairs, and a multitude of glass pillars. Large golden doors that led into the main foyer were encrusted with crystals that blinked at Mihael and Lucinda as they drew near. The doors were observing them, curiously pondering the newest presence about to pass through them. It was as if the doors, even the castle itself, possessed a life force. Beside Mihael, Lucinda shivered. Once inside Mihael gasped. There before him was a wide open foyer with marble floors and high-vaulted glass ceilings. The three golden thrones of the triad sat at the very heart of the room, and behind the thrones was yet another sweeping marble staircase. The room was exactly as Mihael had envisioned it...except that Abdiel and Ariella sat on their thrones before him, and neither warmly welcomed him. Instead, they looked up in curiosity as Andres came forward, flanked by the other two angels. “Just what is the meaning of this?” Abdiel’s booming voice echoed throughout the throne room. Quietly Andres turned to Mihael and Lucinda and instructed them to bow. They silently obeyed, keeping their eyes directed downward out of both fear and respect. “If you please, Abdiel,” Andres pleaded in his soft, melodic voice, “they have come with a very unique request that I felt you needed to hear.” “Really? And what would make their request so unusual that I would have to hear it? Can you make no decisions on your own, Andres? Why did you not just handle this at the gates, since I know they did not gain entry on their own,” he scowled. Mihael chanced a quick glance at Abdiel. The chiseled, topaz face formed the most glorious scowl he had ever seen. Even in obvious annoyance, Abdiel was still an awe- inspiring vision. Feeling ashamed for his stolen moment of admiration, Mihael once again hung his head, humbled by Abdiel’s perfection. Andres had fallen silent for a moment, pondering how best to answer Abdiel. 41

After a few moments of silence, he began slowly, “Well Abdiel, they have stated to me that they wish to see the great creator’s face.” The only sound that could be heard was Ariella’s sharp intake of breath as she heard the words of Andres. Abdiel remained completely silent, frozen like a golden statue. The storm that raged in his glowing hazel eyes, however, showed that he was very much alive and very much aware of what he had just heard...he was not pleased. “Mihael. Lucinda. Is this allegation true?” he inquired softly. Both of them looked at each other, not daring to raise their gaze to Abdiel. They could feel his power crackling around him, threatening to lash out at them at any moment. Lucinda’s sapphire eyes were melting quickly into tears as she gazed at Mihael. He could sense that she was sorry they had come here. The triad’s lair, for all its beauty, was a place filled with nothing but trouble for them. Mihael felt like he had to say something. “Please, Abdiel,” he pleaded, “We seek only our purpose in this life. We were hoping that just one glance at our God’s face would provide us with that purpose. Is that so wrong?” Mihael regretted his statement almost instantaneously, as Abdiel lashed out at him with a great surge of power, sending him to his knees on the marble floor. He could feel Abdiel’s anger wrapping around him, burning his flesh, pricking at his eyes, and closing tightly around his throat. He writhed in pain upon the cold, marble floor gasping for air. Beside him, Lucinda fell to her knees as well, feeling the horrifying effects of Abdiel’s power. Her own power was torturing her as she experienced Mihael’s pain with him. “Honestly Abdiel,” Ariella interjected, her high-pitched voice ringing clearly like a bell throughout the foyer, “why must you insist on this vulgar display of power? You demand a question of him, and yet you torture him when he attempts to answer you.” “He ended his answer, as you call it, with a question. I cannot help thinking, 42

therefore, that he has no further explanation for himself.” “Well perhaps if you hadn’t lashed out at him with your power so quickly, he would have continued.” “Do you honestly believe that Ariella?” he scoffed. “One as gullible as you could never preside over heaven. That is why you are only second in command.” Lucinda let out a cry of pain as she felt Ariella’s anger flare up. Mihael cringed at the pain in her voice, but was powerless to help her. Meanwhile, the fighting between Abdiel and Ariella only continued. “Well God did assign Andres and myself to rule alongside you, Abdiel. Perhaps he knew that you were not fit to rule of your own accord and that you needed the perspectives of others more compassionate than yourself. Angels who would not be so quick to abuse their power could help teach you some humility.” “Don’t speak to me about humility, Ariella. You would not hesitate to use your powers on me if they only worked. You with your manipulative, hypnotic eyes, are still not strong enough to influence me. I wield more power than you, and that is what burns you Ariella. You will never be as powerful as me.” “How dare you,” Ariella hissed, “Your boastful pride is what I despise about you, Abdiel. You think yourself the greatest of us all, yet you cannot rule alone. You need me, or rather you need Andres and I, to keep you in check. Without us, you might very well try to take over as God. You worship yourself as a god anyway.” Enraged by Ariella’s blasphemous allegations, Abdiel redirected his wrath toward her. Ready for his reaction, Ariella lashed out with her own power. The two great forces of power collided, and the very walls of the castle shook. A glass harp near Ariella’s throne shattered. Andres, who had been standing by as nothing more than a quiet witness, did not seem surprised at the display before him. The battle of power between Abdiel and Ariella was a dangerous one, however, and his silence was finally broken as he stepped 43

forward to intervene. “Abdiel, Ariella, please, let us remember this is not about who wields more power.” Glad to be released from Abdiel’s powerful wrath, Mihael crawled quietly to Lucinda’s side. Gently he reached out and touched her tear-stained face. She glanced up at him, visibly shaken and still in pain. He stroked her cheek in a small gesture of tender affection. It was all that he could think to do. Together, both of them looked up for their first real view of the holy triad. Abdiel and Ariella were both exquisite angels. Not only was Abdiel’s face perfectly chiseled topaz, as Mihael had only briefly observed before, but his entire body was perfectly sculpted. He sat upon his throne bare-chested, glaring venomously at the splendid female beside him. Ariella was breathtaking with honey-gold hair that floated to her ankles. Her body was perfectly proportioned, and she radiated a most regal presence in her flowing robes of gold chiffon. Her fair skin shimmered softly in the sunlight, and as Mihael looked into her eyes, he found himself mesmerized. Where most angels had a solid gold or silver pupil, or in the case of the opal angels a solid white eye, Ariella had no such solid coloring. Her eyes were reminiscent of the cloud-filled glass pillars that could be found throughout heaven, except that gold clouds floated around in Ariella’s eyes. Tiny flecks of gold sparked within the clouds as they spiraled round and round within the large orbs. How Abdiel could not be affected by just one glance into Ariella’s eyes, Mihael could not comprehend. It was only a slight touch from Lucinda that pulled him from his trance. Lucinda seemed to realize the incredible power that Ariella held within her eyes and the danger that could come from being trapped within them. Mihael physically shook with the effort of redirecting his gaze. He wanted to stare into Ariella’s eyes forever.

While anger still crackled about the two feuding triad leaders, Andres seemed to be instilling calm. He seemed to possess the same gift as Rhamiel and Lucinda. This was probably a necessary power for at least one of the triad members to have, Mihael thought 44

to himself. At least one of them had to have a sense of calm and act as an impartial judge between the two headstrong angels. “Now,” Andres continued amid the silence, “can we please return to the matter at hand? Abdiel, will you please allow Mihael to continue this time without using your power against him?” “You see,” Ariella said snidely, “Andres agrees with me. We should at the very least hear their case.” Abdiel glared at her. “Well it seems that I am being overruled here.” His face was sour as he reluctantly conceded to the requests of his co-rulers. Still, he felt the need to demonstrate his authority as he commanded, “Andres, take your seat beside me so that we may formally hear what it is that Mihael has to say.” Gliding forward, Andres swiftly took his place at the left side of Abdiel. On Abdiel’s right, Ariella was still beaming, clearly ecstatic that she had claimed a victory over his pompous authority. “Mihael and Lucinda,” Abdiel proceeded, conveying a false sense of calm, “You have come here today to plead a case before this holy triad. You understand that we are the supreme justices, charged with carrying out God’s holy will. We will determine your fate. Our word is final. Do you understand this?” “We do.” “Then proceed.” Mihael looked at Lucinda who now stood nervously at his side. Quietly, she began to speak, “If you please, angels Abdiel, Ariella, and Andres, we....” “A little louder, please,” Abdiel barked. “Do you want us to hear this case or not?”

Lucinda turned bright red, but spoke louder as she repeated herself, “If you please, angels Abdiel, Ariella, and Andres, we have journeyed here today to seek out our life’s purpose. For as long we have lived, we have felt a void within ourselves. We came in here 45

in the hope of finding some solace.” Unsure of what more to say, Lucinda hesitated. She looked at Mihael to see if she had articulated their dilemma correctly. Mihael nodded at her, not entirely sure himself of what else to say. “So you want a purpose?” Abdiel asked slowly. “You must not appreciate heaven as it is then?” Lucinda glanced cautiously at Mihael. Both of them could feel Abdiel’s anger welling up again. Thankfully, Andres intervened. “Abdiel, may I please try to explain to them?” Abdiel waved his hand at Mihael and Lucinda, motioning for Andres to explain to them. The disgusted expression on his face showed that he was appalled by their ignorance and could not bring himself to explain something which, to him, seemed so obvious. Andres, however, smiled patiently as he began to explain, “Mihael and Lucinda, we angels are God’s creations. He brought us into existence and for that alone we should forever worship him. We do not question his divine will. All that we know, and all that we accept, is that we are here in this paradise to live for eternity. What more could we ask for?” “Excuse me?” Mihael blurted. He could not help but be frustrated at this simple explanation. How could the triad possibly accept that? They had no purpose, and they were content to live without one? “Did you not hear him Mihael?” Abdiel asked, coldly. “I heard him,” Mihael retorted boldly, “but I cannot understand how you would expect me to be satisfied with that answer.” “God gave us paradise,” Abdiel stated plainly, “what more could we ask for? We live among the clouds; each moment is bliss. Why would you need a purpose?” Mihael looked at Lucinda to assess her reaction. She looked just as confused as he was. Her sapphire eyes held a sea of questions. 46

“But if God created us, we must have a purpose,” she asserted. “Your purpose is to worship your great creator,” Abdiel shouted, “how can you be so ungrateful for all that he has bestowed upon you?” “We are not ungrateful,” Mihael replied, offended, “we just thought there was more of a purpose to our lives than worship.” “And why should there be more of a purpose than that?” Abdiel inquired. “Our lives were not meant to be difficult. We reside in heaven, and all that God asks of us is that we worship him and follow any commands that he might issue. Is that such an extraordinary request?” “No, but---” “Then what is the problem?” Abdiel asked. Mihael felt completely defeated as he gazed up at the triad. Abdiel was glaring at him, obviously annoyed. Ariella was not even listening to him, but was running her fingers through her long waterfall of gold hair. Even his only hope, Andres, was looking at him in sympathy, as if he were just a slow-witted angel who did not get it. The three highest- ranking beings in all of heaven and there they sat, unconcerned, even annoyed, with the dilemma of Mihael and Lucinda. Mihael could not help but ask, “Abdiel, have you ever seen God’s face?” Silence fell yet again. Abdiel’s eyes blazed as he answered, “Of course I have seen the great creator’s face. I was his first creation. It was my greatest honor to behold his glorious face, but you, what right do you have to make such a bold request. Do you honestly think yourself worthy of seeing God?” “I think we are all his angels, and we have a right to see who gave us life, if only to thank him face-to-face. Please Abdiel, just one moment to look upon God’s face. That is all that we are asking.” “Do you honestly believe, Mihael, that one glance upon God’s face would be 47

enough? Be honest with yourself. You would want more than one glance. Were you to see the great creator’s face, you would want to ask him the same questions that you are exhausting me with right now. I cannot, and I will not, allow you to proceed farther than this throne room. I have heard enough from you. Please return to your quarters now.” “We don’t really have a place to reside since we don’t belong to any of the three classes of angels,” Lucinda whispered, quietly. Her head was hung in total defeat. They had traveled three hundred years to be turned away when their God resided just one more staircase above them. “Then return to wherever you came from, “Abdiel sighed. “You’ve obviously been living somewhere all these years. Just go back there. Surely, now, you cannot be complaining about a lack of residence,” he pointed out, growing more agitated. “Now please, stop wasting my time, and go pray that you might be forgiven for your lack of gratitude to God.” While Mihael wanted to argue again that they were not ungrateful, Lucinda turned away from the triad and headed toward the doors. Mihael longed to stop her, but one last glance at the triad let him know that the decision had been made. They had been given a verdict, and it was final. All hope was gone. Quickly he turned and chased after Lucinda. She was all that he had left in this heaven. CHAPTER V Unearthing Eden Mihael caught up with Lucinda just as the doors to God’s castle closed with a definitive click behind him. She stood, her body slumped against the wall, tears flowing down her cheeks. Mihael had never seen her so devastated. It was an unsettling sight. He reached out a hand and rubbed her shoulder. “Lucinda,” he began, “I am so sorry. I thought that...I thought that we might actu- ally get to see God’s face.” “What does it matter,” she sniffed, “Abdiel was right. I wasn’t worthy to see God’s face.” Mihael stared at her in shock. She was truly at her lowest moment. Her insecurities had been realized with her rejection from the triad. “Lucinda, you didn’t even see God. He didn’t reject you. Abdiel is the problem. He’s just such a close-minded angel with no respect for anyone beneath him. Look at how he was with Ariella.” “If I can’t even convince a fellow angel to accept me, how could God ever accept me?”

“Maybe because he’s your creator? He made you and obviously couldn’t have been too disappointed since you’re still here. Why can’t you see that?” She remained silent, refusing to meet his gaze. The more that he looked at her the more frustrated he became. How could she lose all hope so quickly? More importantly, he found that he was angry with himself. He could have fought harder. He could have some- 48 49

how convinced Abdiel to allow them to see God, if only so that Lucinda would not be so devastated now. He could not bear seeing her like this. He had to think of something. “Come on, Lucinda,” he said softly, outstretching his hand, “let’s go for a walk.” She looked at him like he was crazy, but his innocent smile begged for her trust, and she took his hand. As he tried to pull her away from the wall, she lost her balance and fell into his arms. He caught her, holding her securely, and smelling the sweet scent of her auburn hair. She blushed brightly as she looked up at him. He ran a comforting hand through her hair to assure her that it was okay, and she buried her face in his chest and cried. He hugged her close, letting her cry. He liked holding her. His only wish was that she would cling to him like this on a happier occasion. “Come on,” he said, “let’s go for that walk.” With his arm draped around her shoulders, and her arm wrapped around his waist, the pair began to explore the grounds outside the gleaming house of God. The clouds rolling around their feet parted to allow their passage. They didn’t know where they were going really or if there was even anything else to find up here besides the castle, but somehow a walk seemed necessary. For a long time, Mihael and Lucinda wandered the grounds around the castle amidst nothing but soft white clouds and clear blue skies. It was quite peaceful walking with Lucinda by his side, and no other angels around. Despite their dashed hopes of see- ing God, Mihael found himself unbelievably content. Perhaps he did not need to see God to be happy. Maybe all that he needed was Lucinda. As he turned to convey this thought to her, he noticed her downcast expression. His heart sank. One look at her face told him that he was not enough for her. She craved more than just his companionship. How could he ever tell Lucinda how much she meant to him when he clearly did not mean as much to her? Mihael knew that his own expression mirrored hers in that instant. His happiness had evaporated. In silence they made their way to the back of the castle. What they found was 50

strange. Marble walls, swirling with bands of gold, silver, and opal formed a great laby- rinth. Mihael stood at the entrance, wondering what there might be to find within this heavenly maze. “Wow,” he gasped, “I wonder where this leads to.” Lucinda shrugged, uninterested. “Do you want to find out?” he asked her excitedly. His emerald eyes glistened at the prospect of having purpose yet again. While the maze might very well lead nowhere, Mihael hoped that the adventure might pull Lucinda out of her depression. “Please, Lu- cinda. Will you go with me?” Lucinda shrugged again. Quietly she conceded, “I guess so. What else do I have to do, right?” Mihael felt frustrated with her, but she had at least agreed to go with him. Grab- bing her hand, he pulled her into the maze of marble. Silently, she let him lead her in whatever direction that he wanted. As he ventured further and further within the maze, Mihael began to hear something. It was a sweet, soft sound that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. He noticed that the song would get louder or fade depending on the direction that he chose. “Do you hear that?” he asked Lucinda. “Hear what?” she asked, looking up at him for the first time. He shook his head, listening harder for the song. It was no mistake. There was mu- sic coming from somewhere. All that he knew was that he had to follow it. Even though Lucinda couldn’t hear the song, he believed that if he could find the source he might find a cure for Lucinda’s broken spirit.

“Come on,” he said, excitedly, “we have to follow it!” “Follow what?” she cried, as Mihael pulled her along behind him in pursuit of the haunting melody. He didn’t stop to explain. He could think of nothing but following the 51

song.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jaeda meandered around the edge of the three-hundred-year staircase, following it up into the clouds with her eyes. Up that staircase was where her God resided. Sigh- ing wistfully, she leaned against one of the glass pillars, unable to remove her gaze from those marble stairs. In the last three hundred years, she had grown very little. At the age of twelve, she had stood at a mere four foot ten. Now, at the age of three hundred twelve, she was barely five foot one. Opal angels did not grow much taller than that, however, and Jaeda was truthfully one of the tallest of her class. Still she wanted more, not only in her height, but in her power as well. As she stood pondering her own desires, the silver angel Nakir floated past her, heading toward the silver wing followed closely by Tabbris, a fellow opal angel. Tabbris idolized Nakir, following him wherever he went. Jaeda rolled her eyes at the pair. Despite her lowly opal status, Jaeda would never sink so low as to follow another higher-ranking angel around. She had more self-respect than that. Watching Nakir disappear behind the doors to the silver wing, Jaeda smirked as Tabbris found himself flustered without his idol. She could not help but laugh as he spun around, embarrassed, trying to seem as if he had a reason for nearly running into the closed door of the silver wing where he clearly did not belong. When Tabbris saw Jaeda laughing at him, he hung his head in shame, drifting away quickly. She knew that he would not go far, however. He would be lingering nearby, waiting for Nakir to emerge again. Why Tabbris idolized a silver angel, Jaeda could not understand. The silver an- gels were the middle class. If Jaeda were to idolize anyone, it would be one of the golden angels. The triad, after all, was comprised of all golden angels. They ruled heaven and 52

were the most glorious beings ever to be created by God. One could not help but envy the golden angels. “Something troubling you Jaeda?” asked a warm voice, just behind her. Quickly, Jaeda spun to find Rhamiel standing with his hands folded watching her. His warm hazel eyes were friendly, holding a sparkle of curiosity. Jaeda glared at him. “Rhamiel, you startled me. How long have you been watching me?” “Not long, Jaeda,” he admitted softly, walking to the glass pillar opposite her and leaning against it. “I was just wondering why you are standing here all alone.” “I’m just thinking, I guess.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, Rhamiel. I’m sure,” Jaeda hissed through gritted teeth. “I am just thinking. That is all.” “Well perhaps you would like to discuss what it is you are thinking about?” “I don’t think so.” “It might help you,” suggested Rhamiel, good-naturedly. “I don’t need help, Rhamiel. I was really just leaving.” Jaeda began to stomp away from him, annoyed at his condescending words. “You know you’re not the first angel I’ve seen like this. Mihael seemed to have a similar problem a while back.” At his words, Jaeda paused. Mihael. Just the name made her skin crawl; Mihael, the experimental mongrel who had contemplated seeing God; that unworthy, blasphe- mous traitor who made her disgusted every time she thought about him. How humiliated Jaeda had been at their last encounter when that mistake of a half-breed Lucinda had used projection powers to torture her. Jaeda would have succeeded in humiliating Mihael had Lucinda not come along. The memory made Jaeda wonder where those two were now. “Rhamiel?” she asked him, not bothering to turn around to face him. 53

“Yes, Jaeda?” “How is Mihael doing these days?” There was silence. Rhamiel’s hazel eyes looked confused for a moment before he replied, “I don’t know honestly. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Mihael, but I am sure that wherever he is, he has found peace by now. Maybe he even took my advice.” “Advice?” “Well yes. When he was feeling troubled, I suggested that he go see Abdiel. I thought that perhaps an audience with the triad might help him feel more at ease with himself and his life here in heaven. Since you mentioned him, and since I haven’t seen him in a while, perhaps he did take my advice and go to see the triad.” Jaeda turned around to face Rhamiel, an expression of understanding on her face. “You really think he went to see the triad?” Rhamiel shrugged. “It’s possible. I don’t know why he wouldn’t go.” “You think he is worthy to stand in their presence?” “We are all angels, Jaeda,” Rhamiel explained. “I believe that we are all worthy to stand before the triad. Mihael was truly not happy. I can only hope that he did go to the triad and that they were able to liberate his saddened spirit.” Jaeda stared at Rhamiel in disbelief. He really believed what he was telling her. How could he possibly think that angels such as Mihael and Lucinda were worthy to stand before the triad? They were the highest-ranking of all angels, and at this moment it was possible that Mihael stood before them. Jaeda felt sick. “Rhamiel, do you think that the triad could help me?” “Of course, Jaeda. If you think you need their guidance, I would encourage you to go to them as well. Just know that I am always here if you would prefer to talk to me.” Jaeda smiled sweetly at Rhamiel. “Well thank you so much for your kindness, Rhamiel. I just really think that I need to talk to the triad. They would probably under- 54

stand my dilemma a little better than you. No offense of course.” “No offense taken at all, Jaeda. I only wish you peace.” Jaeda barely heard him as she moved to the three-hundred-year staircase and began to ascend the first few marble stairs. Her heart and mind were racing with anticipa- tion. “Good luck, Jaeda,” Rhamiel called after her, waving good-naturedly. Jaeda did not see him wave or hear his well wishes. All that her blank eyes could see was the marble stairs before her, leading to her destiny. * * * * * * * * * * Mihael knew that he was going in the right direction as the song continued to get louder. It called to him, guiding him through the maze of marble. Somehow he knew that wherever it ended it would be somewhere that he needed to be. Lucinda had given up try- ing to ask him anything. Instead of resisting him, she allowed him to drag her along on his mad dash. Her hand felt lifeless in his. She did not find a purpose in this, but then she also could not hear the song as he could. Turning right, right again, left, right, left, Mihael ran, following the song along the walls. Finally, he reached a long marble corridor and at the end was a pair of double doors. These doors were different than any other doors found throughout heaven. They were large like the doors leading into God’s castle, but these were not of gold. As Mihael came closer to them, he observed that they were a warm mahogany color, with intricate etchings and no gemstones to speak of. Reaching out to touch them, Mihael found that they were not cold like the golden doors but warm and with a strange texture that was slightly rough but not unpleasant. Having reached his destination, the music that he had been following slowed to a stop. “Lucinda,” he breathed, “Look.” Silently raising her head for the first time in ages, Lucinda’s blue eyes widened in 55

curiosity at the sight before her. “What are they made of?” she asked. “I’m not sure, but feel them.” Following Mihael’s instructions, Lucinda reached out her hand and touched the door, feeling the strange, new texture beneath her fingertips. “Interesting.” “Look at the etchings,” Mihael pointed out. His emerald eyes scanned the door in amazement. The intricate arrangements of petals that covered the door, sparsely inter- rupted by orbs of different shapes was so strange. Nothing in all of heaven was like it, yet somehow he had seen these before. Above the intricate design were four letters, two carved into each door. “E-D-E-N. Eden.” “That’s a rather peculiar name,” Lucinda commented. Her thin fingers traced over each letter delicately, and as she did so, the doors opened. What lay behind the heavy mahogany doors made both Mihael and Lucinda gasp. Never had they seen anything like this; a world of pure color, glistening brilliantly before them. “Wow,” Mihael exclaimed, captivated by the strange land before him, “should we go in?” Lucinda seemed too shocked to answer out loud, but she nodded to communicate her approval. Silently she held out her hand to him. Mihael slipped his fingers through hers, and hand in hand they crossed the threshold into Eden. Mihael’s eyes immediately closed in ecstasy. The ground beneath him was a jagged, green carpet, but it was softer than any cloud that he had ever felt. It was then that he recalled his vision. With a sharp intake of breath his eyes burst open. Looking around, Eden was exactly as he had foreseen it. He turned excitedly to Lucinda to tell her of his incredible revelation, but seeing her expression he could only smile. Her eyes were closed in complete bliss, and her face was radiant with a light that he had never seen before. Though he did not possess her particu- lar power, Mihael knew the happiness that she was feeling; it was the same glorious feeling 56

that was coursing through him. Gently he squeezed her hand. Her sapphire eyes sparkled as she looked at him and smiled. “C’mon,” he whispered, “there’s more that I want you to see.” Assuredly, Mihael led her off to the right of the strange world before them. As he had expected, there was the living blue ribbon, winding its way through the lush green carpet. It was filled with all dif- ferent variations of blue, even holding the deep sapphire of Lucinda’s eyes. Her small gasp beside Mihael made him laugh. “It reminded me of you.” “Mihael,” Lucinda breathed, “how did you know this was here? I mean you...you did know this was here...” She shook her head in disbelief, still gazing at the wonder that surrounded her. “I would never have believed a place like this existed if I weren’t here right n ow.” “I know,” he told her, brushing a stray hair out of her face, “but here we are. And yes, I did know that this was here. I saw it in my vision, Lucinda. I saw all of this. I can’t explain it, but...I know that I saw it.” His eyes searched her face, unsure whether or not she believed him. They had spent so much time together that Mihael could often read -Lu cinda’s expressions and know what she was thinking, but the expression that her eyes held now was a mystery to him. It was torture for him to be unable to read her feelings. Finally, she spared him. “I believe you, Mihael. I don’t know why, but I trust that you saw all of this. Maybe your visions really are a gift.” “Well I don’t know,” Mihael sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I mean, I saw the hallway with the pearly gates and I saw God’s castle and this place, but I was wrong about the triad. How can I see all of this accurately, and not be able to know what is going to happen within the places that I see?” Lucinda shrugged. “I don’t know, Mihael, but that is one amazing gift that you have. It beats my ability to see auras and project moods by a long shot.” 57

Mihael laughed. “It’s strange, though, because I believed so much that the pearly gates would open for us.” “Well they may not have opened for us, but we did get in. Sure it might not have been exactly as you saw it, but maybe your gift just needs some time to grow and be re- fined. You have never used any other power besides your conjuring powers right?” “Well until now, I had never considered my visions a power.” “That could be the problem then. Give your gift time to develop. When you com- bine that power with your conjuring abilities, you could wield some incredible power.” “Yeah, I guess so,” Mihael acknowledged, sitting down upon the soft green ground beneath him. He had no desire for more powers. He didn’t even really know why he, or any of the other angels for that matter, had powers at all. Glancing down into the blue ribbon flowing in front of him, Mihael could see himself reflected within it. The image troubled him. Here he was in this magical place, and yet he found himself troubled by his newfound power. Would his happiness always be tainted by heavenly problems? Unable to look at his somber reflection any longer, Mihael slapped at the reflection shining back at him within the blue ribbon. It promptly dissipated in cascading ripples. “Wow,” Lucinda gasped, mesmerized by the moving bands of blue. “That was amazing.” “Touch it,” Mihael told her, “it feels so strange, and it moves where you command it .” Lucinda promptly dropped to her knees beside Mihael and shoved both hands into the water. She laughed at the feeling. The sound was so much like the music that had guided Mihael to this place that he felt at ease again. Looking around at the glorious scenery that surrounded them, Mihael said contentedly, “Lucinda, I think we’ve found the place where we belong.” Lucinda turned back to him and smiled. “Yes, Mihael, I think we have.” Chapter VI Forbidden Fruits

The days in Eden were wonderful. Mihael and Lucinda had the lucious surroundings all to themselves. Finding Eden had restored Lucinda’s spirit. She radiated a light of complete happiness as she lay upon the lush green ground, bathing in the soft glow of the setting sun. Mihael would watch her silent form for hours on end, studying her delicate features, engraving them forever into his memory. Days passed, and Mihael began to explore. He wandered among the large brown columns which possessed the arrangements of green petals. Mihael marveled at the orbs that each one held. Reaching to the top of one particularly large column that held shining red orbs, Mihael pulled one down. It was small within his hand, and he found it to have a pleasant scent. As he stood there contemplating the small red orb, Lucinda came to his side. “What are you doing?” she purred, smiling sweetly. “Just thinking,” he said, offhandedly. “What do you suppose these are?”

