Daystar (48 page)

“There must be something.”
 
Lucifer tucked her hair behind her ears.
 
“Something to let us win.”

Dahlia sighed.
 
“I hope so, I really do.”

The pair breached the shield.
 
Ifrit and Ra appeared in a matter of moments.
 
Dahlia pointed to the planet.
 
“You are relieved.
 
Go see Gaea, she can fill you in.”

The two nodded and dropped away.

Lucifer flipped so that his back faced the planet.
 
He stared out into the stars.
 
He held Dahlia against him and massaged her back.
 
“It is amazing.”

“What?”

“Having you here with me, back again with powers restored.”
 
He frowned.
 
“I had given up hope when the war was lost.
 
Dahlia…”
 
He looked into her red eyes.
 
“We lost definitively and He did not even join the fight.
 
He will this time and that frightens me, though I will not show it before the others.”

“You were without knowledge then and with fewer allies.
 
Things are different now.”

“Tell me your theories.
 
I can see them in your eyes like unshed tears.”
 
Lucifer stroked her cheek.
 
“Share with me.”

Dahlia bit her lip.
 
“I fear to.”

“Why?”

She swallowed.
 
“False hope is some of the worst.”

“But it is hope nonetheless.”
 
Lucifer threw his hand out to the universe.
 
“We fight in battles, small scuffles back and forth, but there is a war at stake.
 
We must be on the same page.”

“I know, I know.
 
But I do not want to give you false information.”

“When will you know the truth?”

“I do not know.”
 
She squeezed his hand.
 
“I am searching my memories and trying to decipher it.
 
I am sure the pieces are all there, I am sure of it!”
 
She looked into his eyes.
 
“What are yours?”

“My what?”

“Your memories of your creation.
 
They are vital I think.”

Lucifer frowned.
 
“You want to see?”

“Yes.”

Lucifer touched her hand and they were drawn into a mutual vision.

***

Primangel was born in a fire that washed and cleansed his soul.
 
He was a golden, white-light being of heat and sound.
 
When he opened his eyes, he saw only flames, only beauty.

LUCIFER.

Lucifer was named, he was.
 
He had hands, feet, and a tongue to speak and sing praises.
 
He received a mind of unquestioning love and devotion.
 
He knew songs and power, mastery over light and fire.
 
Six wings adorned his back, his body strong and vital.

Lucifer breathed life for the first time and he moved in concert with the fire on the throne.
 
This was the beginning, the fire and the man, the being and the creator.

Lucifer instinctively knelt before the fire.
 
“I am yours to command.”

LUCIFER, RISE.

Lucifer stood, but kept his eyes downward.

LOOK AT ME.
 
YOU ALONE MAY GAZE UPON ME IN FULL SIGHT.
 
YOU, MY SPECIAL ONE.

Lucifer looked into the flame.
 
Heat washed across him pleasing and energizing, his body euphoric, his mind blank.
 
Lucifer opened his mouth and song ushered forth, a melody composed of wonder and delight.

The fire on the throne was pleased by this sound, this music.

SUCH GIFTS YOU HAVE.
 
MAKE USE OF THEM TO THEIR FULLEST.

Lucifer sang and the songs became permanent, part of the fabric of the place he knew as Heaven.
 
As he sang, he made form and function; space organized itself and took on shifting lights and hues.
 
His very voice created from the ambient power of Heaven, but the power resided within him.
 
The beginnings of angels took shape in the firmament.

STOP.

Lucifer’s voice stopped.
 
The life ceased.
 

I DESIRE A SECOND, ANOTHER OF YOU.
 
A BROTHER, DIVIDE.

Lucifer did not hesitate.
 
He reached into himself and split off a fraction of his power.
 
A four-winged bluish child took shape in his arms.
 
Lucifer lost his golden glow and took on a bluish-white hue to match the boy.
 
He looked at Michael and Michael smiled at him.
 
Lucifer kissed the boy’s head.
 
“Michael, my second.”

Lucifer set the child down and sang to him, teaching Michael the songs he had just created for himself.
 
Michael was rapt, staring only at Lucifer, his eyes diverted from the fire.

MICHAEL, LOOK TO ME.

Michael’s gaze was brought to the fire and he was ensnared, terrified, and elated.
 
He held onto Lucifer’s leg and aged as the fire passed through him.
 
Michael grew to a youth, still very much a child.
 
He leaned on his older brother for support.
 
Both brothers were locked in obedience and reverence to the fire, though Michael’s eyes flicked ever upward towards Lucifer’s.

Lucifer held him upright as Michael took in the sensations of everything around him.

The fire looked upon both brothers and was pleased.

Lucifer smiled and threw his brother in the air, laughing and catching him to do so again.
 
Michael laughed and the sound was almost as beautiful as Lucifer’s.
 
Michael’s heart filled with love to the brim for Lucifer, there was no room for another.

The fire brushed through him and Michael was a youth no longer, but a man.
 
Lucifer and Michael took a step apart, same in height and physique.
 
They touched hands and shared in knowledge, thought, and sensation.
 
Everything that Lucifer knew, he shared with Michael.

The fire reached out and drew Lucifer in, dividing him from Michael.
 
In the flame, He gave Lucifer orders to create beings pulled from the energy of the realm.
 

Lucifer spent his time creating, building, until his Archangels assembled before him.
 
From there he created the types of angels, assigning each to an Archangel.
 
Each time a new creation was made Lucifer would commune with the fire and his thought and form lost distinction in the flame.
 

Lucifer looked forward to these times, his commune with something greater than he was.
 
The knowledge imparted and opinions were not his own, but they became his with each joining.
 
He learned with each cycle.

Lucifer was content.
 
He flew or sang near the throne, never straying far from his place by the fire.
 
Michael stayed by Lucifer’s feet, adoring his older brother.
 
The two siblings would converse often, sharing thoughts and experiences.

Lucifer’s songs transferred to the guardians and they sang the hymns, repeating Lucifer’s melody in Heaven.
 
This gave Lucifer time to create more, to contemplate, to join with the fire, to spend time with Michael.

The fire left the throne.

Though time had no measure, it was away for many songs.
 
Lucifer was not worried.
 
He had not been told to worry, so he did not worry.

The fire returned, tightly coiled, and pulled away, it would not let Lucifer near to commune.
 
Lucifer did not frown.
 
He did not feel disappointment.
 
He was not given these emotions or the ideas of right versus wrong.
 
The fire on the throne though roiled with them and through their closeness, Lucifer began to pick up feelings and sensations that he had not been made to have.
 
The fire thought alone and kept its own counsel.

Many songs passed.

The fire communed a last time, before the last disappearance and return.
 
It pulled Lucifer in and Lucifer noticed a difference immediately.
 
The fire allowed him only a fraction of a glimpse, no longer was Lucifer given a view of the whole.
 
Though a smaller fraction, the fire burned with an intensity Lucifer had not known before.

Lucifer smiled.
 
“You continue to amaze.”

LUCIFER, I WILL REQUIRE A TASK OF YOU SHORTLY.

“Of course, anything, everything you require.”

I WILL REQUIRE EVERYTHING FROM YOU, ALL OF YOU FOR THIS, NOTHING MAY BE HELD BACK.

Lucifer nodded.
 
“I will