Lucinda took the small red orb from his hand and examined it. “I don’t know, really.” “I don’t know either,” Mihael replied, “but none of them are the same. Look at these over here.” He rushed off toward the next brown column which held orbs of a different shape and color. These orbs were light green, thinner at the top with a rounded bottom. They smelled sweet as well, but held a different scent. Lucinda did not seem to be paying 58 59

attention as Mihael brought over the other orb for her to examine. Instead, she raised the red orb to her lips. “What are you doing?” Mihael asked her, unnerved by her actions. “I can’t explain it,” she said, moving the orb slightly away from her mouth, “but I have this feeling like we’re supposed to do this. Eat these orbs, I mean. What harm could it possibly do?” Mihael glanced down skeptically at the orb in his own hand. He had never eaten before, and food was scarce in heaven. Surely none of the other angels would have encountered such an orb. If this were food, how could he be sure that it was safe? The only angels that were said to eat were the triad. Eating, of course, was not done out of necessity, but the triad ate to demonstrate their abundance of blessings from God. They were his chosen few, who were privileged enough to share in his libations. Supposedly they feasted upon the finest foods available. All other angels beneath them were to refrain from eating as a sacrifice to God. Looking upon the small, green orb in his hand, Mihael wondered if this might be a food that the triad dined upon. Lucinda was tired of waiting for Mihael to respond. Again she raised the red orb to her lips. “Wait,” Mihael called. He looked again at the small green orb still unsure, but unwilling to let Lucinda try this on her own. “Let’s both try it, together.” Lucinda smiled at him. “Alright, let’s try it.” Together each took their first bite of food. The firm, but soft orbs crunched with sweetness between their teeth. Both Lucinda and Mihael opened their eyes in wonder. Both were glowing. These orbs were definitely food, and after having eaten them, they became known to both Mihael and Lucinda. “Apple,” Lucinda breathed, craddling the fruit within her hands. “Pear,” Mihael returned, looking down at the fruit within his own hand. Suddenly 60

everything in Eden had a name and a purpose. The blue ribbon that flowed throughout Eden was a river, and the river was made of water. Throwing the fruit aside, Mihael ran toward the river and jumped in. The cool water rushed over his body, and passed through his lips. It was refreshing to taste, and he laughed as he scooped more into his mouth with his hands. Lucinda followed after him more slowly, still holding onto her apple. “C’mon,” he yelled to her, still gulping down water, “jump in!” Lucinda merely smiled at him and shook her head. “C’mon,” he yelled again, splashing water up on her. She jumped as the wet liquid hit her face, the surprise attack causing her to drop her apple. Intent on teaching Mihael a lesson, she dove into the water too, splashing about and laughing along with him. For hours they were content to play within the river, splashing one another and learning to swim. The water was wonderful, cool, and refreshing. They drank it, and it quenched a thirst they had not even realized existed within themselves. Crawling up onto the bank of the river still laughing, Mihael and Lucinda rested, breathing in the scent of fresh green grass beneath them. As Mihael looked at Lucinda, he realized that he finally knew what she was. “Lucinda,” he whispered, reaching out his hand and brushing a stray strand of wet hair from her face, “you’re beautiful.” She beamed at him. “So are you.” He smiled at her. Looking at Lucinda now, lying beside him with her strands of wet auburn hair falling onto her pale alabaster flesh and her brilliant sapphire eyes shining brightly, Mihael found her to be the most beautiful thing in Eden. Silently he wondered why he had never been able to call her beautiful before. Of course he had always sensed what she was; he had just never had the word for it. Completely mesmerized by her, Mihael laid on his side, propping himself up on his elbow so that he could watch her. Lucinda lay on her back in the grass beside him. Arms outstretched, she gazed up 61

into the evening sky in wonder. “This place is heaven,” she declared. “Yes, it is,” Mihael agreed. Still unable to remove his gaze from her, he found himself fighting the urge to touch her again. He recalled their brief touches before; how soft her skin was and how warm she was. She had not minded his touch then; perhaps she would not mind now. Slowly, his fingers edged toward her outstretched hand. Carefully he began to trace the thin lines of her palm. She laughed at his touch, quickly pulling her hand away. His heart froze. “Mihael, that tickles,” she laughed, turning her head to look at him. “Sorry,” he apologized, “I just had to touch you.” He hung his head, afraid to meet her gaze. Lucinda’s laughing slowed as she looked at him. Realizing how serious he was, she reached out, turning his face so that he was forced to meet her gaze. For several moments she stared at him, eyes wide. For a moment, Mihael feared that she would be disgusted by him, but she only continued to stare at him with an expression that he could not read. After several agonizing moments had passed between them, Lucinda began to slowly move toward him. “Mihael,” she breathed, positioning herself only inches away from him, “do you remember when you...when you kissed my forehead?” Mihael looked at her curiously. The word that she had used was new to him. He realized, though, that he had in fact kissed her; and now they both knew what his gesture of comfort was. As she lay beside him now, he wondered if kissing could provide more than mere comfort. Gently he reached out and stroked her cheek. “I remember,” he whispered.

“Maybe we could try it again, but differently?” she asked, her sapphire eyes locked on him. He didn’t know what to say to her, but having her confidence back, Lucinda took his silence as consent and slowly lowered her face to his. Mihael felt her soft warm lips 62

press against his own and could not help but hold his breath, afraid to shatter the moment. The contact was brief, and as Lucinda pulled away from him, he saw that her face was flushed with pink again. She was strange that way; forward one minute, and shy the next. He smiled at the color in her face, and reached out to play with her hair. She laughed and inclined her head toward his touch. Her eyes were playful and bright with passion. “I love you,” he whispered, surprised at his own words. Until that moment, he realized that he had never before known love. Heaven in all its glory had no concept of love. Here in Eden, however, love miraculously existed. It was fire and passion. The kiss that they had shared felt wonderful. He had to do it again. Relinquishing his restraint, Mihael leaned over and kissed her again, releasing all of the passion that he felt for her. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly to himself. When at last the kissing ended and they lay resting in each other’s arms, Lucinda murmured quietly into his neck, “I love you so much, Mihael.” Gently, she pressed one last gossamer kiss to the tender flesh of his neck before resting her head on his shoulder. He hugged her tighter, elated by her words. Night had fallen, and completely content, Mihael and Lucinda fell asleep in each other’s arms. * * * * * * * * * * Jaeda had been climbing the staircase for about a hundred years when she paused to rest. She sat gingerly on the stairs, her body rigid and tense. Two hundred years more, she thought, and I will be at the pearly gates. All that surrounded her were clouds and marble stairs. It was a desolate place, this three hundred year staircase, yet she had to remind herself that what awaited her at the end would be well worth it. My God waits for me, she thought. He surely knows that I am coming and shall welcome me with open arms. I am his latest creation, his finest masterpiece. God’s creations can only improve throughout the years after all. Smugly, she stuck her nose in the air, 63

though there was no one around to see the proud gesture. Becoming aware of her solitude, Jaeda rested her chin on her knees, rocking her small body back and forth on the marble stair. Silently she found herself envious of Mihael and Lucinda. They had made this journey together, and she had to make it alone. This strange sensation of loneliness was quite new to her. She pondered the possibility that this could be the feeling that Mihael had been speaking of. Feeling the most dismal spark of compassion toward him, Jaeda quickly chastised herself. How could you feel sorry for that blashphemous traitor? He isn’t worthy of seeing God. He doesn’t even belong to a class of angel. He is a mongrel. These truths shuddered through Jaeda’s tiny form, causing her to tremble. Quickly she stood, and pearly hair flowing out behind her, she raced up the marble stairs. Rest was irrelevant at this point. * * * * * * * * * * The golden sun rose over Eden, bathing everything in a warm, brilliant light. Mihael lay awake, with Lucinda still sleeping next to him, his arm casually draped around her waist. He could not wake her. Content to merely gaze upon her sleeping form, Mihael sighed. The journey up the three hundred year staircase had been worth it after all. While they had not seen God’s face, being here in Eden seemed like an even greater blessing. He wondered if he even needed to see God’s face to be happy anymore. Contemplating such thoughts, he began to stroke Lucinda’s hair. Feeling his fingers gently running through her auburn curls, Lucinda woke, smiling up at him sleepily. “Good morning,” she purred, snuggling closer to him, “how long have you been awake?” “Not long,” he told her, lightly kissing her forehead. The small contact was not enough, however, and he lowered his mouth to hers for a real kiss. She smiled as he gazed 64

down at her adoringly. “What were you doing, then?” “Just watching you,” he confessed, “and thinking.” “Thinking about what?” Mihael did not respond. Turning his gaze to the skies above, he pondered if he should tell Lucinda his thoughts. When he looked back at her, however, he knew the answer. Her sapphire eyes glittered with understanding, patiently awaiting his response. He knew that he could tell her anything. “I was just thinking that we might not need to see God’s face anymore. That maybe Eden is enough. Maybe we are enough.” To his relief, Lucinda smiled. “I know,” she agreed, “I feel the exact same way. Why do we need to see God anymore when we have seen this? It’s so beautiful, and you are so beautiful.” She touched his cheek, gazing at him in wonder. “My love,” she whispered. “I think I could be happy for eternity as long as you are with me,” he confessed. Taking her hand he raised it to his lips and kissed it. “Yes,” she breathed, “me too. Now how about we go for a walk?” She stood up and stretched, running a hand through her auburn curls, a gesture that had become a habit from seeing Mihael do it so many times. He grinned at her gesture but didn’t point it out to her. Quickly, he stood up beside her. “Why don’t I get us something to eat?” he suggested, finding himself surprsingly hungry. “Sure,” Lucinda responded, her gaze having wandered to the river behind him. “That would be nice.”

“Alright,” he agreed, kissing her quickly before bounding off to the tree where he had found the pears. Lucinda made sure that he was out of sight before she removed her robe and dove 65

into the water. The cool water rushed smoothly over her naked form, making her alabaster flesh clean of all bits of soil. The feeling was amazing, and somehow she had known that it would be. Gracefully, she glided through the water, floating on her back with her eyes closed. Standing at his pear tree, Mihael searched its branches for the most well formed pears. He pulled one down and bit into it. It was delicious. Quickly he gathered three more pears. Passing the other trees with their bountiful crop of fruit, Mihael picked cherries, peaches, and pomegranites. As he moved to return to the river where he had left Lucinda, he remembered her fondness for apples. He knew that she would be most happy if he brought her an apple. Luckily, that tree was closer to the river. Upon reaching the riverbank, however, Mihael did not see Lucinda. Setting the fruit down, he saw her robe lying discarded in the grass. He picked up the soft, white robe wondering where in Eden she could be. Angels never took off their robes as far as Mihael knew. Slightly worried, his emerald eyes surveyed the landscape. Carefully he came closer to the water’s edge, and what he saw made his face burn bright. Lucinda floated nearby, completely naked. The sight made Mihael feel strange. He was even more captivated by her now, yet somehow it felt wrong to watch her without her knowing that he was there. “Lucinda,” he called out quietly, but she did not hear him. “Lucinda,” he called again louder. Her eyes snapped open in a panic. Unable to think of anything else to say, Mihael blurted out,”I brought you some breakfast.” Lucinda screamed, thrashing about in the water. Mihael knew that she was embarrassed and quickly blocked her from his sight by burying his face in her robes. This was not a particularly helpful action since he breathed in her intoxicating scent. “Mihael!” she yelled, swimming over to the edge of the river, “don’t look at me!” Quickly, she scrambled onto the riverbank and ran to hide behind her apple tree. Mihael could not resist. He peaked out from her robes and caught a brief glance of her 66

shining alabaster form. It gave him an odd feeling of satisfaction. “Lucinda,” he called, carefully approaching the apple tree. “Please come out. There is nothing to be embarrassed about.” “Mihael!” she yelled, poking her head out from behind the tree, “stay right there and do not come any closer. Now throw me my robe.” “Lucinda---” “No! Throw me my robe! I can’t let you see me like this!” Mihael looked down at her robe clasped in his hands. She would be furious with him for what he was about to do, but before he could allow himself time to reconsider, he hurled her robe into the river. Lucinda shrieked in horror as her robe fell into the water and was quickly whisked away by the current. Stubbornly, she refused to run to the river to get it. Mihael stood watching her, wondering what she would do now. “How could you?” she yelled. Tears began to flow down her face. Mihael felt guilty about making her cry, but he truly believed that she had nothing to be embarrassed about. He adored her. If only he could prove that to her, he thought. Again he attempted to edge closer to the apple tree. “Stay where you are! Don’t come over here,” she commanded. Quickly she began pulling the small green leaves off of the tree, hoping to cover herself at least somewhat. Mihael couldn’t help but laugh at her. Feeling strangely confident he removed his own robes, and stood naked before her. He stood tall and strong, completely without shame. Upon seeing him, Lucinda’s face burned a fiery red. Though her face registered shame, her eyes did not leave his chiseled form. This time as he came near the tree she did not call for him to stop. Carefully he came around the tree until he stood in front of her.

She trembled before him, still attempting to cover herself with leaves. In a swift motion, Mihael cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately. She resisted him at first, but eventually allowed the leaves that she was holding fall to the CHAPTER VII The Power of Love

With each physical encounter, the bond between Mihael and Lucinda grew stronger. No longer were they ashamed to walk through the garden without their white robes. Lucinda’s robe hadn’t even been retrieved from the river yet. Ever since their afternoon under the apple tree, Lucinda had become happier than ever. She would often run into Mihael’s arms and kiss him for no reason at all. She laughed and danced along the river’s edge, gathering apples and singing as she did so. Mihael loved seeing her so happy. He, himself, had never been so at ease. One night after falling asleep to Lucinda’s singing, Mihael had a vision of small flying creatures. They filled the blue skies above and sang a song as beautiful as Lucinda’s. Mihael was astounded by the immense sounds that the tiny creatures produced. How delightful it was to hear their song throughout Eden. If only such creatures existed, he mused. The next morning as Mihael bathed in the river, Lucinda called to him excitedly. “Mihael! Mihael, come see!” Quickly, he ran from the river toward the sound of her voice. When he found her by his pear tree, she was gazing up within the branches. Following her eyes, Mihael’s jaw dropped as he saw two of the tiny creatures from his dream. They almost blended into the branches, but their song had alerted Lucinda to their presence. “What do you suppose they are?” she breathed.

“They’re birds,” Mihael replied. His emerald eyes sparkled as he continued to watch them in wonder. He had a strange feeling that he was somehow responsible for their 67 68

being in the tree. The two tiny creatures looked at him curiously. Extending his finger toward them, one of the birds flew down to him and perched upon his outstretched limb. Happily it chirped at him. “Amazing,” Lucinda remarked. Carefully, she reached out to touch the bird. It chirped anxiously at her, fluttering its wings in fear. “Shh,” Mihael whispered softly to it. The creature looked at him, as if for reassurance. He nodded to it. Lucinda watched the interaction in amazement. Slowly she held out her hand, and the small bird hopped over onto her palm. It sat there singing its beautiful song. Mihael smiled at Lucinda, and she returned his smile. The small creature sang for both of them. Mihael came over to Lucinda’s side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “He’s beautiful isn’t he?” “Yes,” Lucinda replied, as she raised her hand and the small bird rose into the air. The other bird that had remained upon the branch of the pear tree also took flight. Mihael and Lucinda watched as they soared across the cerulean sky. “How did they ever get here? I’ve never seen them before.” “Lucinda,” Mihael said quietly, “I think I brought them here.” “What?” “I know it’s strange, but I saw those birds in a vision the other night. I think they were actually inspired by your singing.” He blushed slightly at the sentiment. “Hmm,” Lucinda pondered, “if my singing can cause you to produce such lovely creatures, I shall have to sing for you always.” Mihael smiled down at her. “I would like that very much.”

Lucinda smiled back at him, and as they walked back to their favorite spot along the riverbank, Lucinda began to sing. * * * * * * * * * * 69

Running up the marble stairs had been a bad idea. Jaeda had only been traveling for fifty years when she had to pause and rest. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the stairs, her eyelids falling closed instantaneously. Through a haze of white mist, a white ribbon danced for her. Jaeda watched it, hypnotized by the smooth movements. Drawing closer to it, she saw that the creature was alive. It swayed, back and forth, in a strange dance that was both beautiful and dangerous. Jaeda was not afraid, though. She approached the moving white creature and smiled at it. “Hello there,” she sang to it. The creature swayed a greeting to her. “Would you like to come along with me? I’m going to see God you know.” The white creature hissed at her, but she only smiled. “Come now,” she chastised it, “God is the mighty creator. All things exist to serve him. Wouldn’t you like to serve him?” The creature swayed, as if undecided. “Well come with me anyway, I could use the company.” Patiently she held out her arm, and the white creature slithered onto it. Jaeda woke up well rested, and found herself gazing into the small, beady eyes of the white creature from her vision. Somehow she was not surprised to find it by her side. The thin, white body was reminiscent of her own opal coloring. Ecstatic, she smiled.

“I’m a conjurer,” she whispered. Conjuring was the gift that she had hoped for. It was rare among the opal angels, and sadly the only other opal angel who was known to possess this gift was Tabbris. The fool had never used his power, though. How often Jaeda had wished for his power, contemplating all of the incredible things that she could do with it. Now, before she was even five hundred years old, she had developed her own angelic power. It gave her a sense of pride since most angels did not discover their power until at least seven hundred years old. Solemnly she vowed that she would use her gift and work wonders in the holy name of God. Returning her attention to the white creature, she 70

asked, “well little one, what might I call you?” She reached out her small hand to feel the peculiar looking body. The texture was something that she had never seen before. Tiny, shimmering scales covered the winding creature, and with the brief contact she knew what it was. “Snake,” she cooed, rubbing it gently under its scaly jaw with her index finger. It swayed, content at her touch. “Come,” she commanded it. The scaly snake slithered up her arm, coming to rest around her shoulders, eagerly obeying its mistress. “We shall climb this staircase together, you and I. My companion.” The snake hissed its approval in her ear. Jaeda smiled smugly as she began to ascend the stairs yet again. And this time, she was no longer alone. * * * * * * * * * * Mihael continued to have vivid visions during his slumber. He saw other creatures besides the birds. Creatures that walked on four legs, that had different textures, and that lived in the trees, on the ground, or in the water. With each vision the creatures came to life. Soon the garden was full of them. Animals, Mihael came to call them. He was particularly fond of the fish that swam in the river of Eden. They moved swiftly about his legs as he stood in the water, their scales feeling strange, but not unpleasant. He would often laugh as they moved their mouths against his soft skin. Lucinda preferred the cats that roamed about the garden. Often she could be found playing with the small kittens, but she also loved the larger cats. A tiger and a panther always flanked her when she walked throughout the garden. When she was with Mihael, though, the animals seemed to respect their privacy and would leave them alone.

One night, after Mihael and Lucinda made love, Lucinda spoke a secret desire to Mihael. “I want to create something with you,” she said, softly, her head resting on his 71

warm chest. “I don’t know if that’s possible,” Mihael told her, truthfully, stroking her auburn locks. “The only things that I have ever conjured have come into being during sleep. I don’t believe I’ve ever been awake when I’ve conjured any of these creatures.” “Couldn’t we at least try?” she begged him, raising herself up so that she could look into his eyes. Her desire was so strong that it was difficult to express any doubt in the matter. He knew that he could not make her any promises, but he would agree to try with her. “Alright,” he conceded, “we will try. I don’t know how we will achieve this, but we will try to create something together. Do you have any idea what you want to create?” “I want to make creatures like us,” she whispered. “Please don’t misunderstand. The creatures that you have already conjured are wonderful, but I think it would be wonderful to create other beings like us.” She looked up at him shyly, afraid of his reaction. At first, Mihael was stunned. The idea of creating beings similar to themselves seemed sinful. Angels were God’s work, and no matter how strong of a conjuring power an angel possessed, creating another angel was out of the question. Such a task had never been attempted. Still, Mihael hated to tell Lucinda no. He didn’t want to disappoint her. Sighing, he tried to carefully phrase his response. “Lucinda, I can’t promise you that such a task is even possible. I am still getting used to my conjuring power, and I am not entirely sure how it works. I want more than anything to create something with you. Whether it will be another being like us I do not know, but I promise you that we shall try. Together, perhaps we can accomplish this.” “That’s all that I ask for,” she replied, snuggling closer to him. “I only want you to try with me.” “We will try, but not now. Let’s wait until morning.” 72

“Agreed.” The night seemed to pass quickly, and for the first time in a long time, Mihael did not have a vision. It troubled him a little, but perhaps he was conserving his power. It seemed like a reasonable explanation, he thought. The task before him felt even more daunting than climbing the three-hundred-year staircase. As it was becoming a custom, Lucinda lay still sleeping beside him. This morning, however, Mihael did not stare at her until she woke up. Instead, he wriggled himself carefully away from her and went out for a walk. The animals were just stirring as he walked past them. He noticed that both the tiger and the panther quickly raced off to guard their beloved Lucinda. No matter how many times he walked over the grounds of Eden, it never got boring. As he passed a peach tree, he reached up into the branches and retrieved some breakfast for himself. Not quite ready to eat, though, he tossed the peach back and forth between his hands, wondering why he was so bothered by Lucinda’s request. Squirrels and rabbits scampered around his feet, and while he usually found their frolicking amusing, today he found himself annoyed by it. “Leave me,” he commanded, and quickly the small creatures rushed to obey his words. Soon he found himself completely alone on a wide stretch of open grass. Though he had just woken up, he felt exhausted. He collapsed onto the grass, arms outstretched, and sighed. The clouds tumbled across the blue sky, seeming heavier than usual. All that he wanted to do was lie here and wait for an answer to come to him, but within moments his peace was shattered. “Mihael?” Lucinda called from somewhere nearby. “Mihael? Where are you?” His first instinct told him to hide, but as he stood to run, Lucinda and her two feline guards came into view. He moaned, angry that he had not been faster. “Mihael,” Lucinda called, coming toward him, “why did you leave me this morning. It’s not like you.” 73

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I just needed some time to think.” “Well what are you thinking about?” she asked, curiously. Mihael sighed, running his hand through his hair and beginning to pace. “It’s hard to explain, and I’m not really ready to say just yet. It’s just that this whole creation thing is giving me a bad feeling. I’ve never done it before, and it’s such a risky use of power.” Unsure of what else to say, he paused. Before he could even find words to continue, Lucinda interrupted him. “So you don’t even want to try?” she cried, tears forming in her eyes. “All that I want is for you to try to create another being with me. I know that it may not be possible, but you promised me that you would at least try. Do you really not want to even try with me? Do you honestly believe me to be so inferior that you won’t even attempt this with me?” The tears poured out of her eyes, streaming down her face onto the ground. Her feline companions rubbed against her legs, attempting to comfort her. She reached her hands out, touching each large cat upon the head, as though they were supporting her swaying form. Mihael didn’t know what to say. How could she ever think that he would see her as inferior? He held great respect for her power. He loved her and had proven that to her many times. Looking at her now, Mihael realized that she was not the confident angel that he had once thought. She was vulnerable and often insecure. While he knew that this discussion was difficult for her to understand, he would never hurt her intentionally. He just had to let her know that he didn’t even understand the magnitude of his conjuring power. What she was asking him to do was an incredible task. It would change everything. “Lucinda, please----” he began, but she would not hear it.

Turning quickly she raced away from him, her auburn hair flying out behind her, gleaming in the morning sun. The panther raced along at her side, but the tiger stayed behind to ensure that Mihael did not follow her. It growled angrily at him, barring its teeth 74

and snarling. Frustrated with both himself and Lucinda, Mihael threw the peach across the open field of green and stalked off in the opposite direction of Lucinda. He would wait for her to come back to him, and in the meantime, he thought, he might discover the reason for his uneasiness. Hours passed. Mihael lay quietly under the shade of an orange tree, his brow furrowed in frustration. Being alone made him think that perhaps he had been too insensitive to Lucinda’s feelings. On the other hand, he wondered if his feelings for her were overpowering his better judgment. For whatever reason, he didn’t feel right about creating a whole new being with her. God was the great creator, not he. Why couldn’t Lucinda just be happy with their life in Eden? Mihael ran a hand through his hair, wondering what she was doing right now. Slowly he got to his feet, debating if he should give in and go look for her. He didn’t like being away from her for so long, knowing that things between them were not right. While she had been the one to run away from him, all that he wanted was to hold her again. After only a few more moments, Mihael surrendered. He concluded that he would not let his stubborn pride prevent him from spending as much time as possible with Lucinda, even if she was angry with him. Moving quickly, he returned to the river to a strange scene. Lucinda sat at the river’s edge with her feet in the water, sculpting small figures out of the soil. Beside her sat a sphere of soil with masses carved into its surface. Her hands and arms were covered in mud, and there was a smudge of it across her right cheek. Mihael went to her side and sat down, plunging his own feet into the water. “Lucinda, what are you doing?” “Well I thought since you won’t help me create another being like us, I would make my own.” “Well if this is all that you meant when you spoke about creating other beings like us, I would’ve gladly helped you,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood. 75

“It’s the best I can do, okay? I don’t have the ability to create things out of thin air like you do, though if I did I doubt that I would waste such a fantastic power.” She spat, glaring at him, her sapphire eyes cold and hard. Mihael cringed at her hurtful words. He didn’t feel like he was wasting his power. He just didn’t know how to use it yet. Casting his eyes down in shame, Mihael’s gaze fell upon the figure in Lucinda’s hand. It was far more intricate than he had originally thought. “Is that what I really look like?” Lucinda looked longingly at the small mud figure. Her cold eyes melted, and a single tear fell upon it. Mihael wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close, kissing the top of her head. She remained silent, not returning his embrace, but not pushing him away either. Finally she spoke. “It’s supposed to be a mixture of each of our features.” Mihael looked even closer at it. Sure enough, the figure possessed his eyes and nose, but with Lucinda’s hair. “Now this is a gift,” he marveled, gently pulling the small figure from her hands. He held it carefully, afraid to smudge it’s carefully sculpted features. She had taken great care with every detail of his finely pronounced features. Her small fingers really had brought another being to life. He looked at her in wonder. “How can you create things like this and still idolize my power. You created this with your own hands. I can’t do anything like that.” “How do you know? Have you ever tried?” “Lucinda, I know I couldn’t do this, at least not how you did it. With conjuring, I create things with my mind. My thoughts form the finished product. Sometimes it feels empty, conjuring things, because I didn’t create them with my own hands. I didn’t feel them come to life beneath my fingertips. What you have done is amazing. With your own hands, you have formed another being from the soil of Eden.” 76

Lucinda did not respond. Her eyes were locked on the small figure craddled in Mihael’s hands. Minutes passed in silence. Mihael could not tolerate it. He had to hear her voice. “So what is that?” he asked, nodding toward the fairly large sphere of soil. Gently, Lucinda picked it up and held it in her lap. Her fingers lightly traced each mass on its surface. Quietly she answered, “This is Earth. It’s home to my creation.” “Earth,” Mihael repeated, “I like it.” Lucinda offered him a weak smile. He could tell that she was not satisfied with her creations. While they were perfectly formed, they did not possess a life force. Carefully, he set the male figure down, and gently pulled the sphere from Lucinda’s lap, setting it alongside the mud figure. Turning back to her with his emerald eyes blazing, Mihael cupped Lucinda’s face in his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Lucinda. I love you. You are beautiful and you inspire me. Without you none of this would be here. I may have the power, but what you have is a passion that is so intense that you could do anything. While it was my power that created Eden it was our love that made it paradise. How can you not see that?” “I do love you,” she responded slowly, her voice cracking with emotion, “but I don’t feel like I had a hand in creating this. When you conjured those beautiful birds, yes, they were inspired by me, but it was you who was their creator. That bird obeyed you and would only come to me once you instructed it to do so. I want to create something that has that same bond with me.” Her eyes were shining with tears as she confessed her deepest desire. Mihael could think of nothing to say to comfort her. Feeling defeated, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Next to him, Lucinda began to cry. Slowly, Mihael reached out and wiped the smear of mud and tears from her face. She kissed his palm and began trailing kisses up his arm. Wanting to show her how much he loved her, Mihael 77

pulled her face to his own for a passionate kiss. Needing to feel his love, Lucinda threw herself into his arms. He happily embraced her, holding her body tightly to his own. Both of their kisses held traces of desperation. After making passionate love, they fell asleep peacefully in each other’s arms. Mihael raised his hands and the sphere of soil rose into the air. Slowly it began to turn. As he looked down upon the plain brown sphere, he felt that it needed more color. The large masses he covered with the grasses of Eden, though he was careful to leave patches of the soil, so that Earth would not forget its humble origins. The vast area of the Earth he covered in water. It was a water as blue and deep as Lucinda’s eyes. How often he felt himself drowning in her gaze, yet he loved that feeling. Carefully, he lifted the mud figure and placed him on the Earth. Blowing a breeze over the Earth, the figure drew in his breath and was filled with life. Mihael smiled down at him. He could not exist alone. Quickly, Mihael closed his eyes and thought of Lucinda. He drew on all of his love for her, and upon opening his eyes, he saw both, male and female, walking upon the Earth. He felt satisfied, and saw that what they had both created was in fact good. Mihael felt his face break into a smile as he woke up, stretching his arms and back as he sat up. He was eager to tell Lucinda of his vision, but as he turned to speak to her, he found himself quite alone on the riverbank. Looking around, the Earth and figure were gone as well. Quickly rising to his feet, Mihael called for Lucinda. “Lucinda!” he yelled, looking around for any traces of movement. “Lucinda!” “Mihael!” her voice floated through Eden, “come see this!” “Where are you?” “I’m in the middle of the garden. Hurry!”

Her voice registered excitement, but still Mhael felt nervous. His visions were almost always accurate now. He wondered if his vision from the night before could possibly have come into being. Running through Eden, he caught a glimpse of Lucinda’s 78

lush auburn hair through the trees. Quickly, he ran toward her, and as she turned to face him, he saw that she was beaming. She ran to him, and he opened his arms to embrace her. “Thank you! Thank you!” she cried into his neck, showering him with kisses. “For what?” he asked, bewildered. Abruptly she jumped from his arms and grabbed his hand. “Come on, “she said excitedly, “come look!” As he followed her to where she had been standing, Mihael’s heart froze in astonishment as he saw Earth floating before him. They had done it. The perfect collaboration between himself and Lucinda danced before his eyes, spinning slowly and peacefully in the early morning sun. It was an amazing sight to behold. “We did it,” Lucinda breathed, smiling brilliantly at his side. This was her wish realized, and she had truly had a hand in it. Her sapphire eyes glittered up at him with the deepest adoration. “I love you so much, Mihael.” “I love you too,” he replied, smiling down at her. Gently, he caressed her face, lowering his lips to hers for a kiss. She returned his kiss and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed his hand to the small of her back, pulling her body lightly against his. “Make love to me,” she whispered into his ear. He didn’t need her to tell him twice. It was not only an expression of their love for one another, but it was a celebration of all that they had. Life in Eden was truly utopia; they had each other for endless love and acceptance, and now they had Earth. Life had never been so sweet for either of them. When they finally pulled away from each other, both radiated a halo of soft, pink light.

“You’re glowing,” Mihael breathed, “and I can see it.” “Yes,” Lucinda laughed, “you’re glowing too.” For several minutes, all that they could do was stare at each other. The light that 79

each radiated was beautiful. “I want to feel this way forever,” Lucinda said. “I know,” Mihael answered, “we have to make this last.” Lucinda looked over at the Earth, still peacefully spinning. Quickly she looked back at Mihael, her eyes shining with an idea. “Mihael,” she whispered, “let’s blanket the Earth in this light, so that our creations can share in our love and we will preserve this feeling forever.” Grasping the brilliance of her plan, he smiled down at her. “You amaze me.” She returned his smile and, taking his hand, led him over to the Earth. Standing opposite of him with their beautiful creation between them, Lucinda and Mihael grasped each other’s hands. Eyes closed, they focused their energies on preserving the superb aura of happiness. The glow that they shared floated from themselves onto the Earth. Once they felt that the transfer was complete, Mihael and Lucinda opened their eyes and smiled at one another. “Now our creation will forever be cloaked in the veil of our love,” Lucinda whispered. “What a glorious atmosphere,” Mihael returned. CHAPTER VIII A Snake in the Garden

Jaeda arrived at the top of the three-hundred-year staircase feeling exhilarated. Ever since discovering her conjuring power, she had not been able to sleep. To some extent she found this to be a problem since conjuring occurred only during periods of slumber. Still, she smiled brightly at her first creation.The white snake lay coiled around her neck, its beady eyes following the long hallway of glass pillars curiously. “Yes,” Jaeda whispered to it, “just down this hallway is my Lord.” Head held high, she glided forward. Her stride was swift, and in no time at all, she found herself standing in front of the pearly gates. Her tiny hands reached forward and grasped the bars. She pulled at them, but to no avail. Feeling somewhat discouraged at this new development, Jaeda rested her face between the bars, gazing in awe at the beautiful white gold castle in the distance. I belong there, she thought. It was my destiny to come here, and someday this castle will be my home instead of the lowly opal wing.

Carefully she pulled the snake from her neck and held him in front of her face so that he would look at her. White eyes met black eyes as she instructed the creature, “Go, my dear companion. Go and see the land beyond these bars, but then come back to me. I must get inside

The snake bowed its small head to her, indicating that it did indeed understand its mission. She smiled at it, rubbing its scaly head affectionately before setting it down just 80 81

inside the bars. Through the clouds that covered the ground, it slithered away, cutting only a thin line through the haze of white. Jaeda watched as her creation crawled to the castle, disappearing behind it. Sighing, she let herself rest, leaning against the bars. Her eyes fixed once again on the castle. It was glorious. The structure and detail was absolutely exquisite, and as her blank eyes continued to scan its obvious perfection, one of the large front doors opened, and a figure emerged. “Hello!” she called out. “Please, I beg of you, come let me in!” The figure stopped at the sound of her voice, turning his golden head in the direc- tion of the gates. Slowly, he floated toward her. “Another angel? So soon?” Andres asked, his head tilted slightly in curiosity. “So they’ve already come,” Jaeda whispered, feeling angry that Mihael and Lucinda really had possessed the audacity to come here. Those unworthy abominations. Her tiny hands squeezed the bars so tightly, that her already white skin became almost transparent. “Sorry?” Andres asked, “I didn’t quite catch that.” “Oh, nothing,” Jaeda laughed, “I was just hoping for an audience with Abdiel. I have some information about the two angels that came here before me that he might be interested in.” “We have already heard their case,” Andres informed her. “Abdiel dismissed it. I doubt that he is interested in hearing more about the matter. He was quite aggitated by their request to be honest. To harp on it would only anger him further.” “With all due respect,” Jaeda hissed through gritted teeth, “I think he will be interested to hear of their blasphemous actions. I have come to state my own grievances about their utter lack of respect for our great God and creator, not to mention their fellow angels.” Andres looked at her skeptically. 82

“Abdiel and Ariella are not in the best of moods. I do not think that this is the best time for you to be here.” “Please, I implore you to open the gates. I have come this far, and all on my own. Have mercy, and do not turn me away.” Sadly, the topaz eyes of Andres once again registered mercy. “Alright,” he conceded, “I shall allow you entry, but please, do not anger Abdiel further. If he commands you to leave, leave. If he wishes to hear your case, state it. Do as he asks, for both of our sakes. Now stand back.” Jaeda’s heart pounded as she scrambled to move away from the gates. Waving his hands once more, Andres opened the pearly gates to allow her passage. Holding her breath, Jaeda stepped across the border from the lower echelons of heaven to the highest. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment. I shall never leave, she swore to herself. “Come,” Andres instructed. Turning quickly on his heel, he marched nervously back toward the castle. The whole way he silently prayed that he had made the right deci- sion so that he would not have to endure Abdiel’s scathing comments again so soon. Jaeda eagerly followed beside him, her white eyes almost glowing in anticipation. Andres felt a slight shiver race down his spine. Though they were still God’s creations, he found blank opal eyes quite eerie. Jaeda’s mouth fell open in amazement as she was led inside. The grandeur of the castle was almost overwhelming to the small opal angel, though she would never admit it. Before she even realized where she was being taken, Jaeda found herself standing in front of both Abdiel and Ariella. Quickly she genuflected, nearly losing her balance. “Andres,” boomed the voice of Abdiel, “what is the meaning of this? You dare to bring another angel here already?” “Please, Abdiel, I beg you to hear her case. You have already heard the case of Mi- hael and Lucinda. How could I turn her away when we have listened to them?” 83

“It was only because of you that we had to listen to them,” Abdiel harshly pointed out. “One would think that you might learn from that mistake, but clearly you’ve learned nothing.” Glaring coldly at him, Abdiel leaned back in his throne with his arms folded across his broad chest. His eyes burned with fury. “I apologize,” Andres murmured, hanging his head. “Would you like me to escort her back to the gates?” Alarmed at her early dismissal, Jaeda quickly stepped forward toward Abdiel. “Please,” she began, ignoring Andres’s warning, “I came to inform you of the blas- phemy of these two angels. They are, I believe, a threat to God; and they compromise the peace of heaven.” “Insolent!” Abdiel shouted at her. He lashed out with his power, sending her to the floor, writhing in pain. “You dare to address me, you lowly opal angel! You are of the low- est class of angel! How dare you speak to me with such audacity!” “Please,” Jaeda gasped, “I come here with important news.” “In the name of all that is holy, give it up Abdiel,” declared Ariella, flipping her long mane of honey-gold hair. She folded her own arms across her chest, and glared at him. “Let the poor angel talk. She is young after all and has yet to learn her rightful place in heaven. I am sure she did not intentionally mean to offend your infinite greatness.”

“No,” Jaeda breathed, “I would never be so bold as to deliberately offend any of y ou .” Abdiel turned his scathing gaze upon Ariella. “You,” he hissed, his body shaking with rage, “you allow them to speak. Let us hear their case you said. Well the case of the two angels before her was a complete waste of our time, and now you expect me to waste more time listening to this one who is of a lower class than even they were. What matter of hers could be so important?” Jaeda winced at his words. Hearing that he viewed her as lower than Mihael and 84

Lucinda was a blow to her confidence. She at least belonged to a traditional class of angel unlike those two who were the roaming mongrels of heaven. Still, she decided to remain silent since Abdiel had not yet released her from his power. Meanwhile, Ariella continued her debate. “It’s not as if we have so much to do here, Abdiel,” she reasoned. “As you said, our lives were not meant to be complicated. When angels come to us with problems I think we owe it to them to listen. They are, after all, not as privileged as we are. You and I have never descended to their level of heaven, perhaps it is not so wonderful there.” “It’s not,” Jaeda confirmed. “There, you see,” Ariella smiled sweetly at him, “just show a little understanding toward them. That is all they want.” The golden clouds in her eyes swirled. “You believe yourself to be understanding? Ariella, the princess of the holy triad who would love to usurp me in power? You don’t understand anything. All that you want to do is oppose me. You thrive on conflict with me. Am I right, Andres?” “Abdiel,” Andres began slowly, “I do not believe that Ariella is always trying to oppose you. Granted, at times she does, but in this case I believe that she is just trying to make you see reason. What is so wrong with listening to our fellow angels? As she has rightfully pointed out, we don’t have much else to do.” Abdiel glared at Andres. “Fine. I shall hear her case, but mark my words it will be pointless. These lower level angels are just ungrateful and looking for something to com- plain about. Perhaps that is why you favor them so much Ariella?” “Abdiel,” Ariella replied patiently, “since you are so concerned with wasting time, why don’t we get started on hearing her case since you have finally agreed to it?”

Abdiel was livid with anger, but he held his power in check. “Fine. Andres take your seat, and you, what is your name?” “My name is Jaeda,” she answered, getting slowly to her feet. “I am the youngest of 85

the opal angels.” “Well Jaeda you realize that we are the supreme justices, charged with carrying out God’s holy will. We will determine your fate. Our word is final. Do you understand this?” “I do.” “Proceed.” “Thank you angel Abdiel. I have come here today to discuss the behavior of the two experimental angels, Mihael and Lucinda. With all of you being so preoccupied up here, they have become prideful. They believe themselves superior to the rest of us. Lu- cinda was even so bold as to use her power against me. It is offensive and a clear abuse of the power that God has issued to us. They are also still missing. I predict that they are still lurking somewhere in your sacred castle.” “Is that all?” Abdiel asked, rolling his eyes. Jaeda’s eyes blinked in confusion. “Well, yes. They are missing, and they could still be up here somewhere.” Abdiel waved his hand, laughing at the idea. “Please. We dismissed those two ages ago. They are probably wherever they normally reside.” “That’s just it, Abdiel. They don’t have a place to belong. Normally Mihael sulks around the staircase or lies out on the balcony amidst the clouds, but he is not there any- more. No one has seen Lucinda either, and Rhamiel said that he advised Mihael to come here. So I thought---” Abdiel held up his hand to silence her. “Jaeda, just because you cannot find them does not mean that they are still here. If I looked like them I would not want to be found either. Besides, heaven is a large place. You could not possibly know that they are missing. Now why don’t you just go back to your own wing of heaven, and not worry so much. This is heaven. Relax.” Jaeda was surprised at his reaction. Unable to stop herself she asked, “did you not 86

hear any of what I just said?” A small giggle escaped Ariella. “Excuse me?” Abdiel asked, his voice cold. He stood up from his throne and stepped down to stand in front of her. Jaeda cowered in fear before him. His topaz eyes burned into her small body, and his power crackled around him, threatening to lash out at her if she were to move. “Are you implying that I cannot hear? Perhaps you think I am a slow-witted leader? Or are you just so insolent as to question my judgment?” “I didn’t mean----” Abdiel’s power exploded from him, hitting Jaeda hard in the face. Her delicate form hit the marble floor with a sickening crack as her back broke. Crying out in pain, her own power quickly sparked to heal her injuries. All angels had the ability to heal them- selves, though it was rumored that with enough power an angel could in fact be killed. With Jaeda lying motionless on her still healing back, Abdiel came to tower over her. “Abdiel, stop!” Ariella commanded, standing up herself. “That’s your problem you know. You never let anyone explain themselves to you. You ask them questions and then lash out at them with your power when they try to respond. You’re a power obsessed brute. Perhaps Jane here has a point. Angels should not be allowed to use their powers against one another. Such behavior does not make for a peaceful environment. Look at the conflict we have.” “Sit down Ariella. Do not speak out against me in front of the lowly one. That is your problem and hers for that matter. You both need to be taught your place. Lucinda was just trying to teach you your place little opal, and you would have done well to re- member her lesson. I am not so merciful as she, I’m sure.” Jaeda’s face was wracked with pain as her bones slowly mended. At that moment, she regretted having even climbed the staircase. “Abdiel, please, don’t hurt her further,” Andres interjected. 87

“No,” Abdiel barked, turning his firey gaze on Andres, “I should have hit you with my power. Your back would not have broken considering your obvious lack of spine.” “Abdiel, insulting me will not cool your anger,” Andres reasoned, still turning slightly red. “Perhaps not, but it does give me at least some small gratification.” “That’s just sad, Abdiel,” Ariella told him, shaking her head. “Silence, both of you! I will not have this utter lack of respect. God appointed me as leader, and so by divine proclamation, I am the one in charge here!” “No, we were all assigned to reign over heaven. One angel cannot hold such re- sponsibility. It is not possible,” Ariella declared. “I was created first,” Abdiel reminded them. “I am God’s chosen one.” “Abdiel, we are all sacred due to the simple fact that we are creations of God. Every angelic life is chosen by him and thusly valued,” Andres proclaimed. “Stop! Stop! Stop!” Abdiel screamed, lashing out with his power and striking all of them. “Now,” his voice boomed, “you will all heed my commands. Is that understood?” Ariella held a hand to her face which was still stinging from Abdiel’s attack, An- dres crawled toward Jaeda’s small form which was now emitting more white sparks due to the new injuries dealt to her. Abdiel turned away from the scene in disgust. “I am going to see God! Since you all refuse to listen to me, perhaps you will listen to him!” Turning forcefully on his heel, Abdiel stormed from the throne room and up the sweeping marble staircase behind his throne. Slowly, Ariella came over to Jaeda. The small opal angel had finally finished heal- ing and her eyes fluttered open. “Come on, Jane,” Ariella said, extending her hand to the young angel,”stand up.” “It’s Jaeda. Thank you.” “No problem at all. Now that Abdiel is gone, perhaps you can finish explaining 88

your case to us.” “Yes, Jaeda, please continue,” Andres agreed. Jaeda nodded, quickly continuing her explanation. * * * * * * * * * * Through the clouds and around the back of the castle, the white snake slithered. It crawled forward, coming upon the maze of white marble. Emitting a hiss, its bright red tongue picked up the scent of apples. It was tantalizingly delicious. Quickly the small, thin creature raced through the maze, its tongue flicking up and down the whole way. In no time at all, it reached the mahogany door, still ajar. Cautiously its small form squirmed inside. The air within the garden was heavy with the scent of fruit. So captivated by the smell, the white snake swayed back and forth in pleasure. The moment of bliss was short- lived, however, as the sound of voices could be heard floating through the air. Silently, the snake slithered on, recalling its mission. Through the tall grass it made its way, enjoying the feel of each individual blade on its scaly body and still tasting the mouth-watering apples on its tongue. Just before it reached the clearing, its beady black eyes locked on the figures of Mihael and Lucinda. “Now our creation will forever be cloaked in the veil of our love,” Lucinda whis- pered. “What a glorious atmosphere,” Mihael returned. The snake quietly hissed, making its way up into the nearby apple tree to get a bet- ter view. Its white body was difficult to camouflage in this land of color, but it moved skill- fully among the branches, curling its body around a low-hanging limb that was covered with many leaves. The black eyes followed the two angels, as hand-in-hand, they walked toward the tree where it lay hidden. “I really couldn’t be happier,” Lucinda sighed, twirling around in front of Mihael. He laughed. “I’m glad for that. I only want you to be happy.” 89

“Hmm,” she purred, “are you happy too, then?” “I am happy as long as I am with you, and I must admit, you were right. Creating the Earth together only brought us closer. I’m sorry I ever doubted you,” he apologized, reaching for her hand and raising it to his lips for a kiss. “Forgive me, my love.” “You are forgiven,” she smiled wrapping her arms around his neck for a real kiss. He held her in his arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. After a while he spoke. “Since it has been such a long morning, how about some breakfast?” Reaching up into the tree, Mihael plucked an apple from a low-hanging branch. The snake moved to avoid his touch, rustling the leaves as it did so. “What was that?” Lucinda asked, turning to gaze up into the branches. Her sap- phire eyes widened as she caught sight of the white creature. “Mihael, what is that?” Mihael looked up in the direction of her gaze. His own emerald eyes opened in surprise. “I have never seen that creature before.” “Did you conjure him?” “No.” “I don’t like that creature,” Lucinda whispered, shivering. “How did it get here?” “I don’t know,” Mihael admitted, “but I don’t like it either. Be gone!” He waved his arm at it. The snake hissed angrily, lashing out at him with its sharp fangs exposed. Its venom dripped to the ground. Jumping away from it, Mihael narrowly avoided the attack. Quickly the snake slithered back down the tree, headed back toward the mahogany door. As it reached the ground, it crawled between Mihael and Lucinda. In a panic, she moved to crush its head with her foot, but the snake bit her heel.

Lucinda let out a cry of pain as the sharp fangs pierced her tender flesh and venom flooded her body. Mihael reached out to wrap an arm around her waist, preventing her from falling. As he did so, the snake made its escape. 90

* * * * * * * * * * “And that is why I came here,” Jaeda finished. “Yes,” Ariella whispered, “yes, I see that you had good reason to come here. Those two could very well be up to no good. We must look into this matter at once. Little opal, are you ready to perform your duty to God?” “Yes, my angel Ariella,” Jaeda replied, bowing humbly. “I am more than ready to serve my God.” “I want you to find those two angels,” Ariella instructed. “I want you to bring them here, and we shall find out exactly what they are up to. I had my doubts about them from the start you know. Experimental angels.” She shuddered in disgust. “Now Ariella,” Andres interjected, “we have no real reason to assume that Mihael and Lucinda are causing any disturbance in heaven whatsoever. Jaeda, I thank you for your testimony, but we cannot just assume that they are out to disturb the peace of heaven. Yes, they had come here, but they only showed curiosity, not malice, from what I ob- served.” “Andres,” Ariella said quietly, shaking her head, “we must nip these matters in the bud. We, the holy triad, have been charged with guarding the peace of heaven. No other job in heaven is more important. Just think if we were to fail. How could we ever live with ourselves?” “Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a little, Ariella?” “I most certainly do not think that I am exaggerating in any way, Andres. We are the chosen ones. You must not take that responsibility so lightly.” Beside her Jaeda nodded vigorously.

“And you, Ariella, must not try to usurp those in higher authority than yourself,” boomed the voice of Abdiel as he approached them all. “You are so quick to judge Mihael and Lucinda for their supposed crime, yet you do not acknowledge your own wrongdo- 91

ings.” “Abdiel,” Ariella greeted him frostily, “back from seeing God so soon? What did he have to tell you?” Abdiel’s face turned sour. “I did not speak to God. I felt that he did not need to be bothered by such a petty issue. Besides, I can handle you on my own. I am after all the head of the triad for a reason.” Ariella rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “Well, oh high and mighty leader of the triad, Andres and I have heard the case of Jade here, and have de- cided to look further into her claims.” “So I have just heard,” Abdiel acknowledged. “While I do not agree with that choice, I will allow you to proceed. But when you are wrong and find nothing of impor- tance, Ariella, you will formally apologize for wasting my time. Is that understood?” “I’m not wrong,” Ariella declared, boldly stepping in front of Abdiel. The clouds in her golden eyes swirled rapidly. “Well why don’t you prove it then?” Abdiel whispered, his hot breath blowing on her face. “I shall, and to show that I am not wrong, I think that we should all go and search for Mihael and Lucinda. That way you can apologize to me immediately Abdiel.” “So arrogant.” “Abdiel, Ariella, please, let us just go. Jaeda, perhaps you would like to lead us?” “Her? Lead us?” Abdiel asked, appalled. “How can you suggest such a thing?” “Abdiel, Jaeda came to us with this information. Surely she would be the best angel to lead this expedition.” “Perhaps,” Abdiel agreed bitterly, turning toward her he asked, “well, what are you waiting for? Lead the way.” Jaeda shifted on her small feet. “Well, I’m not entirely sure where they are. I only 92

thought that they would have remained here. Perhaps they are outside the castle walls?” Abdiel rolled his eyes. “That is your best idea? Brilliant.” “Oh, Abdiel,” Ariella sighed, “are you so afraid of a little walking trip outside of the castle?” “Silence, Ariella,” Abdiel shot, raising his hand. “Now, can we please just get this over with?” Jaeda breathed a sigh of relief. Quickly she turned and led the way outside. Her first instinct was to head in the direction that her snake had taken. “This way,” she motioned, heading around the back of the castle. The triad was silent for once, as they all followed her. * * * * * * * * * * Mihael cradled Lucinda in his arms as sweat dripped from her brow and her body grew hotter. “Mihael,”she whispered. “Please, make this pain go away.” “How?” he cried, hugging her closer to himself “how do I do that?” “I have an idea,” she whispered. “If you get the venom out of me, I should be okay. I know that it’s a lot to ask of you, but please, suck the poison out of the wound.” Mihael hesitated for only an instant. He could not bear to see Lucinda in such agony. Quickly his lips closed over her wound as he began to drain the poison from her. Lucinda breathed a sigh of relief. Within moments, her body relaxed in his arms. “Thank you my love,” she whispered. Her eyes closed in sleep. She looked exhaust- ed, but better. Mihael sighed as he looked down at Lucinda still cradled in his arms. She was safe.

Flooded with relief, he kissed her forehead, lightly pushing her hair back behind her ears. Carefully he set her down on the grass beneath the apple tree. Lowering himself down beside her, he wrapped his arms around her protectively. In no time at all, he was asleep. 93

* * * * * * * * * * When Jaeda and the triad caught sight of the maze, they found themselves aston- ished. “Where in heaven did this come from?” Abdiel gasped. He approached the marble walls that swirled with bands of gold, silver, and opal. Before he could reach the opening, however, he jumped backward at the arrival of Jaeda’s white snake. “What is this?” “My trusted companion,” Jaeda cooed, “what have you found? Did you see two angels?” The snake rose up and nodded its head. “How marvelous,” Ariella breathed. “You conjured him didn’t you?” “Yes,” Jaeda answered proudly. “He will show us the way.” Quickly the snake turned and slithered off back into the maze with Jaeda and the holy triad following closely behind him. Soon enough, the snake, Jaeda, and the holy triad arrived at the mahogany door. “How odd,” Andres murmured at the sight of it. “I have never seen anything like it.” Carefully, Andres approached the door. Reaching out his hand, his fingers brushed over the intricate markings. “Eden,” he breathed, reading the name. “What in heaven’s name is Eden?” Jaeda asked.

“How is this possible?” Abdiel asked quietly. “Surely I should have known about this.” “Yes, Abdiel, how did you not know that this place existed?” Ariella asked, smirk- ing. Abdiel shot her an angry look. “Andres,” he commanded, “open the door.” “It’s already open Abdiel. Look,” Andres instructed, opening the door wider. His face was glowing in astonishment as he gazed into the garden. Quickly Jaeda, Abdiel, and Ariella gathered around the entrance. 94

“It’s so....so....disgusting,” Ariella whispered. Her mouth remained open in horror as her cloudy, golden eyes surveyed the colorful landscape. “This is an abomination,” Abdiel declared beside her. “It’s horrifying!” Jaeda cried, her tiny hands covering her mouth as if she were nau- seous. “Where did your companion go?” Andres asked, searching the ground for the slithering white snake. Jaeda looked around too. Her white eyes moved rapidly over the ground as she tried to ignore the green grass that reminded her so much of Mihael’s eyes. A flicker of white in the bushes suddenly caught her eye. Her head turned just in time to see the tail of the white snake disappear. “This way!” she yelled, hurrying off after her beloved companion. The triad- fol lowed slowly after, cringing at the feel of the grass beneath their feet. The snake came to a halt near a bush by the apple tree where Mihael and Lucinda lay sleeping. As Jaeda came up behind the creature she gasped, her hands covering her face in horror as she let out a scream. The holy triad reached her side, each with a very different reaction to the sight before them. Andres turned away from the intertwined pair, his face red with embarrassment. Ariella gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, but her clouded eyes remained locked on their naked forms. Abdiel’s face had gone red like the face of Andres, except he was red with anger, not embarrassment. “Mihael and Lucinda!” his voice thundered through the garden, startling the birds from the trees and waking the two angels. “You are hereby charged with treason! How dare you defy God like this! You foul, vile creatures. Cover yourselves, please.”

Mihael and Lucinda sat up, shaking and holding onto one another. As they cow- ered in each other’s arms, it was the first time that they were ashamed of their nakedness. Chapter IX Dragged from Paradise Abdiel showed them no mercy as he lashed out with his power repeatedly. Their bodies flailed apart as each began convulsing in pain. Lucinda’s power became her curse as she felt not only her own pain but Mihael’s as well. Gritting his teeth against the attack, Mihael reached for Lucinda’s hand. It was the only thing he could think to do to offer her comfort. “Lucinda,” he gasped, his emerald eyes overflowing with tears. His fingers shook violently as he attempted to stroke her soft hands. “Lu---ahh!” Unable to stop himself from screaming, Mihael writhed away from her in pain. Abdiel’s power was preventing him from touching her. “Mihael!” she screamed, her voice several octaves higher than usual. Her sapphire eyes met his, and Mihael felt his heart sink. He could see how much Abdiel was hurting her and how much his own pain was affecting her. Somehow he knew that he had to direct Abdiel’s attention away from Lucinda. Looking around the ground, he found the discarded apples that they had originally thought to eat for breakfast. His hand still shaking, he reached for one. With all the strength that he had within him, Mihael hurled the apple at Abdiel, striking him in the face. It was a pathetic attempt that only angered Abdiel more, but it did get him to focus his power more on Mihael. “You insignificant fool,” Abdiel spat at him, coming closer to Mihael to tower over him. “Did you honestly think that would do anything? You’re pathetic. You’re an experimental waste of heavenly power. I ought to----” Another apple hit the side of Abdiel’s head. Ariella giggled. Lucinda’s body fell 95 96

to the grass, exhausted. She had used up all the strength that she could muster. Abdiel’s blazing topaz gaze turned to sear into her motionless form. “How cute,” he sneered, “you two defending one another. Now who wants to really be in pain?” His cold, hard eyes met Mihael’s. “I do believe that Lucinda would rather have me torture her than you. Wouldn’t you agree, Mihael?” “No!” Mihael screamed, but his own voice was drowned out as Lucinda’s cries filled the air in Eden. Her agony was palpable. “Please, Abdiel. Don’t hurt her. Hurt me. Please!” Abdiel only laughed, his eyes fixed on Lucinda’s broken form that had contorted into a fetal position and was still shaking with spasms of pain. Andres stood frozen, watching the terrible affair, unable to comprehend such horror. Jaeda looked on quietly in amazement at Abdiel’s fantastic power. Ariella was watching with undivided attention as well. This event was the only occurrence in heaven that had ever peaked her interest for so long. “Please!” Mihael screamed again. “Leave her alone for God’s sake!” “For God’s sake?” Abdiel asked, raising his eyebrows. “I am God’s first creation. I am the leader of the holy triad. Everything I do, I do in his holy name. The decisions that I make come from my divine wisdom which of course comes from God himself. Do you mean to imply Mihael, that I am not acting as God would wish me to?” “That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Mihael hissed, his voice laced with both fury and pain. “How in heaven’s name could God want this?” Abdiel laughed. “Oh, Mihael, how simple you are. If I am not supposed to act in such a way, then why did God give me this power? Why am I able to torture her so if it is not God’s will?” Mihael’s jaw locked. His mind went numb. The questions that Abdiel posed to him were questions that he could not answer. Refusing to meet Abdiel’s gaze, Mihael closed his 97

eyes, trying not to cry. After his long period of silence, Abdiel laughed again. “Yes, that’s right. You can’t answer me, can you? You have no idea what God wants. Even as you stood before me in the throne room, you questioned your very existence. Tell me, Mihael, do you question it now?” “Shut up!” Mihael burst, his eyes burning with tears. Abdiel laughed yet again. “Please Mihael, do not make me laugh so much. To laugh myself into such delirium is not a good example for me to set for the others present here. Although your childish behavior is the most amusement I have had in thousands of years, I must admit. And look, Mihael. I can be merciful. Have you heard her scream anymore?” Mihael’s emerald gaze turned quickly to Lucinda. She lay motionless, her body curled up, completely white. His heart froze as he wondered if angels really could die. Leaving Mihael to wonder about the state of Lucinda, Abdiel turned his attention to Jaeda. “Now little opal, I do believe that you are a conjurer. Is that correct?” Mihael heard his words and understood. Jaeda had conjured the snake, not he. The vile, white creature did not belong in Eden. “Yes, my angel Abdiel. I am a conjurer.” “Well now, as Ariella had asked of you earlier, are you ready to perform your service to God?” “Oh yes, Abdiel, I am more than ready to perform whatever task that God wishes for me to do.” “Very good. Your enthusiasm is wonderful child, but I must also impress upon you that the task I ask is not so easy. Having just come into your powers, you are surely not used to them just yet. Am I correct in my assumption, or perhaps you are a prodigy who has already mastered her gift?” 98

Jaeda hung her head in shame. “No, my power is still quite new. I am quite new, being less than five hundred years old.” “Yes, that is quite young,” Abdiel admitted, his lips frowning slightly. “But please Abdiel,” Jaeda begged, “please let me at least try the task that you are about to give me.” Abdiel surveyed her with his topaz gaze. After several long moments, he conceded. “Alright. I need you to visualize in your mind some sturdy ropes. These traitors must be bound before we can take them back to the castle. We cannot risk them escaping. Can you do that for me Jaeda?” He smiled kindly at her, offering silent encouragement. She nodded, determined. Closing her eyes, she visualized a strong white rope wrapping around Mihael’s wrists and ankles. She concentrated hard, willing her vision to become a reality. Sadly, when she opened her eyes she saw no such rope. She sighed, whimpering in frustration. “There, there,” Abdiel comforted coming over to her side. “Perhaps you could use some assistance?” Laying one finger on her shoulder, Abdiel willed some of his power to transfer to Jaeda. She gasped as she felt the jolt of power surge through her tiny body. Feeling exhilarated, she closed her eyes once more and focused her energy on conjuring the ropes. When she heard Mihael scream, she knew that she had done it. “Excellent!” Abdiel declared, while Ariella clapped her hands in delight. Jaeda’s blank eyes opened to see Mihael’s wrists turning red. The ropes that she had conjured and bound him with were cutting into his flesh. She smiled, feeling immensely pleased with herself. Lucinda was bound in the same way, at both her wrists and ankles, but she still lay motionless in the grass. “Now,” Abdiel instructed, “we shall drag these traitors from this horrible place. Please let us make haste; I am not sure how much longer I can tolerate this obscene hell.” His body shook in disgust. “Abdiel,” Andres pleaded softly, his voice cracking with emotion, “please, must we- 99

--” “Silence, Andres! You were silent throughout my entire torturing of them, and now you wish to speak? Now as we are about to drag them from this horrific place that they have created, you wish to intercede on their behalf? That is ridiculous Andres. Honestly, I do not know how you came to be appointed as a triad member. This little opal child would be much better suited for the job if you ask me.” He smiled down at Jaeda, who beamed at him. “Now, let us return to the throne room so that a trial might be arranged for these two. Andres, summon the highest ranking angels of each class to hear t h e c a s e .” Andres was still. For a few moments, he did not move. His eyes were fixed on Mihael whose head lay in the grass beside Lucinda’s while silent tears poured down his face. “Go!” Abdiel’s voice boomed. Andres turned quickly at the order, though he did not know if he did so out of fear or out of an inability to look upon such grief any longer. With great haste, he disappeared through the mahogany door. “Jaeda, could you please take Lucinda there since I am sure that Ariella here will not be helpful whatsoever.” Ariella had remained unusually silent, her cloudy golden eyes staring off into the distance. Even at Abdiel’s rude remark she did not comment. Amazed to find himself irritated that she had not retaliated with a flippant remark, Abdiel merely rolled his eyes and pulled Mihael onto his feet. Mihael did not resist. His hope had vanished, and there was nothing more he could do for either himself or Lucinda. It was better to be submissive and avoid further torture than fight and only be made weaker. Jaeda bent down to pull Lucinda to her feet as Abdiel had done with Mihael but did not have such an easy time. Lucinda’s body was far longer than Jaeda’s, and her unconscious form was dead weight in Jaeda’s arms. With great difficulty, Jaeda managed to 100

drag Lucinda along after Abdiel and Mihael. As the four made their way back toward the mahogany door, Ariella ignored them and instead wandered deeper into Eden. She was sure that she had seen something, and as she came around the other side of the apple tree, she caught a better glimpse of it. There in the garden floated Earth. Its round body rotated peacefully, and the light pink atmosphere of Mihael and Lucinda’s love still encircled it. Ariella’s eyes sparkled upon seeing it. Slowly she approached it, amazed at the tiny world inside of a world. “Hmm,” she marveled aloud, “how very strange this is.” Looking through the hazy, pink atmosphere, Ariella glimpsed the humans that roamed the surface of the Earth. Astonished by the tiny beings, she reached her hand forward to pick one up but jumped back as the atmosphere burned her hand. “Ouch!” she yelped, massaging her now pink palm. Whatever this shield was, it was protecting the rotating orb with the living beings on it. Even though she had been burnt by it, she could not help but be impressed with the unique form of protection. It had been a feeling that she had never known before. “Ariella!” Abdiel’s voice called, “are you coming or shall I lock you in here?” “I’m coming,” Ariella shouted back. Since she could not touch the orb, she attempted to move it with her powers. Raising her hands with the palms facing up, she concentrated on moving the Earth. To her delight she was able to do so. Quietly, she caught up with the others who still held tight to their respective traitor. “What is that?” Jaeda asked when she saw the Earth floating toward her. Ariella smiled, “I have no idea, but it’s an interesting object isn’t it?” Abdiel was not so impressed by the orb called Earth. Instead he turned Mihael, forcing him to look into his hard topaz eyes. Shaking with rage, he breathed into his face, “what have you done?” CHAPTER X Deadly Curiosity

Abdiel threw Mihael to the marble floor of the throne room. Still livid with anger, he stomped forward to his throne, his power crackling around him. Mihael’s jaw broke as his face collided with the marble. Grimacing in pain, he bit into his lip to keep from screaming. Instantly his power began to work on healing him. The green sparks ran over his body trying to soothe all of his aches now that he was no longer being tortured. His breathing slowed as he closed his eyes, grateful for the cool marble against his feverish flesh. Relieved to be free of her burden, Jaeda eagerly threw Lucinda to the floor as well. Still unconscious, Lucinda’s body was emitting several blue sparks as her power worked frantically to heal her. Mihael longed to reach out and touch his palm to her cheek. He wanted to kiss her and hold her in his arms to let her know that somehow this would all be alright. Seeing her lying there so still made him ner- vous. Her powers were strong. She should have been healed by now. “Abdiel, where should I place this orb?” asked Ariella, as she guided the Earth through the large gold doors. “I don’t know,” Abdiel shot at her, “why don’t you put it off in your own wing of the castle since you’re the one who found it?” “You want me to put this thing in my chambers?”

“You’re the one who brought it here!” “That’s because it’s important evidence. These two conjured it, and in case you 101 102

didn’t notice, it has a very interesting protective force around it. Why don’t you come down here and try to touch it?” Abdiel rolled his eyes, but moved off his throne and strolled toward the Earth. Extending his hand as if to smack the small, twirling orb aside Abdiel asked smugly, “Just how powerful could this ridiculous pink cloud be? I mean really I---Argh!!!” He jumped back as his hand burned bright red. His topaz eyes glared down at Earth. He could not believe that he couldn’t touch the insignificant thing. He tried again, this time with both hands. Red sparks flew as his power attempted to destroy the gentle pink barrier, but to no avail. Again Abdiel found his flesh burning bright red. Ariella was right. This protective force was powerful. “Amazing,” he thought aloud, “once we harness this power perhaps it can be of some use to us.” “How can we use it if we cannot even touch it?” Ariella asked. “Do not doubt me, Ariella. I will find a way. Perhaps we should just ask the two that conjured it.” His bright eyes flashed as he turned toward Mihael. Slowly he moved to stand in front of him. Mihael’s emerald eyes looked up at Abdiel and he smiled. “Why are you smiling, mongrel? You’re about to be tried for treason against God and you have the audacity smile?” “I smile because you could never understand that ridiculous pink cloud.” “Oh no? Well why don’t you explain it to me, then?” His voice was laced with the impending threat of pain. He was daring Mihael to say something so that he could torture him yet again. Mihael’s smile turned into a snarl. “As I’ve said, you could never understand, even if I tried to explain it to you.” “Why don’t you at least give me the chance to understand? After all, I am a car- ing and compassionate angel, aren’t I? Why wouldn’t you share this with me?” His golden 103

eyes glittered as he smiled down at Mihael. Their eyes met with a hatred that rivaled the strength of Mihael and Lucinda’s love. Abdiel laughed. “Ah Mihael, you amuse me. Perhaps I shall spare you simply to keep me amused for all of eternity. Wouldn’t that be mercy?” Mihael could take his taunting no longer. Unable to strike him, Mihael chose to spit at him. It was the wrong decision. “How dare you!” Abdiel shouted, his deep voice shaking the throne room around them. Mihael could feel the floor vibrate and a crack appeared in the glass ceiling. In one swift motion, Abdiel kicked Mihael in the mouth, shattering his teeth. Mihael cried out in pain as he watched bits of his teeth fall onto the floor in front of him, but Abdiel wasn’t done. “You dare to spit at me! You filth! You pathetic, evil fool! You will regret the day you were created!” With each statement that Abdiel shouted, he kicked Mihael in the stomach. The experimental angel curled into a fetal position, gasping for breath. And with one last kick, something extraordinary happened. Out of Mihael’s mouth spewed a sticky, thick red liquid. It was a shining contrast to the pristine marble floor. Abdiel was furious as he saw the pool of red forming at Mihael’s mouth. “You have soiled God’s castle!” he screamed. Again he began to kick Mihael in the stomach. Convulsions wracked Mihael’s body as he coughed up more and more blood with each kick. His head was spinning. He knew he was on the brink of passing out, but a cry from Lucinda got his attention. “Mihael!” she screamed. She was feeling his pain again. Powerful blue sparks cov- ered her body, but with the new waves of pain, her healing would take even longer. Mihael ignored his own pain as he moved to crawl to her side.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Abdiel hissed. Lashing out with his power, Abdiel sent Mihael flying across the throne room. His back snapped as he collided with a glass pillar, and his broken body crumpled to the floor as his eyes burned with tears. 104

Lucinda screamed even louder. “Stop it!” her voice cried. “Please!” “Abdiel stop,” Ariella said calmly, boldly placing herself between Mihael and Abdiel. “There will be no trial if you continue to treat them this way. Like it or not, there must be a trial. You cannot exercise your power over them like this. Do you understand?” Gently she placed her delicate hand on his bare chest. Her golden eyes stared deeply into his, calming his rage. Slowly he nodded and returned to his throne. Mihael looked up at Ariella in wonder from his place on the floor. Ariella had touched Abdiel. Even more than that, she had made him acquiesce to her request. She had, if only for the moment, saved Lucinda and himself from torture. As Mihael continued to gaze upon her in appreciation, he found his mind straying to other thoughts. She was the most beautiful angel in all of heaven, even more beautiful than his beloved Lucinda. Though he hated to admit it, he yearned to touch her soft skin, to run his fingers through her long golden locks. Never had he seen her as beautiful, but the fruits of Eden had indeed opened his eyes to her radiance. For all his pain, Mihael was somewhat comforted as he looked upon her mag- nificent beauty. Lucinda cried out once more, piercing Mihael’s heart. Hanging his head in shame, Mihael began to sob silently. Though only in thought, he had in fact betrayed her. Ari- ella came to him and knelt before him. Gently she placed a finger under his chin, tilting his head up so that she could look into his emerald eyes. The warm gold clouds billowed through her eyes and her sweet breath tickled his face as she whispered, “Do not be afraid, Mihael. I will protect you. All that I ask is your allegiance. Will you promise me that?” Mihael’s eyes searched hers for some hint of comfort, some promise of sincerity. As he watched the swirling gold clouds he found neither. Closing his eyes as more tears rolled down his face, he looked away from her, but she would not allow it. Forcefully, she pulled his face back to look at her. 105

“Your allegiance for your life, Mihael. Make a choice.” Mihael remained silent. He could not promise her his allegiance. She was one of them. While she had given him a brief reprieve from his suffering, he knew that more was sure to come. She had brought the Earth to this wretched place where it would prob- ably be destroyed. And finally her beauty had made him momentarily forget his love for Lucinda. How could he possibly promise her his allegiance? “Mihael,” Lucinda’s voice called out softly. She lay still on the floor, her eyes were closed, and her brow moist with sweat. Blue sparks still covered most of her body. As Mi- hael looked at her, feeling guilty for his infidelity, he had a thought. Turning his gaze back to Ariella, he braced himself for what he was about to say. “Ariella, I will pledge you my eternal allegiance if you can promise me that no more pain will come to Lucinda. Promise me that she will not be harmed and will be cleared of any blame.” Ariella smiled at him. “You really have a strong bond with her don’t you? How fascinating and incredibly endearing.” “I love her,” Mihael whispered. “Love? Love. Hmm, so that is how you call it,” Ariella mused as she massaged her hand that had been burnt by the pink cloud that protected the Earth. “I don’t have time to explain it,” Mihael said quietly as he noticed Jaeda lingering nearby trying to hear the conversation. “Just promise me that no further harm will come to Lucinda and I will promise you my allegiance.” “Oh, Mihael. I cannot make you such a promise, but please have some faith in me. I will do my best to assure that no harm will come to you. That will just have to be enough for you.” Before he could comprehend her answer or even respond, she brushed a quick kiss across his lips. “Very interesting,” she proclaimed, rising to her feet. Mihael gasped at her kiss. Though their contact was brief, he had felt some of her power pass to himself. 106

Instantly all of his injuries were healed. A small gasp could be heard. Mihael’s heart stopped as he caught sight of Lucinda. Her sapphire eyes were blurred with tears. She had seen Ariella kiss him. “Lucinda, please,” he began, but she would not listen. Turning her head away from him, her body shook visibly with sobs. Ariella smiled at Lucinda’s reaction and glided back toward her throne. As she passed Jaeda, the small opal angel glared at her. “What was that?” Jaeda hissed. “Excuse me?” Ariella asked coldly, stopping to return Jaeda’s glare.”Are you ques- tioning me?” “Yes, I am. How could you do such a thing with that?” “Learn your place little opal. What I choose to do is none of your concern. Is that understood?” “You sicken me. You are not fit to rule beside Abdiel, or even look at him.” Ariella bent down to stare Jaeda directly in the eye. Her golden eyes swirled men- acingly and her voice was icy as she breathed, “I am more than qualified to rule beside Abdiel, and someday I will rule in his place. You will do well to remember that Jane.” Returning to her full height, Ariella sneered at the opal angel. Jaeda’s blank eyes looked completely vacant. Her small body was rigid with both fear and anger. Mihael could not understand what Ariella had done to her, but her golden eyes clearly held a strange and strong power over any angel who dared to meet her gaze. He vowed silently to never let her hold such power over him again. He had already made that mistake. Lucinda still lay on the floor with her face turned away from him. He couldn’t tell if she was still crying or not. Again he attempted to crawl to her side, but Abdiel stopped him. “Stay where you are Mihael,” Abdiel commanded. 107

Mihael did not intend to obey him, but as he tried to move forward, he found himself frozen in place. A horrible thought struck him. Looking up at Ariella, Mihael found her smiling. She put a finger to her lips, motioning for him to remain quiet. As Mihael’s emerald eyes met hers, he heard the command infiltrate his mind;obey . Mihael shook his head violently, convinced that he would rid himself of Ariella’s hypnotic voice. Stop, her voice called again in his head. It’s the only way. Mihael’s eyes burned with tears as he cursed himself for not being strong enough to resist her commands. “Jaeda,” Abdiel beckoned for her to come forward to his throne. Quickly she rushed to obey. Reaching his throne she bowed low before him. “How may I serve you Abdiel?” “I want you to clothe the traitors and then bind them, each one, to a glass column. Just use your powers to conjure robes and more ropes. Can you do that Jaeda?” “I can try, but I might need more power,” she smiled shyly at Abdiel. Mihael’s eyes narrowed at her words. He recalled Abdiel touching her once before, and how she had been able to conjure ropes even though she had been awake. Perhaps that was it, why angels weren’t supposed to touch each other. Powers passed through touch. Abdiel smiled at her. “How like me you are young opal. Unfortunately for you, I know what you are trying to do. You should have more than enough power to perform this last task. Trust me, you will be amply rewarded later.” Jaeda’s expression registered a hint of skepticism, and she silently pouted as she focused on her task. Closing her eyes, Jaeda once again tapped into her enhanced powers and conjured flowing white robes and strong sturdy ropes. “Very good Jaeda,” Abdiel encouraged. With a wave of his hand, he sent Mihael and Lucinda crashing into opposite pillars. Quickly they were robbed and the ropes snaked around them, holding them tightly in place. Mihael winced as the ropes squeezed him tighter, making it difficult for him to breathe. He looked across to Lucinda who 108

seemed to have no reaction to the pain anymore. It was that strength that had first at- tracted him to her, but now it was unnerving how impervious she was to all the pain. “Lucinda,” he called out softly. Her head barely lifted to look at him through the veil of auburn locks that covered her beautiful face. Her sapphire eyes, though still covered in tears, burned brightly at him. “I love you,” he mouthed at her, afraid to speak the words out loud. A single tear escaped down her cheek at his words. Her gaze was locked with his as she saw just how strong his love and devotion for her truly was. While he had faltered in his loyalty to her, she could not find it in her heart to hold it against him. No angel was perfect. With her lips quivering slightly, she mouthed back to him, “I love you too…for all eternity.” Mihael’s heart soared at her silent words. She loved him, and would continue to love him. With their eyes still locked on one another, the throne room finally fell silent and was at peace. Abdiel seemed quietly subdued on his throne, gazing at the floating Earth. Jaeda stood as silent and still as a white marble pillar, watching Abdiel. And Ariella was staring intently at the two angels tied to the pillars. The words of love that they had mouthed to one another and the way that they gazed into one another’s eyes intrigued her. She watched them silently from her throne, basking in the warmth that their love radi- ated. It wasn’t long before Andres returned with the highest ranking angels who were poised to hear the trial. It was clear by their expressions as they filed into the throne room that Andres had given them all a brief summary of the events of late and what they were being called upon to do. Representing the golden angels were Rhamiel and his female counterpart Cassiel. The two silver angels next to them Mihael recognized as Nakir and his female counterpart Sofiel. Lastly, there stood a single opal angel by the name of Tab- bris. Jaeda was his female counterpart and they were the most powerful of the opal angels. 109

As Rhamiel caught sight of the floating Earth that had been left abandoned in the center of the throne room, his gaze turned to Mihael. The hazel eyes were wide and troubled. They begged the question, what have you done? Mihael immediately felt defensive of his and Lucinda’s creation. He shot Rhamiel an icy glare, but regretted it instantly. As the waves of Rhamiel’s concern washed over him, Mihael experienced a new emotion: friendship. Rhamiel cared about Mihael and worried about what would happen to him now. The warm eyes were not judging him at all. Such a feeling of acceptance and companionship was so new to Mihael that his icy gaze melted and tears threatened to once again spill from his eyes, as he looked upon his one and only friend. Never before could he have described his bond with Rhamiel, but friendship was definitely the appropriate word for it. Even if all the other angels were against him, Mihael was happy to know that he had made at least one friend in all the years that he had been alive. With all of the angels in their places around the throne room, Abdiel rose to his feet to address them. “Angels. You are the highest ranking of your class and you have been called upon today because a serious crime has been committed against God. The two angels that you see tied to the pillars before you are traitors. They have created this atrocity,” he spat, ges- turing to the slowly rotating orb of Earth, “and we must now decide what is to be done.” Timidly, Andres stepped forward. “Abdiel, with all due respect, can we really call them traitors when we have yet to hear them speak? The purpose of this trial is to give them the opportunity to present their case before the highest ranking of heaven’s angels. I think it would be wrong to already say that they are traitors.” As Abdiel’s eyes lit up with anger, Ariella’s voice interjected. “I agree with Andres. Let us sit down and hear what they have to say.” 110

Abdiel turned toward her, his rage lashing out at her. She easily deflected it. “Abdiel,” she purred, “do you really want to embarrass yourself in front of them?” She smiled, meeting his harsh gaze and daring him to lash out at her again. Her silent threat to humiliate him and undermine his authority was clear. Ariella, and only Ariella would ever dare to threaten Abdiel. For that reason it seemed, she had been created; to keep him in check. His body was rigid as he forced himself to suppress his anger. In spite of his great power, he did in fact possess some fear of Ariella. “Fine,” he hissed, forcing himself to sit down once again on his throne. Andres if you would take your seat perhaps this trial can begin.” His hands gripped the arms of his throne so tightly that Mihael wondered if he would tear it into pieces. Andres breathed a sigh of relief as the tension in the room was briefly put at ease. For the moment they were safe. “Now,” Abdiel began, “let us begin. Mihael, do you have anything to say for your- self?” “Yes,” Mihael said softly, “I was bored with this life. I was an angel without a pur- pose, without a class, and without a place in which to truly belong. I came here wanting merely to see my creator’s face. That is all I wanted and I was denied that. You think this place is paradise? No. It’s a sad, cold existence that is nothing like paradise.” “Is that so? Well then please, enlighten us. Why is this not paradise? Why now, after living for so long, is heaven no longer good enough for you?” Abdiel’s anger rang out through his booming voice. It was as usual meant to intimidate, but Mihael spoke out again without fear. “Heaven was fine…while I was in a state of ignorance. When I was first created, I was so grateful to have the breath of God within me that I did not think to question him and the life that he had given me. I was deemed an experiment. I did not belong to a class 111

and as more angels were created I became more and more isolated. For a while I accepted that, but in time it became too much to bear. In many ways God was cruel to Lucinda and myself. We were made, it seems, as the subjects of ridicule in this place of wonder. I was miserable until I decided to make this journey with her. She is a wonderful angel who made me feel accepted and loved.” Emerald eyes gleaming, Mihael looked over at Lucinda who was smiling for the first time since being dragged from Eden. “So because you felt miserable, you wanted to see God’s face. Such an honor has only been bestowed upon myself and you wished to have it as well. Would it be appropri- ate to say that it was selfishness that made you commit this crime?” “No,” Mihael shouted out defensively, “I do not believe that wanting to see God’s face or wanting to know my purpose in this world of heaven is being selfish. I---“ “Oh but it is being selfish,” Abdiel declared. “No other angel has seen God’s face and yet you, along with Lucinda, felt that you were better than these other angels. You two were worthy to see God’s face when even the two other members of this triad have not seen it. Is that not true?” “I didn’t mean---“ “And isn’t it true that when you were denied the privilege of seeing God’s face, you decided to create your own world in which you yourself would function as a god. You used your God-given talents for evil to create this world of sin before our eyes and that disgusting place where we found you. Is that not correct?” Mihael knew that arguing with Abdiel was pointless. In his mind their trial was merely a formality. His mind had been made up. They were traitors and he would stop at nothing to see that they were severely punished. Silence hung in the throne room as the angels waited for Mihael’s response. When he gave none, it was Ariella who broke the silence. 112

“What I would like to know,” she began softly, “is what you spoke about when de- scribing how she made you feel. Mihael, what is the love that you spoke of earlier?” Mihael looked to Lucinda. Her sapphire eyes registered sadness again. Love had been so much a part of the decisions they had made. Before they had even known what to call it, they had loved each other, but it had taken eating of the fruits of Eden to fully understand that love. How could they possibly explain love to beings who had never expe- rienced it? Luckily they were saved from trying to explain love when Rhamiel spoke out. “They can’t explain it,” he began quietly, yet firmly. “It is a strange feeling, but I can sense it between them and around that floating orb. It makes me feel warm and happy. It’s a good feeling.” “I do not believe that Ariella was asking you Rhamiel,” Abdiel shouted. “She was asking Mihael. Now let the traitor answer for himself, in his own defense.” Mihael spoke quietly as he stated, “I would, but Rhamiel has said it better than I ever could. Thank you.” Rhamiel’s topaz eyes were like warm honey as he met Mihael’s gaze. Though he did not know the term friendship, Rhamiel embodied the concept perfectly. Inspired by the rush of emotion within the throne room, Rhamiel’s female coun- terpart stepped forward. Her voice was strong as she boldly faced Abdiel and said, “Judg- ing by their eyes I can sense that their intentions were not wrong. Whatever this love may be, it seems to have inspired these two angels to do an extraordinary thing. Who’s to say that this floating orb and its inhabitants are evil?” “I say that it is evil, Cassiel! I say that these two created this miniature world out of anger at being denied the privilege of seeing God’s face. You did not see that horrid place where we found them. That was not paradise.” “Perhaps not by conventional standards,” Cassiel challenged, refusing to back 113

down, “but God made these two angels, experimental or not, and he chose to make them differently from us. Why is different evil? I really do not believe it is. In truth I have always admired Lucinda’s eyes. They are quite breath-taking, and when I see the way that she looks at Mihael and the way that he looks at her, I sense no evil intentions.” She turned her head to smile in Lucinda’s direction. As Lucinda gazed back at her with tears of happiness in her beautiful sapphire eyes, she too found herself looking at a friend. “How can you look at that floating orb and those deformed creatures on it and not be repulsed?” Jaeda burst, her small body shaking with rage. “How can that thing be allowed to roam the floors of heaven and you not be re- pulsed?” As she spoke, Cassiel motioned to the white snake that was slithering around the throne room. Its sleek body weaved hypnotically through the columns of angels. Its tongue flickered in and out of its mouth at a rapid pace. Until that moment Mihael had forgotten about Jaeda’s vile companion. Now he was suspicious of it as it made its way back to her. Gently she reached down and picked it up. The creature coiled itself about her neck, rest- ing its head peacefully on her shoulder. “This is my own creation,” Jaeda said proudly, “for though you may not know it, my power is conjuring. I created him while on my journey here. I was alone and he be- came my companion.” “It seems like such a horrid creature to me,” Cassiel said. Her hazel eyes narrowed as she continued to stare at the snake. Not only her intuition, but her powers as well warned her to beware of this vicious, vicious creature. Timidly, the small hand of the silver angel Sofiel rose as she called attention to herself to speak. “Please angel Abdiel, if Jaeda can conjure this creature, why can Mihael and Lucinda not conjure their creations? And if all creations brought about by angels with the power to conjure are an attempt to usurp God and his glorious work, then wouldn’t all 114

angels with the power to conjure be enemies of God?” “I resent that!” Jaeda cried out. “I created this creature as a companion, nothing more. These two created another world. The two actions of conjuring are completely dif- ferent.” “Or perhaps you’re still new to your powers and were unable to conjure such a marvelous creation,” Andres contemplated from his throne. He had not meant to offend Jaeda. He secretly marveled at the spinning orb in the center of the throne room. It was the most fascinating creation that he had seen in all of his years. Jaeda, however, did not share his views. “I may be new to my powers,” she bellowed, “but I am a good angel! I am a true follower of God, and I would never use my powers to create something so horrifying that it is a disgrace to his holy name!” “Well I don’t think we can say---“ “Silence!” Abdiel’s booming voice shook the throne room. His topaz eyes were hard and filled with anger. He had heard enough. “This trial has gone far enough. I will not waste more of my time listening to any of you. All we are going to do now is vote. Shall we set the traitors free or punish them by means of having their souls recycled?” Small gasps could be heard all around the room. No angel before had ever had their soul recycled. It was a fate that was only rumor. It was the ultimate punishment for the gravest of betrayals. “Abdiel,” Rhamiel called, “I don’t think that it is necessary to recycle their souls. It seems too harsh all things considered and---“ “Silence! This is the punishment that I have selected and it will be done. All that you must do is vote. So, who is in favor of setting the traitors free and forgiving them of 115

their sins?” The hands of Andres, Rhamiel, Cassiel, and Sofiel shot into the air. “And all who think that these traitors should be sentenced to have their souls re- cycled.” Jaeda’s hand was the first to shoot into the air, followed by Nakir, Tabbris, and finally Ariella. Mihael looked at her in shock. “So, it seems we have a deadlock,” Abdiel declared. “Four concur with my proposed punishment, and four are opposed.” His beautiful face was a chiseled angry stone as he glared at the two angels still tethered to pillars. “Well aren’t you going to vote?” Lucinda asked quietly. She hung her head in woeful acceptance. “Go on. Tell us that we are having our souls recycled. That it’s what we de- serve.” “As much as I would love to tell you that, I cannot.” Mihael and Lucinda both looked up at Abdiel in shock. “Since this is a delicate situation that has never occurred before, it is out of my hands. Though you may not know it, divine law states that the vote must be either for or against a conviction. If it is a deadlock the crime is considered too great for angels to judge. The matter is in God’s hands now.” Without further hesitation, Abdiel rose from his throne. “I shall return with God’s verdict.” Moving gracefully, Abdiel moved behind his throne and up the marble stairs that led to the stunning white gold doors. In the stunned silence of the throne room, Abdiel knocked three times. The small sound was deafening. Then at last the doors behind which

God was hidden opened. Every angel closed their eyes against the blinding light that burst forth from the room beyond the doors. And in a quick flash, Abdiel’s elegant silhouette disappeared behind those dazzling doors. CHAPTER XI Judgment Day

A mere ten years passed as Abdiel and God discussed what was to be the fate of the experimental angels Mihael and Lucinda. And while a hundred years was no time at all for an angel, those ten years were the longest of both Mihael and Lucinda’s lives. Not one of the angels moved from where they stood. Exquisite faces all around were blank of expression, unsure of the future of their fellow angels. Occasionally Mihael would steal a glance at Lucinda. Her sapphire eyes were un- focused and she wore a far off expression. At long last, her injuries had healed and though her body was tired and sagging against the pillar to which she was tied, she was finally out of pain. Mihael longed for her to look in his direction, but she never did. As Mihael thought about how long it had been since he had last held her, his thoughts were interrupted as the sparkling doors opened once more. All heads turned to see Abdiel emerge carrying a shining three foot sword over his right shoulder. Lucinda inhaled sharply, her blue eyes finally showing some sign of life. Mihael hung his head in resignation. They were going to be recycled.

“Abdiel perhaps you were not the best angel to present this case to God,” Andres began nervously, his tender heart still hoping for a better solution. “Please, if I could just---“

“Silence Andres,” Abdiel commanded calmly. “The decision has been made. There is nothing more to be done.” 116 117

Andres looked down to the marble floor for a brief moment and then at both Mihael and Lucinda. In his eyes was sorrow. He knew what was coming and was sorry that he could not prevent it. Ariella was sitting at the edge of her throne. Nothing had ever interested her more than this holy decree. God’s word was law and despite all of her power she no longer had a hand in what was to come. As Abdiel finally took his place in front of his throne, he turned to face his fellow angels. In his left hand he held a long scroll of parchment. Shaking it free, he began to read, “By the holy rule of God, it has been decided that one experimental angel, Lucinda, has been sentenced to have her soul recycled for leading a fellow angel away from God and participating in the creation of a new world. As to her accomplice in this heinous crime, one experimental angel, Mihael, has been sentenced to a life without his beloved and his angelic status is to be reduced to lower than that of the opal angels.” Setting down the parchment, Abdiel looked first to Lucinda. She met his eyes, determined to die with her dignity intact. “Lucinda,” he addressed her, “this is your God given sentence. You will have your soul recycled and shall be reincarnated. Do you have any last words?” “You can’t recycle her soul,” Mihael breathed, his dark locks hanging in his face as he fought back tears. His body was tense and the ropes that bound him suddenly seemed much tighter. “I believe that was her sentence,” Abdiel replied not bothering to even look at him. “God has spoken and so it shall----“ “NO! We climbed the staircase together, we both wanted to see God’s face, we both found Eden, and we both created the Earth! We should receive the same punishment! Recycle my soul too!” “Well, God originally wanted to do that, but I told him that it was Lucinda who 118

really led you away from him. He could understand that you wouldn’t have done this on your own.” With his black hair still falling in his eyes, Mihael glared up at Abdiel. The twisted smile that Abdiel wore made his ordinarily beautiful face horribly distorted. His eyes blazed with malice. “Yes, that’s right Mihael,” he sneered, “I convinced God to spare your pitiful life. You should be groveling at my feet with thanks.” “AHHHH!!!!!” Mihael screamed in rage, straining against his bonds. “How dare you! You lied to God! You are the one who is evil!” All around the room the other angels stood in shock. Rhamiel’s normally peaceful face was dark and troubled. Cassiel and Sofiel had fallen into quiet sobs. Tabbris and Nakir stood expressionless, but Jaeda was grinning maliciously, her blank eyes sparkling with joy. “Ah, but alas, I can do no more with this matter,” Abdiel sighed, ignoring Mihael’s allegation and picking up the scroll once more, “for you see it has been written and so it shall be.” “NO!” Mihael screamed. Once again he strained against his bonds, and with all his strength, the pillar to which he was tied began to shake. “Stop that!” Abdiel commanded. Lashing out with his power, Abdiel held Mihael to the pillar by his throat. He laughed as Mihael gasped for air. “So pathetic. To think how easy this was.” “Abdiel, for once I am putting my foot down. I am going to go right this injustice and tell God the real story…now if you will please excu---“

“I don’t think so Andres,” Abdiel barked. With another burst of power, Abdiel sent Andres spinning into a glass column. The gentle triad member fell to the floor in a heap. “Now, would anyone else like to speak to God and tell him the real story?” 119

The throne room fell silent. Angels exchanged worried glances, but no one spoke. Even the angels who had defended Mihael and Lucinda remained silent. Abdiel’s rage was palpable and he would not hesitate to torture any one of them. Rhamiel caught Mihael’s eye as he mouthed that he was sorry. Ariella had sunk back into her throne, her face was dark as she glared at Abdiel, but for once even she did not dare to challenge his authority. “You’re a disgrace,” Mihael spat. “You think that you are some great angel who reigns supreme over all of us, but you’re nothing. You’re nothing but a sad excuse for an angel. You bas---ahhh!!!” “Now, now Mihael, I will not be spoken to like that. I am a messenger of God, here to carry out his holy orders. Now, how much more will I have to torture you before you accept that my word, which is God’s word, is law?” Mihael’s body was wracked with waves of pain. He began to convulse and as his body shook the ropes cut tighter into his skin. Though he tried not to, he screamed again. “Mihael no!” Lucinda screamed. “He’s not worth it! He’s not worth it!” “You should listen to her, just like you listened to her when she convinced you to create that atrocity,” Abdiel sneered. The orb called Earth maintained its rotation in the middle of the throne room. Peacefully it kept turning, completely unaffected by the tragic events unfolding around it. Mihael looked at the beautiful world that he and Lucinda had created and through his pain and the imminent threat of recycling, he felt some sense of peace watching their cre- ation carry on as it was intended to. “Now Lucinda, I will ask you once again, do you have any last words?” “Yes, I have something to say. This place is not paradise. Until I found Eden, until

I helped Mihael create the Earth, I was miserable. I had no one here to identify with, but together he and I found love. I am in love with him. It was through that love that we cre- ated this world. We are not evil, but if it is God’s will for me to have my soul recycled then 120

I have no regrets. I accept my fate.” Lucinda’s blue eyes blazed. She met Abdiel’s gaze unflinchingly. “If only your fellow experiment had your strength. You know, in a sense I admire you,” Abdiel said with a glint in his eye. Lucinda looked away from him, disgusted at his mockery. Instead she turned her gaze to Mihael and the love that radiated from her wrapped the entire throne room in warmth. “I love you, Mihael. I think I always have. I just never knew the word for it.” “I love you too,” Mihael replied. He longed to hold her face cupped within his hands, to feel the smoothness of her skin and plant gossamer kisses to her petal soft lips. “Enough. It is time that we get this recycling underway. Tabbris and Nakir come forward. I shall need you to hold the traitor while I run this blade through her body.” Ab- diel smiled at the thought as he tapped the sword lightly on his shoulder, ready to plunge it into Lucinda’s fragile body. “Wait!” Ariella called out, rising from her throne. “What is to become of this strange orb?” “Ah yes,” said Abdiel, referring once again to the parchment, “we are to return this orb back to the place where we found it until we have the means to destroy it.” “Then I shall return it this moment,” Ariella declared stepping down from her throne. Gracefully she moved forward and placing her hands on either side of the Earth, she began to guide it out of the throne room. “Ariella,” Abdiel called, “I really think that you should be here for the recycling.” “I would rather not see it,” Ariella responded, not bothering to cast a glance back at Abdiel. “You are more than capable of carrying out the sentence so by all means pro- ceed.” “Yes, I think I shall. This fate has been delayed long enough. Nakir. Tabbris. Bring 121

me the traitor. CHAPTER XII Death Penalty

As Ariella disappeared from the throne room with the Earth floating ahead of her, Nakir and Tabbris reached for the bonds that secured Lucinda to the glass pillar. Roughly they removed the ropes from around her wrists, not hesitating to tug so that the ropes burned her skin, leaving red marks as they fell away from her. Mihael’s heart was beating wildly in his chest. He struggled against his own bonds wanting to save her. He had to escape. Once all of the ropes had been removed and Lucinda was free, both Nakir and Tabbris took her by the arms and forcefully pulled her to her feet. “Run Lucinda! Fight! Save yourself!” Mihael screamed in desperation. He could not lose her. She was the one angel that he loved and a life spent in this eternity without her would be hell. “Please don’t,” she requested sadly. “This is my destiny, and though I know it will be difficult for you to live without me, please do. I cannot be recycled knowing that you will throw away the rest of your life as well. All that I ask is for you to remember me. Cherish the love that we had, and through that love I will live forever. You’ll never lose me, just keep me in your heart.” “Please don’t do this,” Cassiel cried, her face damp with tears. “It must be done,” Abdiel declared.

Descending gracefully from his throne with the sword glinting viciously at his shoulder, Abdiel approached Lucinda with a look of triumph on his face. Mihael struggled 122 123

harder against his bonds. “Jaeda,” Abdiel commanded, “restrain him. Tie him even tighter so that he cannot escape. We don’t want anything to interfere with the will of God.” “Yes, Abdiel,” Jaeda said as she bowed low. Rushing over to the column where Mihael was tied, she quickly conjured more ropes and secured him even tighter. He struggled desperately to breathe. “Please,” he gasped. “Please, if you recycle her soul, recycle mine as well. I want to be recycled too.” “Gag him,” Abdiel shouted, “I will not have all of these disturbances.” Without a moment of hesitation, Jaeda conjured a piece of cloth and quickly shoved it in Mihael’s mouth. His emerald eyes shined with fury, but Jaeda only smiled as she stood before him. She cherished every moment of his suffering. It was the most exquisite pleasure for her. Her snake companion slithered from her own shoulders and came to rest around Mihael’s. The imminent threat of strangulation was clear. As if to bait him, the vile creature hissed in his ear. “Now,” Abdiel called from the center of the throne room, “you shall all witness what happens when you go against the will of God.” Flashing the sword before Lucinda’s eyes, he smiled at her as he said, “Pray for mercy you disgusting traitor.” “Mihael I lo---“ Lucinda tried to cry out her feelings of love one last time, but Abdiel had been waiting long enough. Refusing to allow her to finish, he plunged the sword through her stomach in one fluid motion. She gasped as her body was impaled upon the gleaming metal weapon. For a few moments her sapphire eyes were lit with shock, but gradually the sword performed its duty. Her body began to shake, and eventually to convulse. Eyes rolling back in her head, Lucinda’s body flashed as her powers were stripped away. 124

Mihael watched in horror at the treacherous sight before him. That sword was by far the cruelest means of execution that God could fathom to create. Cassiel and Sofiel could not look upon the unholy act any longer. They fled the throne room with tears flowing down their faces and cries of terror echoing off of the exquisite walls around them. As the last of Lucinda’s power was taken, her body turned white. There was no more color in her flowing locks, no more blush in her soft cheeks. She was as an opal angel. Slowly Abdiel pushed the sword even further through her, and in one burst of white and blue sparks, Lucinda was no more. Mihael let out a ragged cry of agony behind the gag in his mouth. Tears flooded his face as he hung his head in defeat. She was really gone. “Her soul cries within my sword,” Abdiel laughed. “How precious. She cries for you Mihael. She worries not about her own fate, but about yours. Would you really like to be recycled with her?” Mihael looked up at Abdiel. It was the first offering of mercy that he had made. If Abdiel was willing to recycle his soul, then Mihael would gladly offer himself up to be recycled. Eagerly he nodded. Abdiel smiled. As he approached the column where Mihael was being held captive, Nakir and Tabbris flanked him. “Shall we untie him, oh great angel Abdiel?” Nakir asked. “Yes,” Abdiel instructed, “I want him to stand before me for this.” Quickly the silver and opal angel worked to remove all of the ropes that held Mihael so tightly. Jaeda looked scandalized as the two angels freed Mihael. “Abdiel,” she protested loudly, “how can you offer him such mercy? It is not your place to do so! If God has decided to let him live then he must live. Who are you to show him mercy?” “Trust, Jaeda,” Abdiel said coldly, “You need to learn to trust me.” 125

Freed of his bonds, Nakir and Tabbris held Mihael securely. He was a threat to heaven as long as he was free, but Mihael did not struggle. Lucinda was already lost to him so the loss of his own soul would be a welcomed relief. Whether his soul was going to be recycled or lost forever, he would accept either as a suitable alternative to a life without Lucinda. Carefully Abdiel passed the blade in front of Mihael’s face. “Are you really prepared to be recycled over her?” Mihael nodded. “Well then,” Abdiel said, “I wouldn’t want you to wait any longer to meet your destiny.” In one swift slash of his sword, Abdiel sliced open Mihael’s throat. The experimental angel fell to the hard marble floor, pulling his two guards with him. Blood spewed from his wound as he gasped for breath and hate burned in his eyes as he glared up at Abdiel’s disgusting face. To Abdiel’s right, Jaeda was laughing and clapping her hands in giddy delight. “You see Jaeda, trust.” Abdiel was smiling radiantly as he took another step closer to Mihael. “Did you really think that I would go against God’s will to show you mercy? Please Mihael, how can you be so naïve? Lucinda would never have trusted me. You will be quite weakened by that wound. If I were you I would try not to exert too much energy or you may very well suffer some dire consequences.” Mihael’s breathing was ragged and his energy completely spent. The power of the sword had weakened him immensely from just one blow. The loss of blood was not helping him either, but when the blade had cut into his skin, he had felt Lucinda’s soul. Some more of her power had transferred to him during the brief contact. It was only because of her power and her love that he was even conscious. 126

“Now,” Abdiel instructed as Nakir and Tabbris returned to an upright position and took hold of Mihael once more, “you can remove the gag, but restrain him. We don’t want him doing anything rash.” “Ahhh!” Mihael managed to scream as he threw off the other two and lunged forward. Abdiel was too quick, however, and easily sidestepped his attack. In his weakened state, Mihael fell once again on the cold, unforgiving floor of the throne room. “Seize him! Now!” Recovering quickly from their blunder, Nakir and Tabbris jumped on top of Mihael and began binding his hands and feet once more. They showed no sympathy as they wrapped the cords around and around cutting deeply into his flesh. Tears fell from his eyes as he allowed his pain to wash over him. He had no strength left to fight, but as they bound him once again to the glass pillar, Mihael caught sight of Abdiel’s face. His normally calm exterior looked shaken. His face, though he tried to present a show of calm, registered fear. Through his pain, Mihael could smile at the recognition of fear. He knew in that moment that he would use Abdiel’s fear against him and one day seize his revenge. CHAPTER XIII With Every Death There is New Life

“Well,” Abdiel said, attempting to regain all of his composure, “I think I have some recycling to do. Jaeda, would you be so kind as to accompany me to see God?” Jaeda’s blank white eyes shimmered in wonder as she gazed at Abdiel. “Do you really mean that? I will get to see my God?” “Yes, for you have proven yourself a loyal follower of God and have obeyed my orders. For that you shall be rewarded. Now please, follow me, but leave your companion behind. Nakir, Tabbris watch Mihael. Make sure he does not escape.” Slinging the sword once again over his right shoulder, Abdiel turned on his heel and marched back toward the doors to God’s lair. Jaeda quickly looked around for her snake companion. The creature had not gone far but it had a tendency of disappearing from time to time. “Stay here and guard him,” she instructed it. The snake nodded its head in under- standing. Jaeda smiled at it, turned, and followed eagerly after Abdiel.

Mihael watched solemnly as the two angels he hated most got to live his once deepest desire. Jaeda would see God’s face. An angel so loathsome and yet she received the highest honor known to angels. But if God wanted to look upon angels such as Abdiel and Jaeda as a reward for the treacherous acts they had committed against their fellow angels, then that honor was one that Mihael no longer desired. Off in the corner of heaven where he had fallen after Abdiel’s blow, Andres finally 127 128

stirred. Holding on to his head lightly, Andres sat up just in time to see Abdiel and Jaeda disappear beyond the glimmering gold doors. “I’m too late,” he whispered feeling ashamed of himself. “I couldn’t stand up to him even though I am a member of the holy triad. I really am useless.” His soft face was wracked with anger, pain, and guilt. Getting to his feet, Andres slowly approached the pillar where Mihael was once again bound. Unable to look him in the eye, the gentle triad leader spoke softly as he mut- tered his apologies. “I am so sorry that I couldn’t prevent this from happening Mihael. I blame myself for Lucinda’s demise. Maybe if I were a stronger angel…with a stronger constitution…I would have been able to do something to help. Please forgive me.” “No forgiveness is needed, Andres. You at least spoke up on our behalf. Abdiel was just too strong. He wanted this to happen and would stop at nothing to make sure it did. He’s a vile and cruel angel. Never be ashamed because of him.” Andres looked up at Mihael with a deep sadness in his eyes. “You’re a strong angel Mihael, and I thank you for your understanding. Is there anything that I can do for you?” “Aside from setting me free or recycling my soul there is really nothing left to be done,” Mihael concluded sadly. “I don’t know how much longer I will survive in this life without Lucinda, but at the moment I have no energy to fight and I have no desire to flee like a coward.” “I understand. I’m sorry that I cannot relieve you of your loss,” Andres turned from him, as he moved to return to his throne. “Andres wait,” Mihael suddenly gasped, “maybe there is something that you can do for m e .” “Of course. Just say what it is that you need me to do for you.” “I know this may sound strange, but would you touch my cheek? Lucinda used to 129

do that to comfort me.” “Do not worry about your request being strange. Any comfort that I can offer you is of great comfort to me.” As Andres drew near and knelt down, the white snake hissed loudly. “Be gone wretched beast,” Andres commanded, but the snake ignored his com- mand. It was loyal only to its creator. Instead it hissed again its body swaying back and forth as if commanding Andres not to grant Mihael’s request. Mihael’s emerald eyes glared at the snake. This disgusting creature that Jaeda had conjured would not stop him. “Ignore the thing. It will not attack you. If it does, Abdiel will be forced to end its life. It is one thing for Abdiel to harm you. It is quite another for a lower level angel, or in this case, a lower level angel’s creation to harm you.” “Yes,” Andres agreed, “and if need be I have the power myself to destroy the beast. I don’t much care for it anyway.” The snake hissed once more in a final attempt to prevent Andres from touching Mihael, but the creature had understood. Its life was in danger and it had a greater pur- pose to serve. Being destroyed now would not be what its creator would want. Still hissing angrily, the snake disappeared around the pillars as it resumed its watch. Returning his attention to Mihael, Andres reached out and gently caressed his cheek. Mihael tilted his face toward Andres’s warm touch and closed his eyes. “I am glad to be able to give you comfort. I only wish that I could offer more.” “Believe me,” Mihael said, opening his eyes, “you have done enough. I could not ask for more, except that you remain the wise and gentle counsel that you are.” With a small smile, Andres nodded. He rose to his feet, and turning slowly he returned to his throne where he buried his head in his hands as he wept. Mihael looked up at the two guards around him. Both remained completely still, 130

like twin pillars of silver and opal, their faces hard as stone. Tabbris and Nakir were purely power seekers. Much like Jaeda they were always hoping to advance in status. Now at Abdiel’s bidding, they would do their duty in the hopes of achieving the same reward that had been bestowed upon Jaeda. That was not a quick way to advance in power or in rank, however. Abdiel rarely rewarded God’s angels, but even so these two were content to pine for Abdiel’s approval and reward. Completely opposite to these two was Rhamiel. He stood leaning against the near- est glass pillar for support. Still in a state of shock, Rhamiel’s emotions were overwhelm- ing him. Much like Lucinda, his power of sensing feelings and channeling emotions was working against him in this moment. Heaven had never been so turbulent; and it was no longer the peaceful paradise of floating clouds. Mihael reached out with warm thoughts and feelings to get the attention of his friend. In his effort, Rhamiel looked in his direction and smiled. It was a gesture that com- forted him even though Mihael was the one whose suffering was greatest. Rhamiel looked upon Mihael with great respect and vowed silently to do all that he could to help Mihael despite the will of God or Abdiel. Seven days passed as the angels waited for the return of Jaeda and Abdiel, when finally the doors to God’s lair opened yet again and three angels emerged. Abdiel was back to his calm, cool self with the sword still slung over his right shoulder. Jaeda looked dazed. Her eyes were glazed over as though she had just seen the most wonderful thing ever, and lastly, another newly created opal angel emerged. She was small, barely reaching three feet, completely white and void of even a shimmer of color. It was as if she were made of the purest white marble. Mihael’s breath caught in his chest as he took in the sight. This was

Lucinda’s reincarnated form. She had been reduced to the ranks of the opal angels. Mi- hael’s emerald eyes looked into the dull, flat eyes of the newly born opal angel before him, but he found no trace of Lucinda within the white shell. The soul of this creation before 131

him had been reformed and wiped clean of all memory and emotion. “Attention everyone,” Abdiel called loudly even though all eyes were already turned in his direction. “I am pleased to present the newest addition to our family, the newly created opal angel Raina. Being a fledgling angel, I am also pleased to say that I have assigned Jaeda the role of being her mentor. Jaeda strongly reflects the morals that I wish to enforce in this heaven, and after this recent fiasco, I do not want any more angels falling from grace.” Abdiel smiled widely at the look of disgust on Mihael’s face. Andres stood. Boldly he declared, “What you did to me was wrong Abdiel. You had no right and no authority to harm another triad member. We were created as a coun- cil of three in order for there to be a balance of power. How dare you disrupt that balance and take matters into your own hands.” “Andres, you have finally woken from your slumber. You must have hit your head harder than I anticipated, for you have never spoken to me like this.” “No,” Andres corrected, “I have just finally realized what a horrible angel you really are. You deceived God, Abdiel. You had no right---“ “Watch yourself Andres. You do not want me as your enemy. Going against me to side with this traitor is not smart. As you can see, what’s done is done. Now why don’t you pipe down and leave the important matters of heaven to me.” “Heaven’s important matters were meant to be decided by the three of us. Yourself, me, and Ariella.” “Well as you can see,” Abdiel began in a smug tone, “Ariella cannot even handle the simple task of returning that orb to its home on her own. And with you indisposed I was forced to handle everything on my own. I don’t even know why God appointed me such unreliable angels to work with. Perhaps I shall have to discuss this matter with him.” “I would have gladly performed my duties as a triad member had I been given the 132

chance. You used your power against me, and that is why I was indisposed as you said. Perhaps I need to mention the misuse of power to God.” Andres’s eyes flashed with a fire that they had never had before. His quiet nature was gone as he finally embraced his full potential. No longer would he be a slave who would bend instantaneously to Abdiel’s will. As if to prove this point, Andres’s power crackled in the air around him. Sensing the sudden surge of power and self-confidence in Andres, Abdiel pretend- ed to ignore him as he turned back to the other angels. “As I have stated,” Abdiel called out loudly, taking back his command of the room, “Jaeda is an exemplary model of what an angel should be. She went to great lengths to serve the holy will of God. Thusly she will be introducing Raina to the laws of heaven and the way that things are to be done around here. God and I both felt that some of you need to be reminded of such things.” Taking her cue, Jaeda strolled to the middle of the throne room. Raina followed obediently, and sat down cross-legged like a small child before her. Her blank white eyes looked up at Jaeda as though she was about to inherit the most precious secrets of heaven. Jaeda looked down at her adoring pupil and knew that she could tell her anything and Raina would believe it. Newly created angels were born with an such an intense gratitude for the life that had been breathed into them, that they accepted all that they were taught without question. Even thousands of years after their birth they rarely questioned what they had originally been told. Without further hesitation, Jaeda proceeded to explain heaven to Raina. She dis- cussed the class system, how Raina would come to discover her powers in time, how God’s word was law, the place of the holy triad and the function that they served within heaven, and finally she explained about Mihael. “And this angel,” she said, her tone icy as she gestured to him accusingly, “is the 133

enemy of God, heaven, and angels. He is a traitor who used his God-given powers for evil. We must never do as he has done. If you follow me have no fear, for you shall always be held in God’s good graces. Is this in any way unclear?” Shaking her head vehemently, Raina eagerly accepted Jaeda’s words as law. She bowed low before her opal mentor and thanked her for sharing her heavenly wisdom. “Yes,” Abdiel’s voice boomed from where he sat on his throne, “we should all be so grateful. For remember when we were first created how innocent we were. If only we could reclaim that holy innocence. Perhaps then heaven would become a peaceful para- dise once more.” “When we were first created we were innocent, but we were also ignorant,” Mihael stated, looking directly into Abdiel’s hard topaz eyes. “God keeps us at bay so that we do not think to question him. He forms us so that we are grateful servants who feel that we owe our eternal lives completely and unquestioningly to his service, when in truth we have never seen his face or heard his orders proclaimed from his own lips.” “God does not proclaim his orders from his own lips because you are unworthy to gaze upon his face. Besides, what makes you think that God owes you anything Mihael?” Abdiel’s face was dark as he rose once more to his feet. “I do not think that God owes me anything. I merely want to use the powers that he bestowed upon me without fear of punishment.” “Without order, heaven would be chaos. God’s laws must be followed o---“ “But only if we use our powers in a purely selfish way. Lucinda and I did not use our powers for evil, but merely for self-fulfillment. How can we be punished for that?” “Silence!” Abdiel screamed, his body rigid with rage. “The trial is over. You have been given your punishment now what more must be done to make you know your place?” “Recycle me,” Mihael whispered, his gaze returning to the marble floor. “I have 134

nothing left to live for anyway.” “I cannot grant you such a wish. That was not God’s punishment for you and I will not go against the will of God.” “Recycle me!” Mihael screamed, straining against his bonds. “Recycle me!” His emerald eyes blazed, his body flailed as he fought against the ropes that held him to the pillar. Tabbris and Nakir looked sideways at one another, both unsure of just how secure Mihael’s bonds really were. As if in answer to their silent question, the pillar that Mihael was tied to began to crack. The glass broke bit by bit the more that Mihael strained for freedom. Wisps of cloud began escaping into the atmosphere of the throne room. “Stop that!” Abdiel’s voice boomed as he extended his hand. Using his powers, Ab- diel tightened Mihael’s bonds even farther. The experimental angel cried out in pain as the ropes cut into his flesh. His hands shook and he gasped for breath as the ropes around his abdomen began restricting his air supply. “I will not have this show of disobedience! This is no way to act in front of a new angel! Look what you’ve done to her!” Mihael’s eyes rolled from Abdiel to Raina. The small angel was quivering uncon- trollably with fear as she cowered behind Jaeda. Raina’s fear was palpable. The opal angel who stood as her protector whispered to her, “You see. He really is evil.” Mihael’s spirit broke as he gazed upon his once lover. She was nowhere to be found within the white child in front of him. He had really lost her. And now with his desperate show of passion she would truly believe him to be evil. Giving up his pointless struggle, Mihael’s body sagged in defeat, but the ropes that held him remained tight. Though he had given up the fight, Abdiel was taking no chances. He rushed forward from his throne as Raina began to convulse in spasms of fear. CHAPTER XIV The Bonds of Friendship Attention quickly shifted to helping Raina. A newly created angel that was this frightened could wreck havoc on heaven. The first moments of a new angel’s life were crucial to his or her future and Abdiel would not have another renegade angel on his hands. Mihael had been enough of a defiance to his authority, and this little opal who had once been his former lover would certainly never live to defy him again. The only angel who even acknowledged Mihael’s presence was Rhamiel. He stood away from the group as they crowded around Raina to support her and offer her comfort. Though he knew the warnings of what could happen to newborns if they were not instilled with heaven’s values in the first moments of life, Rhamiel lagged behind the group watching Mihael. The experimental angel looked horrible. The ropes were cutting into his pale flesh, leaving angry red marks, but the worst mark was across his neck. A glistening line of pure white blazed across Mihael’s throat; the scar from Abdiel’s false promise of mercy. Mihael’s silky black locks were disheveled and lacked their usual luster. His eyes were dead. Slowly Rhamiel inched toward him, and though he knew that Mihael would not benefit, he reached out with his power. The warmth that he sent to the experimental angel seemed to bring some life back to his eyes. Somewhat in a daze, he looked over in Rhamiel’s direction. In his eyes there was gratitude for the attempt, but as he had once told Rhamiel on the balcony among the clouds, the attempt to console him was not working.

Rhamiel, however, could not move his gaze from Mihael. He felt deeply saddened as he continued to gaze at the once troubled angel who had only wanted to see God’s 135 136

face to feel like he had a purpose in this vast stretch of eternity. Now here he was; tied to a pillar and labeled as the enemy of God. In many ways Rhamiel blamed himself for the tragic fate. Had he not suggested that Mihael come to see the holy triad, perhaps none of these unfortunate events would have occurred. As if reading Rhamiel’s thoughts, Mihael shook his head. Still straining to breathe, the experimental angel moved to sit a little straighter so that he could look Rhamiel in the eye. You did nothing wrong, said the voice of Mihael as it ran through Rhamiel’s mind. The voice startled Rhamiel as he realized that it was really Mihael that he was hearing inside his head. His question radiated from his delicate features as he looked at Mihael in wonder and curiosity. Mihael’s voice ran through his mind again. Please don’t be afraid, and please don’t say anything. Rhamiel looked as Mihael skeptically. Though an angel’s power could grow beyond what he was given originally, an angel rarely got a new power completely unrelated to the powers he had already. Still, Mihael had been through enough, and Rhamiel refused to add to his suffering. Silently, Rhamiel nodded his head, honoring Mihael’s request. Mihael breathed a sigh of relief. Rhamiel was a good friend, even if he didn’t realize it. The thought made Mihael wonder if Rhamiel could be the key to his freedom. Since he was willing to keep this secret, perhaps he would be willing to help further. Rhamiel, Mihael’s voice called, Please come here. Rhamiel glanced nervously at the angels still huddled around Raina. None of them were paying any attention to him or Mihael. Slowly he edged over to stand next to Mihael. Curiously he gazed down at him. What do you want of me? He thought as he came to stand next to him. His hazel 137

eyes nervously scanned the group of angels as he worried that one of them would finally notice his absence and call attention to it. I want you to loosen these bonds, Mihael’s voice answered. Rhamiel inhaled sharply and his eyes widened. “You can hear my thoughts,” he said aloud, not sure whether he was asking Mihael or stating a fact about Mihael. “Yes,” Mihael answered quietly, his eyes frantically searching the crowd for anyone who may have overheard. “But how is that---“ “Never mind how this is possible,” Mihael interrupted. “I don’t have much time. Please. These ropes are hurting me. Won’t you please loosen them? Even just a little bit would give me great comfort.” “Mihael, I don’t know if I can. Believe me I want more than anything to help you, but I just don’t know if I can. To go against Abdiel when he is in this state is not wise. If you could feel his power as I do you would realize how dangerous this is and---“ Rhamiel was rambling and Mihael knew that he was losing precious moments. The opportunity to do this would not come again. Straining against his bonds once more, he managed to touch Rhamiel’s foot with his thumb. Rhamiel gasped as the knowledge and understanding of love and friendship flooded into him. He could now recognize that the bond he had with Mihael was in fact a friendship. Looking down at his friend, Rhamiel’s eyes welled with tears as he saw how much pain the ropes were causing him. Mihael had not been lying. Looking around frantically one last time to make sure that no one was watching him, Rhamiel quickly fell to his knees and began to loosen Mihael’s bonds. “Thank you,” Mihael breathed as a rush of air filled his crushed lungs. He moved with ease against the glass column, but he was careful not to reveal his newfound freedom 138

just yet. “Please,” he begged, looking Rhamiel in the eye, “you can’t let them find out that you did this. You know as well as I do that Abdiel will be furious. Who knows what they might do to you.” Rhamiel nodded. His hazel eyes were filled with fear and wonder as he continued staring at Mihael. The new feelings that were flowing through him would take some getting used to. Since Rhamiel’s powers involved sensing feelings, projecting feelings, and seeing auras, his reaction would of course be different than an angel with another gift. The vague knowledge of these emotions had always lived locked away within him, but it was only at this moment that he fully understood what those feelings were and what to call them. As Mihael thought about this, he wondered how Lucinda had really felt when she had first bitten the fruit that had given her this forbidden and foreign knowledge. Blessed with the same gifts as Rhamiel, her reaction had seemed to be one of wonder and discovery. “I’m sorry that I didn’t defend you more earlier,” Rhamiel began apologizing as tears streamed down his face. “I didn’t know---“ “Forget about it,” Mihael interrupted, “you need to calm down or Abdiel will know that something is wrong. Hurry. Go and help Luci…Rai….the newborn. Go and comfort her with your power. Then this will be easier for you to handle.” Rhamiel nodded. Helping Raina calm down would lessen the fear and anxiety in heaven so that he could better realize these new emotions that were flowing through him. Turning quickly he ran toward the group. “Let me help her,” he cried.

Mihael looked on worriedly. Rhamiel had to do this. At the very least a tentative order had to once again be restored. Despite everything, Abdiel was right about one thing. Heaven could not be chaos. There had to be some sense of order, if only for the 139

time being. Mihael could only hope that Rhamiel’s new understanding of their friendship would compel him to understand what Mihael had done and was yet to do. Rhamiel did not disappoint. Within minutes he had used his power to calm the turbulent and potentially dangerous Raina. Her small white form had ceased its shivering and she had grown quiet and subdued. Just the way that God likes his angels, Mihael thought. Still, he too would play the part of the silent and subdued angel. What he had to do required him to play that part. And though he had encouraged it, the peace that Rhamiel had brought to heaven would not last very long. CHAPTER XV A Most Loyal Servant The atmosphere of heaven changed significantly after Raina had been calmed. The remaining lower level angels circled her and chanted softly as she sat once again cross- legged at the center of the throne room. Her white eyes were closed peacefully behind white eyelids. Abdiel, however, was livid. Despite his punishment, Mihael was not giving up his defiant ways. Abdiel had never been challenged in such a way and he was determined to end it. Stomping over to the pillar where Mihael sat, Abdiel swung the sword, slicing open Mihael’s cheek. “How dare you,” he raged, eyes flashing. “You challenge me, God’s chosen leader of the holy triad, and you expect mercy. You receive a punishment from God, yet you learn nothing. And now, before a newly created angel, you defy me, bringing fear upon her and threatening not only her existence, but the existence of all angels and heaven itself. This matter is bigger than you, Mihael. It is bigger than your so called love for Lucinda. From this moment on you will give me the respect that I deserve and you will obey my commands. My words are law. Do you understand?” Mihael’s teeth were clenched in pain. A small trickle of blood was running down his cheek. He could feel his power rushing to the fresh wound, but the wounds inflicted by the sword were not meant to be healed. Though the flesh would close, there would be a scar. Mihael’s hatred for Abdiel flared even more as he listened to him speak. Mihael would never obey such an angel. He was a vile creation that Mihael vowed silently to destroy. 140 141

“Do you understand?” Abdiel bellowed again. Mihael could not answer. Rhamiel had, for a brief moment, restored the peace of heaven, and he could not allow Abdiel to ruin it because of his hatred. “Tend to her,” he breathed, nodding in Raina’s direction. “She’s still in a fragile state. Do you really want to scare her further by feuding with me? You already know my answer to your question. Must you really ask me again?” Abdiel glared at Mihael, but still he knew that the experimental angel was right. Rhamiel’s powers would keep Raina calm for now, but she was still a newborn and peace had to be maintained if only for the first few days of her life. “Well who knows what damage you have already caused,” Abdiel spat, “nevertheless I shall tend to her. But know this; I am not doing so because you tell me to. I will never take orders from you, and we are far from finished with our little discussion. One way or another you will come to obey me.” Before Mihael could respond, Abdiel turned away from him and moved to take his place back on the throne. His anger was threatening to overwhelm him and he needed to restore a balance within himself. Though he liked the feel of the sword in his grasp, he had no idea how long God would allow him to wield such a weapon. “Rhamiel,” he called out as he sat down on his throne, “I think we could all use a calming meditation. Won’t you please lead us?” “Yes, great angel Abdiel,” Rhamiel said, bowing slightly. Obediently, Rhamiel began a meditation. For that brief time, it seemed as if all of the angels gathered breathed as one, Mihael included. He allowed the peace to wash over him, and it was a calm that he had not felt since Lucinda had been alive with him in Eden.

Rhamiel was very good at restoring calm. His honey sweet voice radiated throughout the throne room, soothing everyone whose ears it touched. As Mihael listened, he wondered if perhaps he had been wrong. Perhaps if he had 142

simply tried a little harder he would have found a purpose in this life. Maybe if he had, Lucinda’s life would not have been lost. Maybe their love really hadn’t been worth her sacrifice. As he contemplated the sad thought, he cast a glance at Abdiel. The triad leader was sitting on his throne gazing longingly at the gleaming sword still clutched tightly in his right hand. Mihael listened to his thoughts, hearing Abdiel’s lust to wield the sword once more against him. Mihael knew in that instant that defying Abdiel and the corrupt monarchy that he reigned over had been the best course of action. The love that he had found with Lucinda had been the best feeling that he had ever experienced. It had given him purpose. Left alone in the dismal skies of heaven without her seemed like a fate worse than recycling. Her sacrifice would not be in vain. How can you live with yourself, Mihael thought, invading Abdiel’s mind. You are truly despicable; truly evil. The sword clamored to the marble floor as Abdiel heard Mihael’s words in his head. The invasion of his own mind shocked him. The only other voice that had ever dared to invade his thoughts had been the voice of Ariella. How Mihael’s voice could resonate within his mind was terrifying to him. If Mihael did indeed possess the same powers as Ariella, he was definitely a threat.

Mihael could only smile as all eyes turned to focus on Abdiel. He could almost feel him shuddering in terror as the truth of what was going on sunk in. Hastily, Abdiel bent to retrieve his sword. He held on to it tightly with both hands as his eyes met Mihael’s. “Abdiel?” Rhamiel called, alarmed by the fear that he could sense. “Is something wrong?” Abdiel’s eyes were locked with Mihael’s as he thought, can you hear my thoughts too? Yes, I can Abdiel. I know how much you want to use that sword against me. How 143

much you want to drive it through my body and savor the feeling of my soul being sucked into it. So why don’t you? Recycle me once and for all. Abdiel shook the sword at him slightly, as though he were ready to grant Mihael’s request. His eyes were wild with a fear that he had never shown, never felt before. No lower level angel had ever been gifted with the power to hear thoughts. What could it mean? But Abdiel remembered his words from earlier. No, he thought, I will not let you tell me what to do. You will die Mihael. But I will decide when and how I take your life. Mihael met his challenge with an even wider smile. Abdiel was afraid. He now knew of the powers that dwelt within Mihael, but he had no idea how Mihael had obtained them. Holding the sword across his body in defense, Abdiel sat back down on his throne, his eyes still not moving away from Mihael. “Abdiel,” Rhamiel tried again, “are you alright?” “Fine,” Abdiel said in a low voice. “I’m fine.” The angels could feel the change in the air. The peaceful meditation was over and anxiety once again filled the air. Rhamiel’s eyes looked from Abdiel to Mihael and back again. The hatred between the two was almost unbearable to be around. He sighed, wondering sadly if the heaven that he knew would ever again be the same. A week of precarious peace followed as the angels nurtured Raina. It appeared that no long term damage had been done, but it would not be truly apparent for many years. In that week, Abdiel did not move from his throne. He laid the sword across his lap, his right hand never releasing its handle. His body was tense, ready to strike at any moment. Mihael remained relaxed against the glass pillar. Since Rhamiel had loosened his bonds he was quite comfortable. He could see Abdiel’s fear and he relished every moment of tension. In a very strange way it gave him satisfaction to know that God’s most beloved angel considered him a threat. 144

Abdiel, however, was not one to live in fear. He would find out how Mihael had obtained a triad member’s power, and then he would destroy him. An angel such as Mihael was dangerous. He could not possess so much power. No angel could. After Raina’s birth period came to an end, Abdiel once again provoked Mihael. Stepping down from his throne, sword thrust out in front of him, he came over to the pillar where Mihael sat. Pressing the tip of the sword to Mihael’s throat, he asked him in a low voice, “How can you hear my thoughts?” Mihael smiled as he said, “Does it bother you so much that I can hear your thoughts?” “Yes,” Abdiel sneered without hesitation, “that power was not meant for the likes of you. It is a triad member’s power. So answer me; how can you hear my thoughts?” “I don’t know,” Mihael taunted. “I think you do. So please, enlighten me.” “You? The great angel Abdiel is asking me for enlightenment? I am honored.” “You know very well what I mean. Now answer the question or suffer the consequences. Do I make myself clear?” “And what sort of consequences are we talking about?” “This,” Abdiel sneered, swinging the sword and slicing open Mihael’s left shoulder. He recoiled slightly, hissing in pain. In moments his power rushed in to close the wound and another searing white scar appeared on his pale flesh. “Abdiel what are you doing?” Andres yelled, rising from his throne as he watched Abdiel wield the sword once more. “You shouldn’t be using the sword against him anymore. You said yourself that his trial is over. He has been punished, now leave him a l on e .” Abdiel ignored him. “Is that the best you can do?” Mihael panted, the pain quickly subsiding. 145

“Believe me,” Abdiel hissed, “I will cut you open as many times as I have to in order to get the answers I seek. Now are you going to cooperate, or must we do this again?” “I’ll never tell you,” Mihael laughed. “If you can’t figure it out on your own maybe you shouldn’t be the leader of the triad oh great one.” “Shut up!” Abdiel screamed, swinging the sword again. This time he slashed through Mihael’s right thigh. “I won’t hesitate to use this.” Mihael only laughed harder. “Yes, that’s right. Swing your sword. It’s the only thing that gives you any real power over me. Even so I barely feel its blade slicing into me. It may scar my flesh, but I am not so vain as you. The wounds that mark my flesh do not repulse me.” “You should be repulsed. You are a monster,” Abdiel breathed, his voice hoarse. Mihael’s unnerving tolerance of pain was terrifying, but it was his words, spoken with such an assurance, that made Abdiel quake with fear. If the sword did not make Mihael know fear, then what would? Tears ran down Mihael’s face as his laughter became uncontrollable. It echoed from the ceiling, bouncing off the pillars. The other angels shivered at the sound. “A monster am I?” Mihael asked. “Then please, finish off this monster. Wield your grand sword Abdiel and take my life. Show them who is in charge here. Show them all the greatness of your power.” Abdiel wanted more than anything to shove the sword into Mihael’s body and feel his soul being pulled from its heavenly home. With his soul trapped forever in its blade Abdiel would no longer be forced to look upon his snide face, stare into his piercing green eyes, or hear his terrifying words. But a greater idea came to him. “No,” Abdiel said, as calmly as he could. “I will not use my sword against you. I have someone else in mind to do that.” 146

Mihael looked at Abdiel suspiciously. The golden angel merely smiled at him as he waved the blade in front of Mihael’s face. “Oh Raina,” Abdiel called. Mihael’s heart froze. The tiny opal angel rushed over toward them. She knelt quickly to the marble floor, bowing deeply and kissing Abdiel’s feet. “How may I serve you, oh great angel Abdiel?” “My dear Raina,” Abdiel cooed, “I want you to be the angel who sentences this traitor to his final punishment. You will take this sword and shove it through his heart. If you do this, you will be a hero of heaven; God’s most loyal servant who destroyed his most dangerous enemy. Will you do the honors?” Holding out the sword to her, Abdiel smiled maliciously. The newborn angel stayed as she was on the floor, her eyes registering fear despite their blankness. “Don’t,” Mihael hissed looking up at Abdiel through his veil of black locks. “Do not do this.” “Why?” Abdiel asked, twirling the sword. “Wouldn’t it be more fitting for you to die at the hands of your former lover than at my hands? In a sense it’s my mercy being shown again.” “You can see that she doesn’t want to,” Mihael said, nodding to the tiny angel. She looked at him as he said this. He could tell by her expression that she was grateful for his words and his understanding. When he met her eyes, it was almost as if he could sense the tiniest spark of Lucinda still alive within her. He smiled wistfully at her as he said, “You don’t have to obey him.” “Wrong!” Abdiel shouted, causing everyone in the throne room to jump. “She does have to obey me and I want her to destroy you! Take the sword and run it through him!” Raina could no longer take Abdiel’s anger. She fled from him, the tears pouring from her eyes. The other angels quickly ran after her as she burst through the doors which 147

led to Andres’s wing of the throne room. “Come back here and do as I command!” Abdiel screamed after her. “You obey me! Slave!” At his final word Mihael burst from his bonds and tackled Abdiel to the marble floor. The golden angel’s face was frozen in shock as he realized what was going on. Somehow Mihael’s bonds had been loosened allowing him to escape. With the feeling of pure terror in his heart, Abdiel swung the sword blindly. Mihael caught the blade easily in his hand, holding it steadily away from him. “Tell me Abdiel,” he panted as kneeled over top of him, pinning him to the floor, “are you afraid of me now? Am I the monster you deemed me, or am I worse?” Pulling the sword free of Abdiel’s grasp, Mihael threw it across the room. It skidded to a halt at the doors to the throne room. With his hands free, Mihael began to beat Abdiel. With each blow that he delivered he released more and more of his rage. Abdiel cried out in pain, but the blood that flowed freely from Mihael’s hand mixed with his own blood as it gagged him. His nose was broken and his vision began to blur as Mihael continued to pummel him unmercifully. “Mihael!” Rhamiel’s voice cried out in terror as he stood in the doorway of Andres’s private chambers. His golden face was drained of color as he looked upon his friend covered in blood and beating their once beloved leader. “Rhamiel,” Mihael breathed raggedly, “please underst---“ Taking advantage of the brief distraction, Abdiel channeled all the strength that he could muster as he hurled Mihael backward into the glass pillar to which he was originally tied. In fear for his life, he took off running for his lost sword. Mihael was barely phased as his back collided with the column and the sickening shattering of glass easily covered his scream which was more from shock than pain. In a moment he was on his feet again and in a race with Abdiel for the sword. 148

Abdiel made it to the sword first and he smiled as he felt the cool handle once again beneath his fingers. But Mihael would not allow him to wield the sword anymore. Still running full speed, he collided with Abdiel and the two angels fell through the doors of the throne room as the sword was once again knocked free of Abdiel’s grasp. Maintaining his grip on him, Mihael dragged Abdiel to his feet. His fists were wild as they sought to hit every inch of Abdiel’s body. The golden angel was surprisingly weak considering his muscular body. Though he tried to fend off Mihael’s attacks, he was barely managing to maintain consciousness. Finally when his weakened form fell to the floor, Mihael turned his attention to the sword. It lay there glimmering in the heavenly light, as if inviting him to be its new owner. As he took the sword’s handle in his grasp it felt warm. The essence of Lucinda’s soul was gone from it, but the shadow of her energy could just barely be felt within it. The blade sang the history of the life it had once held. In a few moments it would again hold another. Walking slowly toward Abdiel, with a menacing look about him, Mihael tapped the edge of the sword against his left palm. “You lose Abdiel,” he said quietly. “And it’s going to cost you your life.” Abdiel looked up at Mihael. His perfect body was destroyed. He felt the disgrace of imperfection as blood continued to flow over him despite his powers. Mihael had beaten him and it was a defeat that Abdiel could never live with. “Give me the sword,” he commanded, extending his right hand. “You must be joking,” Mihael sneered. “No,” Abdiel said, rising slowly to his feet. “You beat me. That is a disgrace that I cannot live with for eternity. If you give me the sword I swear to you that I will shove its blade into my own flesh. But I cannot die at your hand. At least leave me that dignity.” “Why should I leave you your dignity?” Mihael bellowed. “Why do you deserve it? Did you leave Lucinda her dignity?” 149

“I did as I was told. I had no choice but to---“ “Shut up!” Mihael screamed. “You had a choice and now I am going to finish this once and for all.” With a loud cry of all his pain and anger, Mihael charged at Abdiel. Abdiel did not wait for the blade to pierce his body. He turned and fled from the castle. The sun was blinding as it hit his eyes in all its glory. He cried out in pain as the brightness burned his corneas. Still, he knew that Mihael was not far behind. He ran until he met the edge of the cloud-covered courtyard on which the castle floated. Looking over the edge the only thing that he could see was the vast stretch of blue sky beneath him. He turned around frantically to find Mihael alarmingly close. “There’s nowhere to run!” Mihael shouted, victory ringing in his voice. “It’s over.” Somewhere around the edge of the castle, Abdiel saw a flash of gold. As he looked closer, he recognized Ariella coming back from the place called Eden. He called out to her in one last attempt to save his life. “Ariella! Help me! Please! This mad angel has the sword! Kill him!” She looked up, noticing them for the first time. Her expression was puzzled as she took in the sight before her. Slowly she took a step toward them. “Don’t come any closer,” Mihael commanded. Quicker than Abdiel could ever imagine, Mihael rushed forward and grasped him by the throat. Raising him into the air, Mihael dangled the triad leader above the clouds, the sword pointing threateningly at his abdomen. “I won’t hesitate to destroy him,” Mihael warned. His shining emerald eyes met Ariella’s swirling golden eyes, but something was different about her. She had done something that had changed her.

As the two continued to stare at one another, Ariella smiled. Before Mihael could question her look, her voice ran through his mind. Do what you must. 150

Mihael didn’t hesitate. He returned his attention to Abdiel as he thrust the sword with all of his might through Abdiel’s body. The triad leader forgot all dignity as he let out a cry of anguish. His soul fought to stay with its body as the tremors shook the exquisite golden shell violently. Power shot forth from him in sparks as little by little each power that he possessed was stripped away. His eyes rolled back into his head, his arms fell to his sides, and his screaming eventually stopped. With one final flash, Abdiel’s body was destroyed. Mihael could feel his soul crying within the blade of his beloved sword. The triad leader was gone. Ariella moved at last, coming quickly to Mihael’s side. “Well done,” she praised, flashing her dazzling smile. Mihael looked at her suspiciously. “What do you mean? Who’s to say that I won’t destroy you next?” “Well I suppose there’s nothing keeping you from destroying me,” Lucinda purred, “but if you intend to you might want to know some things before you do.” “And what could you possibly tell me that I don’t already know?” Still smiling, she took a step closer to him. Leaning in toward him she whispered, “I ate of the fruits of Eden.” Mihael’s eyes widened at her words, and before he could fully comprehend what she had just told him, she leaned closer yet and kissed him. Anger burst from him as he swung the sword in her direction, intent on killing her as he had Abdiel. But Ariella had no intention of being destroyed by Mihael. She danced away from his attack easily, laughing as she did so. “I really must thank you before you go too crazy,” she laughed. “You were a most loyal servant my pet. You did exactly as I wished for you to do.” Mihael swung his sword again. Again Ariella dodged his attack, but some of her long golden locks fell to the 151

clouds as she danced away from him. “Perfect,” she cooed. And without another word she ran to the front doors of the castle as she screamed, “My fellow angels! Come quickly! He has killed Abdiel!” Mihael froze in shock. It had been her plan all along for him to kill Abdiel. The other angels began arriving in the doorway. Each face wore a look of shock, but none more shocked than Rhamiel. He stared out at Mihael in disbelief. Even though Abdiel was a wicked angel, Mihael was not at liberty to kill him and dispense judgment upon him. Rhamiel did not want to see more of God’s angels destroyed. In his pure heart, Rhamiel still believed in each angel’s goodness. Jaeda was furious. She yelled obscenities at Mihael from the doorway of God’s castle as tears streamed from her blank eyes. Abdiel had been her beloved leader. She had admired him, and he had granted her most desperate desire. Now he was gone because Mihael had taken his life. She loathed Mihael with a fury that rivaled the strength of the love that Mihael had felt for Lucinda. “And look,” Ariella cried, holding out the shortened bits of her golden locks, “he made an attempt on my life as well. He cannot be allowed to live, or he will destroy us all. Now, in the name of God, seize him!” As the angels ran forward to seize Mihael, he looked solemnly at Ariella. She was smiling. As her swirling eyes met his, her voice ran through his mind yet again. Goodbye Mihael. Chapter XVI A Fugitive of Heaven

Mihael stared in disbelief as his fellow angels rushed toward him, all intent on ending his life. Even his once friends Rhamiel and Andres were rushing toward him, with hurt and betrayal in their eyes. They had not been able to understand his actions. Killing a triad member was an unforgivable crime in heaven and this time he really would pay with his life. Inside the sword’s blade, Abdiel’s soul laughed. He believed this to be divine justice. His demise would not be in vain after all. Mihael looked sadly at the sword in his hand. Its power was great and with the crowd of angels coming at him it would be impossible not to hurt either Rhamiel or Andres in his fight to survive. Still, he had no plan to die, at least not here and not like this. Holding the sword in front of him, Mihael prayed. “Forgive me friends, for what I am about to do,” he whispered. Closing his soft lavender eyelids he focused on channeling Abdiel’s power from within the sword. It shook in protest, but Mihael only gripped its handle tighter. He was its master now, and it would obey his will. As the other angels came within five feet of him, he swung the sword in a great circle around himself. A burst of Abdiel’s power shot out of the blade, knocking all of the angels from the cloud. Heaven’s blue skies were filled with screams as the clouds rained angels. It was a long way to fall. Some of the angels desperately clawed at any clouds within their reach, hoping to somehow prevent their fall, but it was no use. Bodies fell through the wispy white clouds, plummeting toward the hard marble floors so far below. 152 153

Mihael stared wistfully over the edge of the cloud, wishing that there would have been another way. His fellow angels were now mere specks of gold, silver, and opal as they continued to fall through the clouds below. They would not stop falling until they hit the marble floor where the three hundred year staircase began. Luckily angels did not die so easily. Though they would be badly injured they would live to hunt him another day. He was their enemy now. He was a fugitive of heaven. Off in the distance by the castle, Ariella could be heard laughing. She was the only angel who remained with Mihael. Walking toward him she began clapping. “Congratulations,” she sang, “I didn’t think you had it in you. Using Abdiel’s power on angels you care about. It’s fascinating what an angel will do when his life is in danger. You do realize of course that Raina was in that crowd of angels that you just threw from this cloud?” Mihael’s heart skipped a beat. He had not seen her among them, but it would have made sense that she would be with them. He looked down over the edge of the cloud once more, but he could no longer see anything but cerulean skies and billowing clouds tumbling by. “It doesn’t matter,” Mihael said quietly, closing his eyes “Raina is nothing to me. Lucinda is the one that I love.” “Don’t you mean loved?” “No. Lucinda is the one that I love. She may be gone from this place, but my love for her remains. That opal angel is not her.” “Oh but it is,” Ariella cooed, smiling at him. He looked up suspiciously into her swirling golden eyes.

“What do you mean? Her soul was recycled. She has no memories of me, no knowledge of the love that we shared or who she once was. How is that opal shell still her?” 154

“Because my dear Mihael, even though her soul has been recycled and her mind erased, her core essence is still Lucinda. Her memories of you and who she really is remain. These are just hidden from her at the moment. That is why her first years of existence are crucial to her new life as an opal angel. You can unlock those memories. You can regain your love.” “You’re lying,” Mihael said, his fingers flexing on the sword’s handle as he contemplated taking a swing at her. “I speak only the truth,” Lucinda claimed, holding her hands over her heart. “You can have her back, and I can help you. But for now you must flee. Heaven can no longer be your home. Take your Earth and run. I can buy you the time you need.” “Why should I believe you?” Mihael asked, holding the sword in front of himself, his eyes narrowing. “I have no reason to lie about this,” Ariella said calmly, ignoring his defensiveness. “You hold a weapon that could end my life, yet here I stand with you. I am offering you the chance to run away; the chance to save the world that you and Lucinda created; and ultimately the chance to save your love. Don’t you want that?” “More than anything,” Mihael answered honestly. “I just don’t believe that you want me to have that.” “Well think quickly,” Ariella said, her eyes turning away from him. She glanced around the cloud nervously. “Angels are coming. Your plan did not buy you as much time as you intended.” “How is that possible?” Mihael asked. The other angels would have fallen to the marble floor. It would take them three hundred years before they would reach God’s castle again. There was no way that they could be coming. Turning on Ariella, he yelled, “This is a trick! You’re lying!” Ariella chuckled softly. 155

“No. It seems that Lucinda is more alive in Raina than you thought. She is the one who saved them. She has conjured wings for them actually. No doubt she took inspiration from the birds of Eden. How clever of her, and using her powers this early in her life.” “Lucinda wasn’t a conjurer,” Mihael reasoned, still believing Ariella’s words to be untrue. “No she was not,” Ariella said heatedly, growing impatient, “but just as my power passed to you in that brief contact of our lips touching, so your powers passed to her in the many kisses that you both shared. Now go! They are coming here at an alarming speed.” Grabbing her by the arm, Mihael dragged her along behind him. “What are you doing?” she cried in shock. “I’m taking you with me. If you’re lying, you will die.” “Well then let me go because I’m about to be proven right any moment now.” Just as she finished saying this, Jaeda appeared. Her opal body soared through the air toward them. Growing out from between the shoulder blades of her back were feathered wings that were at least five feet long. Her eyes blazed with hatred as she screamed, “Die traitor!” Mihael pulled Ariella to the cloud below, barely dodging the aerial attack.

“I believe you,” Mihael breathed as the other angels appeared. Many still looked shocked at their newfound ability to fly, but they hovered in the air ready and willing to strike. Jaeda didn’t seem frightened at all by her ability to soar through the air. She moved with grace and agility, enjoying the feel of the wind in her hair. “Angels,” she called loudly, “there is the traitor! Seize him!” As the angels soared forward, Mihael pulled Ariella inside the castle and quickly slammed the doors shut. He wasted no time locking them, and within moments he could hear the other angels pounding on the doors of God’s castle. The lock wouldn’t hold for 156

long. Could this finally be the end? Mihael thought that if it were, he might accomplish one last thing before his demise. “He has taken Ariella hostage!” Jaeda’s voice declared. “He is trying to destroy us all. Quickly! Find a way in!” Running forward, Mihael released Ariella and headed for the exquisite white gold doors behind Abdiel’s vacant throne. He threw himself against them, banging his fist on the unforgiving metal. The diamonds, pearls, and opals all winked at him as if to taunt him. “What are you doing?!?!” Ariella cried, appalled by what she was seeing. “You’re wasting time! You still have a chance! Go! Save yourself!” “No!” Mihael screamed, his body now swelling with bruises as he continuously threw himself against the doors. “It’s too late for me. He’s hiding behind these doors watching me! He’s enjoying my suffering! I’m going to destroy him! I’m going to use his own sword against him! Come out God! Come out and face me!” “This is madness,” Ariella whispered, her face draining of color. She fell to her knees in horror as she watched Mihael’s insane attempt to end God. He was no match for the deity residing behind the doors. His body was badly injured and he was bleeding profusely. The sticky red liquid had stained his skin so much that his flesh was no longer pale, but a deep crimson. The sight was truly terrifying. Mihael sensed that his end was near. He could accept that. But God would not fight him. He would never get to see this despicable deity face-to-face. He would never take pleasure in his destruction. “Coward,” Mihael screamed hoarsely as he hit the door one last time. He collapsed in tears as he buried his face in his blood soaked hands. This was the end. All he could do now was wait for the other angels to descend upon him, take up his sword, and run it through him. 157

As the blood and tears burned his eyes, he had a most brilliant and maniacal thought. Reaching up toward the doors, Mihael closed his eyes and concentrated. In moments, he managed to force his free-flowing blood upward and into the gold. The doors cracked loudly as diamonds, pearls, and opals fell forward. The tainted gold could no longer hold the precious stones, and as it made its way farther upward, a shower of gems rained down upon Mihael. The sharp edges made even more cuts on his already battered body, but he laughed as the doors to God’s lair morphed and twisted, gold and blood becoming one. With a loud crash, glass fragments poured from above. Jaeda and the other angels had destroyed the glass ceiling of God’s castle. She flew toward him, unafraid. His deep emerald eyes, that looked black from the blood that covered them, met her pure white eyes with bold challenge. Just as she moved to make her first blow, Mihael grabbed his sword and with all the strength he could muster, struck her. The opal angel cried out in pain as her body was thrown into a glass pillar. She slid to the floor clutching her arm that had almost been severed by Mihael’s blade. The other angels quickly flew to her aid. As they caught sight of Mihael’s brilliant red form they all shivered in fear. He stood tall and strong before the destroyed doors of God’s holy lair, soaked in blood and wielding the most deadly weapon. A sea of gems glistened as his feet. “M---Mihael,” Rhamiel’s soft voice whispered in disbelief. “What are you?” Mihael looked at the circle of newly winged angels. Each face, except for Jaeda’s, wore an expression of terror. They were truly afraid of what he had become. Rhamiel no longer saw a friend before him, but a demon drenched in blood who had caused so much destruction. “I don’t know,” Mihael answered truthfully. “But please, I do not wish to harm any 158

more of you. Stay back, or I will not hesitate to end your life.” He held the sword in front of him with both hands as he crept slowly toward the doors that would lead to his freedom. “God will have to punish you,” Andres said sadly, unable to look at him. “I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but look what you’ve done Mihael; God’s castle in ruins, Abdiel dead, and you a…” “I’m a what?” Mihael asked, still moving toward the doors. “Please tell me because I would like to know Andres.” Andres turned away from him in shame. This creature couldn’t possibly be an angel any longer. The other angels were silent as they watched every step that Mihael took. Not one attempted to stop him. They were not willing to risk their lives in a fight that would undoubtedly end with their death. At the moment Mihael was too strong. He was driven by both power and insanity. They would allow his escape so that they might live to destroy him another day. As Mihael was about to reach the doors, Jaeda’s white snake appeared. The horrid beast had been out of sight for so long that Mihael had forgotten about it. Swaying back and forth it hissed threateningly. Mihael was so close to his freedom, and this vile snake would not stop him. “I’m sorry for the destruction,” he said to his fellow angels, “but I fear more is yet to come.” Raising his sword once more, he channeled Abdiel’s power and struck the glass columns which stood nearest to the doors. The glass pillars fell forward, and though there was not an inch of glass left unshattered, not one piece fell to the floor. Beneath their massive weight the snake was crushed, and the clouds that were trapped inside, hissed as they escaped through the cracks of the glass prison. In the swirl of clouds, Mihael made his escape. 159

He ran full force toward the maze which led to Eden. The walls sang in a hurried manner that mirrored his frantic mood as he raced to save himself and the Earth. Though he had only traveled through the maze twice, Eden and the Earth seemed to call to him, and before he knew it he had arrived at the mahogany doors. They had been shut but not locked. As he swung them open, he was surprised to find the Earth hovering just inside. Ariella had left it in a convenient place for him. Perhaps she was trying to help, he pondered. She had instructed him to run, and that was what he fully intended to do. He placed his hands on either side of the Earth, briefly savoring the warmth of the loving atmosphere that he and Lucinda had draped over the Earth for its protection. This had been their joint creation, and he would protect it no matter the cost. Quickly he glimpsed one last look at Eden where the brilliant sun was beginning to set in a sky of orange, red, and yellow fire. His eyes welled with tears again as he felt each blade of lush green grass beneath his bare feet, and smelled the fruit of the trees all around him. It would be the last time that he would ever set foot in the sacred place. Goodbye Eden, he thought. He crossed the welcoming green threshold for the last time. Allowing the Earth to hover on its own for a moment, he turned back to the mahogany doors and with his power sealed them shut. Though he could not return to Eden, he could protect it. No one else would ever set foot in the beautiful garden. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he once again took hold of the Earth and began guiding it out of the maze to the very edge of heaven where blue skies ended and the darkness of the abyss appeared. There he would rejuvenate and prepare himself for the battle he knew was to come. There he would watch over the Earth and keep it safe for as long as he could. Chapter XVII Pray

In the throne room of God’s castle, angels looked about in disbelief and dismay. The place of once great grandeur now lay in ruins. Jaeda remained on the marble floor, her power slowly reattaching her nearly severed arm to her body. Her injury would take a long time to heal, and inevitably there would be a scar. Ariella was still kneeling where she had fallen in shock. A sea of glass shards surrounded her. Though she had helped Mihael escape, she had never believed that he was capable of all this. Still, despite the destruction and damage that Mihael had inflicted upon them all, someone had to take charge. Rising shakily to her feet, Ariella cleared her throat and called the angels to order. “Please,” she called, “heaven has suffered a great deal in a brief amount of time, but in spite of these great losses, we must continue on. We must restore heaven to its former glory. We shall establish once again the hierarchy of heaven as God intended it to be.” “But the triad is now without a third member,” Jaeda called out, her voice strained as she fought against her injury to sit up. “Abdiel, God rest his soul, must be replaced.” “I don’t think that another angel is fit to replace Abdiel,” Ariella declared. “Triad angels are given special powers and without that designation from birth it is unlikely that we will be able to choose a new member.” “I am fit to be a triad member,” Jaeda boldly declared. “Abdiel took me to see the face of our God. That is an honor that has never been bestowed upon you, Andres, or any of these other angels. I have proven my loyalty to God today and every day since I was created. It is my firm belief that Abdiel would want me as his successor.” “Jaeda,” Ariella said calmly despite her fury at the opal angel’s audacity, “Abdiel has 160 161

not even been properly mourned yet. Perhaps after some time has gone by we will consider the possibility of naming a new tried member. Until then I think that you should be happy with your place in heaven. All here I’m sure acknowledge your loyalty to God. Isn’t that recognition enough for you?” Jaeda glared at her. She had made the same realization as Ariella. With heaven in disarray, now was the time to seize power. “Recognition for my loyalty will always be reward enough. I do believe, however, that it was you who said that the hierarchy would be restored. I am merely offering myself as a potential candidate to replace our beloved fallen leader. I have seen God’s face and wasn’t that Abdiel’s highest honor? I think that in sharing such a privilege with him, I am the obvious choice as his replacement.” Ariella remained silent. She did not trust Jaeda. The tiny opal was merely a power- seeking leech who had undoubtedly welcomed Abdiel’s demise. Now she was challenging Ariella’s claim to power, and it would not be tolerated. “I don’t think that now is a time to be discussing triad members,” Andres broke in. “God’s castle has been destroyed, Abdiel is dead, Mihael is now a fugitive, and all that you two can think about is who will take power next?” “Yes Andres,” Ariella snapped, “Jaeda has made it clear that it is a very important matter. Order must be restored and that starts with the triad, or at least what is left of it. You and I should be the ones to make the decisions. We are already triad members chosen by God. To allow another member to join at this time would be foolish.” “”Since it is such a crucial time in the restoration of heaven I think it would be best to choose the new member now,” Jaeda retorted. “I have to agree with Ariella,” Andres interjected. “Besides, we are not qualified to name the next triad member. God himself would have to do that.” “My angels.” 162

At the greeting, every knee bent. Angels fell quickly to the marble floor, ignoring the shards of glass that became embedded in their flesh as they did so. The voice of their Lord was calling to them. “My Lord,” Ariella whispered, her head bent low in respect, “it is so good to hear your voice. Please, speak to us. Tell us what you wish us to do.” Secretly, Ariella was terrified. Did God know that she had watched Abdiel’s demise and done nothing to prevent his death at Mihael’s hand? Did he know that she had helped heaven’s enemy escape? Never before had God’s voice been heard, but then never before had such turmoil been caused in heaven. Silently Ariella prayed that God was ignorant to her betrayal. “I have come to bring you out of this darkness and to restore the peace of heaven. Before I do so, however, I shall need all of my angels gathered together. Andres. Go forth and bring all angels to this throne room.” “Of course my Lord,” Andres said, “but begging your pardon my Lord, what about the state of the throne room?” “Fear not,” God’s voice answered, “for though it has been destroyed I shall rebuild it in three days and my heavenly home shall be more glorious than ever. Now go. Summon all the angels and bring them here. A new order is rising.” “Yes my Lord,” Andres replied, and without hesitation disappeared from the throne room to retrieve the other angels. “My Lord,” Jaeda whispered as she crawled forward, her head bent so low that it nearly touched the glass covered floor, “I beg of you. I have been loyal to you throughout this time of trial and tribulation. I have seen your glorious face and it was and will forever be the most amazing moment of my heavenly life. If you would please allow it, I want nothing more than to serve you as a member of your holy triad.” “My Lord please,” Ariella started. 163

“Silence,” boomed God’s voice. “A decision will be made in good time, but for now we must wait for the other angels to arrive. I must also repair my castle. To perform such a task, I need all of you to sleep.” At his words, every angel fell asleep and remained sleeping for three days. When at last they did rise, they gasped at what had become their new home. The castle had been entirely reconstructed with enough room for all of them. From the base of its circular marble floor rose walls of glass which held the white clouds originally encased in pillars. The glass ceiling had been restored and was fortified with crisscrossing beams of white gold. Glass rooms that were lavishly furnished could be seen in every direction. The golden doors behind which God resided had been purified of Mihael’s blood. Now each door held a mosaic window of diamonds, pearls, and opals. The only column left in God’s castle was a marble one that stood in the very center of the magnificent structure. It was only five feet tall with a flat top as if it were waiting for something to be placed upon it for display. As Ariella took in her new home she found herself thinking; It’s the most beautiful bird cage that will ever be constructed. Amid the wonder, an angel groaned. It was Jaeda. Where there had once sat the three thrones of the triad members, there only stood two. Flanking the doors to God’s chambers, they were large and plush, with white gold frames and cushions covered in crushed white velvet that sparkled in the sunlight. God’s castle was luminous and the angels marveled at what he had done in three days. “So my angels,” God’s voice said, “do you like your new home?” At his question, hearts stopped.

“All of these rooms are really for us?” Tabbris asked, his eyes wide with wonder. “They’re all living here?” Ariella asked in horror. She was shocked as she looked around at the tiny glass rooms that each angel would inhabit. Her own private chambers 164

were gone. Was she expected to live in one of these tiny glass cubes as well? “Yes,” God answered, “I have decided to keep all of my angels closer to me. Therefore each of you will be assigned a room right here within my castle walls.” “What of the triad members?” Ariella persisted. “Are we to have one of these rooms as well?” “Yes. Both you and Andres will inhabit the same rooms as all of the other angels.” Ariella hung her head at his words. Perhaps God did know of her betrayal and this was to be her punishment. Nothing would be done in secret any longer. God had made himself omniscient to the actions of all his angels. It was a wise move all things considered, but it was an underhanded move as well. “And the triad is to only have two members?” Jaeda asked, her voice quivering as if she were on the verge of tears. “I will discuss all of this when Andres arrives with the other angels. For now why don’t you all go to your respective room and relax. You’ll find your names engraved on the doors. Rest peacefully my angels, for there is much work to be done.” Ariella was dazed as she wandered around the circle in search of her room. It was right next to her throne, but it was the same room as all the others. It was the same size and had all the same furnishings. No longer was her status as a triad member sacred. She was one of them now. Looking about, all of the other angels had found their rooms. Most of them were still reeling from shock at the idea of living so close to their God. They could be seen lying on their beds gazing in unblinking wonder through the glass ceiling. Their wings could obviously be retracted, Ariella realized. Her cloudy eyes swirled as she envisioned golden wings sprouting from her own back. She shook herself at the thought. Carefully she touched her back to make sure that it was still smooth and feather free. Thankfully it was. She sighed as she turned back to the glass wall with a view of the clear blue skies outside. 165

Wistfully she placed her hand against the cold glass, wishing that she could touch the soft clouds just once more. *.* * * * * * * * * Mihael was amazed that he had not fallen into oblivion when he left the solid marble floor of heaven’s secret maze. Instead he glided easily through the skies, as if he were weightless. As Mihael guided his Earth farther and farther to the edges of the universe, he thought to himself that he would strive to be as ungodly as possible. He and Lucinda had created their humans out of love. They had no desire to reign over them as gods and command their lives. Humans would be given all the free will that they wanted and Mihael would not interfere with their choices. Seeing the world as small as it was, however, Mihael knew that it was extremely vulnerable. As vast as heaven was, the tiny sphere that was Earth was a mere speck of dirt on its pristine marble floor. Mihael would have to make the Earth bigger, not only for its defense, but also for it to become his home. In his first effort to be un-Godlike, Mihael had decided that he would not distance himself from his creations, but rather live among them. He would in a sense be one of them. Finally reaching the darkest edges of the universe, Mihael stopped and let the Earth stand. It hovered peacefully in front of him. Mihael worried that his power would not be great enough to make the Earth expand in size, but as he closed his eyes and focused his energy, he knew that he had to do this. In his mind’s eye he envisioned the rotating sphere growing and growing. Gradually he expanded his arms, his body arching backward, as if he meant to embrace the expanding orb, and when he opened his eyes he found that the Earth had indeed grown to the size that he had wanted. There were, however, consequences to the Earth’s expansion. Holes had formed in the atmosphere as it stretched to cover the Earth. The soft glow of the once pink 166

atmosphere was almost invisible now that it was so thin. Mihael looked upon it sadly. That wonderful protective barrier had been the after effect of his and Lucinda’s love. It had protected the Earth from destruction at the hands of the triad, and it was placed over the Earth so that humans would always feel the love of their heavenly parents. Much like Mihael and Lucinda’s love, however, it had been stretched to a breaking point and some of it had not survived. Without Lucinda there was nothing to be done about the holes. Mihael’s power was great, but without their love the atmosphere was permanently damaged. All that he could hope to do now was protect the Earth by some other means. Regardless of the atmosphere, Mihael vowed that the Earth would survive. With this resolution in his head, Mihael descended to his new home. * * * * * * * * * * Three hundred years passed by peacefully as God waited for his angels to arrive. Andres was quite surprised when he returned with them all to find that the pearly gates were no longer guarding God’s castle. In place of the home he had known was a gargantuan glass menagerie. He saw that each angel had been given their own room and there were rooms for each of the angels that he had brought with him. “This is God’s castle?” one of the silver angels gasped. “Yes,” Andres replied, “but it has been rebuilt. It didn’t always look like this.” Beckoning them forward, Andres proceeded to the solid gold doors that would lead them inside of the great glass structure. He was about to knock and announce their arrival when the doors swung open to admit them. A shiver ran through Andres as he nodded for them to go inside. Each angel passed by him eagerly, except for Cassiel and Sofiel who lagged behind. Both seemed cautious as they stepped forward. Lucinda’s recycling had been the last thing that they had seen in God’s throne room, and here they were again so soon. The place 167

might have been restored, but they remembered the horrors that had occurred. “What is the meaning of gathering all of us, Andres?” Cassiel asked, her soft eyes filled with anxiety. “What has happened?” “Much has happened,” Andres admitted quietly, “Mihael destroyed God’s castle and that is why it has been rebuilt. He is now a fugitive of heaven. Undoubtedly God called you all here to inform you of that.” “And by the looks of things he means to watch us all at a much closer range,” Sofiel commented. Her sparkling gray eyes surveyed the glass cubicles, and eventually came to rest on her male counterpart Nakir. He was staring back at her with an unreadable expression on his face. For a while they looked at each other until Andres broke the spell. “Sofiel? You have to go in now.” “Yes,” said Sofiel, shaking her head slightly, “of course.” “Andres,” Cassiel persisted nervously, “is it…is it safe?” It was a strange question that Andres was not entirely sure how to answer. Never in the history of heaven had an angel wondered if it was safe. Heaven was paradise and God’s castle should have been the safest and most spectacular place of all, but somehow Andres knew what Cassiel meant. There was a difference in the air. “I hope so,” was all that he managed as an answer. Cassiel nodded and crossed the threshold into God’s glass castle. Andres followed her, closing the doors behind them. Both shuddered as they heard the deafening click of the lock falling into place behind them. “Welcome my angels,” greeted God’s voice from behind his dazzling doors. “Please if you all could gather around in a circle around this column. There is much to be said, and much more to be done.” Quickly angels gathered into their respective classes. Andres looked around for Ariella and saw her emerge rather morosely from a glass room next to one of the two 168

thrones that guarded God’s chambers. His next gaze flew to Jaeda as she took her place next to Tabbris. He could tell the she was still fuming because God had obviously decided that Abdiel would not be replaced. Moving quickly to stand in his own place, Andres wondered what would happen next. “My angels,” God started again, “it is with great regret that I gather you in my castle today. One of our own has turned against us, and she has taken with her another angel. Yes, my beloved angels, Mihael and Lucinda no longer walk within the realm of our heavenly home. They have chosen of their own accord to break away from me and all of you. They created another world foreign to our own that they call Earth. These angels are evil. Lucinda has been recycled, and in my great mercy I attempted to spare Mihael’s life, but he rejected my mercy. He killed Abdiel and proceeded to destroy my castle. It is with great regret that I must tell you now that heaven has an enemy.” Gasps could be heard from the newcomers as they listened in disbelief. It was not plausible that one of God’s own creations would turn against him. “Yes,” God said almost sadly, “we now have reason to fear. It is my belief that Mihael will attack again. It is because of this belief that I have decided to bring you all here to live with me. I cannot bear to lose more of you and so it is with a heavy heart that I must also inform you that I have locked the doors to my castle. No one can get in and no can get out. Please believe me my dear angels, this is only for your safety.” Most of the angels were happy to accept God’s words, but Andres, Rhamiel, Cassiel, and Sofiel looked at one another wearily. This was not right. “Please God,” Rhamiel said, bowing to the floor in respect, “I do not think that Mihael will attack again. He is but one angel. It would not be sensible to come back to attack all of us. He may have gone mad for an instant but that is because he was stricken with grief over losing Lucinda. Can’t we just let him and his creation live in peace?” Whispers rippled through the circle at Rhamiel’s words. Some angels were 169

horrified that he would be pleading on behalf of the pronounced enemy of heaven, while others were silently agreeing to leave Mihael alone. Cassiel smiled at her male counterpart for his courage. She agreed with him whole-heartedly. “Silence!” God bellowed. “If I were to allow Mihael to live that would send the message that any angel can go against me. Any angel can create their own world and then try to destroy mine. Mihael has undermined my authority and he even attacked you, or did you forget that small fact Rhamiel?” All eyes turned to focus on Rhamiel to see if this statement was true. Cassiel’s eyes glazed over with tears as she looked at him. “Rhamiel…did he?” she asked quietly. “Yes,” Rhamiel admitted, “but it was only out of fear. He meant no harm.” “He meant no harm,” God echoed. “That is your defense of him hurling you and your fellow angels from a cloud and watching you all fall through the clouds? Don’t be so naïve Rhamiel. He maliciously used his power against you.” “No,” Rhamiel insisted, “he was only scared and looking to escape.” “My Lord,” Andres interrupted, “I think that Mihael had good reason for his frantic means of escape. When he killed Abdiel I’m sure he felt that you could not forgive him. It is my belief that he fled because he knew that he would not be shown your mercy again. Would that be a fair statement to make?” All around angels held their breath. They were all torn as to what they should believe. As more and more began to speak and voice their thoughts, God called out to regain order. “It is true enough to say that yes, Mihael is beyond the point of my forgiveness. You must all understand that some things are unforgivable. While I am a most merciful God, I cannot forgive Mihael for what he has done, nor do I believe that he wants to be forgiven. Should he choose to repent and come back to us, I fear that it will still not be 170

enough to account for all of his sins. I will have no choice but to destroy him.” At God’s final words all gasped. The thought of God directly eliminating an angelic life was terrifying. While it was only a promise to do so at the moment, it proved that some things truly were unforgivable and God would do what he deemed necessary to maintain his heaven. The angels no longer whispered thoughts to each other. All were silent in the circle. “Now,” God continued, “I must also address another unfortunate matter. Will Rhamiel, Nakir, and Tabbris please step forward.” At his command, Rhamiel instantly moved to stand directly in front of the pillar at the center of heaven. Nakir and Tabbris followed, but much more slowly as they exchanged nervous glances. “One of you,” God accused, “is responsible for Mihael’s escape. His bonds were strong. The fact that he escaped means that one of you must have helped him. I would like to know which of one of you defied me and assisted him.” “My Lord I swear that I----“ Nakir began. “I did,” Rhamiel said calmly stepping forward. “I could see that the bonds were hurting him. I merely loosened them a bit. I had no idea that it would help him escape. I just didn’t want him to be in pain anymore.” “Do you acknowledge that doing so allowed him to escape?” “Yes my Lord I do. Again I must emphasize that I did not think that he would escape. I simply thought to comfort him. I don’t think that what I did was wrong since I had good intentions.” Rhamiel stood firmly and unblinking at the doors to God’s chambers. For a few

moments God remained silent as though mulling over Rhamiel’s response. Finally he spoke. “It is because you think that you did nothing wrong that I must punish you. Had 171

you admitted that you were wrong and apologized you could have avoided this. Now I must ask you to please step forward and accept your punishment.” “My Lord, please,” Cassiel began to protest. “No,” Rhamiel said firmly, “if my Lord believes that I have done wrong then I will accept the punishment that he deems appropriate.” Rhamiel’s warm topaz eyes looked at her reassuringly, but Cassiel still felt herself shivering as Rhamiel moved closer to the bejeweled doors. Sofiel cast a sympathetic glance in her direction. She too sensed that nothing good could come from Rhamiel’s punishment. “Now kneel down before me and pray,” God instructed. Rhamiel did as he was told. “My dear, naïve Rhamiel,” God said, “your hands have caused you to sin. It is with a great sadness that I must now cut them off.” At his final words a great burst of light shot from inside the dazzling doors. All of the angels threw their hands in front of their eyes and shuddered as they heard Rhamiel scream. It was a cry of agony as appendages were severed completely from their limbs. Ariella who was the closest to Rhamiel aside from Andres, carefully chanced a glance at the floor. She felt instantly nauseous as she saw the pair of praying hands that had once been Rhamiel’s rolling about on the marble floor. When the light had dissipated and rest of the angels could see what had happened, they found themselves wishing that they couldn’t. Even Jaeda seemed shaken by the gruesome dispensing of justice. Rhamiel lay curled on the marble floor, his handless arms out in front of him. His eyes were shut tightly as if he would never open them again to look upon his deformed self. The pain that wracked his body was fierce and he writhed in prolonged agony as he emitted loud bursts of sobs. 172

Unable to control herself, Cassiel ran forward. She fell to her knees as she embraced Rhamiel and held him in her arms, weeping over him bitterly. Though angels never touched one another, no one protested Cassiel’s actions. All were silent at the scene. All were stunned and terrified by what they had just witnessed. God was ready and willing to punish any one of them should they betray him. “Ariella,” God called out calmly. Upon hearing her name, Ariella’s heart froze. Was God going to punish her next? Slowly she moved to stand behind Cassiel and Rhamiel. “Yes my Lord?” she asked, her voice cracking as she bowed. “Go and fetch Rhamiel’s hands.” Ariella recoiled at the request, but she knew now more than ever that she had to cooperate. Slowly she rose from her bowed position and moved off in search of Rhamiel’s hands. They had rolled to a stop right in front of the door to her room. Reverently she knelt and picked them up. They had been turned to marble. “Here they are my Lord,” she called weakly. “Good. Now if you would please go and place them on top of the column that I have provided.” As Ariella crossed the room toward the marble pillar, she thought of Mihael. He may have been a fugitive of heaven, but they were all prisoners of heaven. Perhaps she should have escaped with him when she had the chance. Carefully she raised Rhamiel’s hands and set them gently on top of the pillar. “Thank you Ariella,” God said, “now if you wouldn’t mind returning to your place I have one more thing to add to this pillar.”

Ariella did as she was told. In her head she realized that God had made this his intention all along. He had known that someone would lose their hands as punishment and he meant to make sure that no angel ever forgot that. 173

“Now angels, I mean this to serve simply as a reminder to you all to think about the choices you make. If you perform an evil act, know that you will be reprimanded for it. I know all and I will administer my justice. You have been warned.” With another blast of light an inscription appeared on the column below Rhamiel’s severed hands. Angels shook with fear as they read it: Pray that God might be so merciful. Chapter XVIII A New Order

God wasted no time in reconstructing heaven as he wanted it to be. “I realize that you may find my punishment of Rhamiel severe, but believe me, it was for the greater good. You must have faith in me and believe that I make my judgments with your best interests in mind. Now if we can, I would like to focus on the very important matter of our defense against Mihael.” “I beg your pardon my Lord,” Jaeda interrupted, her unnerving cool returning, “but am I to understand by the placement of those thrones that there will not be a third triad member named?” “That is correct,” God answered. Jaeda’s shoulders immediately sagged at God’s response. Her throat tightened and she fought back tears as she hung her head in disappointment. “I will not replace Abdiel. He was my first creation and to lose my blessed first angel has been a devastating blow for me. So Ariella and Andres shall preside over you and continue their usual triadic duties. Does that decision seem fair to all of you?” It was strange to be asked for an opinion. In the minds of all angels God was infallible. His decisions and judgment were never questioned or challenged. Both stunned and somewhat afraid to say anything, the angels nodded mutely. “Good,” God continued. “Now if we can move on to the matter of how I intend to protect heaven from Mihael.”

“I am sorry to interrupt you my Lord,” Ariella said softly, “but does this mean that we will not be going after him now?” 174 175

“Yes,” God confirmed, “we are too weak right now to risk going after him. While I know that I could crush him in an instant if I so desired, heaven has suffered greatly. With the death of Abdiel, the birth of Raina, Jaeda’s injury,and Rhamiel’s unfortunate fate, I do not wish to risk further damaging my angels to deliver my justice upon Mihael. We must first regroup and heal from our wounds.” The angels looked at one another uneasily. God had inflicted terrible pain upon Rhamiel for just helping Mihael. How much more severe could his punishment be for one that he deemed a traitor? “And now, I do believe that we all need to recognize the newest addition to our heavenly ranks. Raina, won’t you please come forward?” The small opal angel had been standing as still as the marble pillar on which Rhamiel’s hands were displayed. Upon hearing her name, she jumped slightly before rushing forward with her head bowed. Standing with her hands crossed before the doors to God’s chambers, Raina waited quietly for her introduction. “This is Raina. She is our newest angel, or as I’m sure you have all figured out, the recycled soul of Lucinda. I would like you all to help her assimilate to the ways of heaven and be models of goodness for her. I have already appointed Jaeda to be her official mentor, but this is an order for you all to live by my commands and teach her heaven’s ways. This is a tumultuous time, and being a newborn, Raina will need to absorb all of the goodness that she can. Be aware that you will all be held accountable for how much you assist in her education. It will be very important later.” Confused glances were exchanged among the angels, but God was not done yet. “Raina is in fact a very special newborn. She has provided me with the idea that I think will safeguard all of you against Mihael. Raina, would you please show your fellow angels how you saved yourself and the others when Mihael threw you from the clouds?” Raina nodded her head once in understanding. Focusing her energy, the feathered 176

wings once again sprouted from between her shoulder blades. Gracefully amid the gasps from the newly arrived angels, Raina’s tiny form rose into the air. “How is this possible?” Cassiel whispered, clutching Rhamiel even closer to herself. “Newly created angels do not develop their powers for many years.” “Yes,” God affirmed, “but being a recycled soul, Raina’s powers are already intact. She had no need to develop them. I daresay she will have other powers as well that we are unaware of as of now. These wings that she has conjured will be the ultimate defense against our enemy.” “We are all going to have wings?” asked Sofiel. “Yes. You will all be given wings so that when we are ready to crush Mihael and his orb called Earth, we will have the advantage of flight. Some of you already have your wings and know how useful they can be.” Ariella cringed at the thought of growing wings. She hated the long feathered appendages that made them look more like monstrous creatures than beautiful angels. Perhaps it was her vanity, but Ariella thought that she would rather fall to her death from a cloud than be forced to take flight in the sky by means of those wretched wings. “Now,” God commanded loudly, “fly my angels!” A chorus of screams filled the air of heaven as feathers burst from flesh. Angels fell to their knees, their backs arched as the new appendages grew longer and longer. Faces contorted in pain and fear as the wings seemed to move on their own, pulling angels skyward. Those who had never flown before collided haphazardly with the glass walls and ceiling of God’s newly restored home. Ariella was doubled over on the marble floor. The golden wings that she had foreseen were pushing their way through her back. She gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fists. When at last her exotic wings had finished growing, they began beating fiercely, trying to raise her into the chaotic air above, but she held her ground. She would 177

not let these gruesome feathered things control her. Scowling in disgust, Ariella silently cursed her God. Chapter XIX A Tribute to Love For many years Mihael roamed over the Earth unsure of what to do. So many thoughts filled his head; when would God make his move to destroy the Earth? What was going on in heaven now? How could he ever have survived? How would he defend himself against God when he did attack? Was a defense even worth it? All these thoughts he forgot, however, when he felt the emptiness in his heart. Here, living on the very creation that Lucinda had so lovingly formed with her own hands, Mihael felt more alone than ever. Despite being able to pass for a human male, there was something about Mihael that set him apart from his humans. While they didn’t run away from him, point, stare, or even suspect that he was their creator, they seemed to sense that there was something different about him. In each one of them Mihael could see Lucinda. He would often glimpse her sapphire eyes or see her auburn hair fluttering in the breeze. He could hear her laughter ring out from the children of Earth. Though he was glad that her beauty would not be forgotten, he could never quite brace himself for the pain of sadness that gripped his heart whenever he observed these all-too-familiar characteristics. The lives of his humans were only temporary, however. Being formed from the soil and water of Eden, human beings had only fleeting life spans. Mihael watched several of his creations from birth to death while he remained frozen in his immortal body. It was a cruel fate, standing as the lone guardian over his and Lucinda’s creations. He wanted more than anything for her to see all that they had made. Experiencing it alone was almost unbearable. Mihael often found himself envious of his humans. Their lives were short, but that 178 179

was the very beauty of them. If a human man lost the woman he loved, he would in a few years die as well, and be returned to the Earth as his lover had been. It seemed like the grandest design of all. Mihael would often hear his humans mourning the loss of loved ones, with which he did sympathize, but what he could not comprehend was their fear of death. Mihael thought that it would surely be a welcome relief. When humans died, that was the end. There was no eternal life, and no heaven for them to move on to. It was plain and simple nothingness, and that was how it should be. On days when Mihael had been alone for too long, he found himself holding God’s treacherous sword. He would move it swiftly through the air, always bringing it around toward himself as though he intended to impale his body upon it. He would always stop short, though, and despite his great suffering, he knew that he would never plunge the blade into his own flesh. For some insane, perhaps even masochistic reason, Mihael felt compelled to remain on the Earth and protect it as best he could. He would face whatever was to come. The years passed quickly for Mihael, and he watched many a creation be born, grow, and die. He loved them all, but in time developed a greater fondness for some of them, and desired to interact with them. One day when he found the courage to approach a young woman who looked strikingly similar to Lucinda, he found himself unprepared to answer a simple question. “What’s your name?” What is your name? What is my name? Mihael remained silent for a while as he seriously contemplated the young woman’s question. Replying with his angelic name seemed like the obvious reply, but somehow it no longer felt right to be called by the name that God had bestowed upon him at his creation. The name Mihael now seemed so foreign to him. He had not said it in years, nor had he heard it in years. Then suddenly his name came to him. 180

“I am Lucifer,” he answered confidently. It was the most appropriate name he could think of. Being the male version of Lucinda, Mihael believed that the name would honor her memory even further. It would be a tribute to his one and only love and he would be proud to call himself by that name. And so he was Lucifer from that day forward. Chapter XX I Solemnly Swear

Once the angels had mastered their wings and heaven was coming close to being fully rejuvenated, God thought it necessary to give Mihael a little warning of his impending doom. God conjured tidal waves and earthquakes that ravaged the Earth, taking the lives of many humans. He sent down lightning to set the green trees ablaze. All this destruction he carried out from his pristine glass perch, at a safe distance from the Earth. Lucifer wept for his Earth and the destruction that had been wrought upon it. He mourned the loss of his people, the beloved children of himself and Lucinda. He thought then how helpless he was, but when he saw his humans slowly rebuilding what had been destroyed, his heart swelled with emotion. It reminded him of Lucinda and how she had formed the Earth with her own two hands. At that moment, Lucifer vowed to never again allow himself to feel defeated. God was a coward who struck from a distance, but Lucifer would be a worthy opponent. He would draw God out of hiding and destroy him. God was sure that Mihael would surrender and come back to heaven, begging to have his miserable life ended. Much to God’s surprise, however, he felt a surge of determination instead. Despite all of his attacks on Earth, Mihael was growing stronger. If Mihael willed it enough, his powers would indeed be formidable. God shuddered with a mixture of fear and rage at the thought and so he reached out with his mind.

Lucifer could feel God tugging at his subconscious, and he boldly reached out with his own mind in answer. 181 182

“M i h a e l .” “G o d .” “Know that I will stop you. You have undermined my authority and thrown heaven into chaos. How dare you Mihael.” “You destroyed the woman I love, and killed countless numbers of our creations mercilessly. I return, how dare you God?” “I did what I had to do.” “As did I.” “So you won’t surrender?” “Ne v e r.” “Even if it means your Earth and your very life?” “I will not surrender, even if it costs me my life, though I doubt it will. You should be the one to be frightened. Know this God; I will overthrow you and destroy heaven. Are you willing to risk that? You and I both know that I could. So why don’t we come to an agreement to peacefully coexist?” “Coexist? You are too amusing Mihael.” “And my name is no longer Mihael.” “Oh no? What is it then?”

“Lucifer.” “How touching. It will be even more ironic then once I destroy you.” “So you are willing to risk the existence of heaven and all its angels just to prove whose power is greater?” “I am most definitely willing to risk heaven to see you gone.” “Well then, may the best deity win.” “Yes, I will.” “You are truly despicable.” 183

“You are truly evil.” “But rest assured.” “Have no fear.” “I will destroy you,” they thought simultaneously. 184

Afterward Of course I realize that this may not be the most satisfying ending for most people and so I would like to announce that it’s is not over yet! I plan on writing two more books to follow up the story Creator Unknown. Book Two: Lucifer’s Earth

With his new identity, Lucifer is residing on his planet Earth as he contemplates how he will destroy God. After a failed attempt by Ariella to convince him to repent and r ejoin heaven’s angels, God devises a rather sadistic plot that will force Lucifer to make the most agonizing decision of his life. It is a choice that could destroy the soul of the one he loves forever. Will Lucifer be able to kill Raina? Or is she still Lucinda locked deep inside?

Book Three: Final Day

The time has come for the great battle between heaven and earth. As God once again terrorizes the earth, Lucifer is forced to return to heaven to defend his creation and defeat God once and for all. Upon arrival he is surprised at the changes that God has made. Unfortunately for God, some of his most powerful angels are not happy with what he has done. Teaming up with Lucifer, they form a formidable army in an attempt to destroy God and his minions. Will God and Lucifer come face to face at last? And if they do, will it be clear who is truly good and who is truly evil? 185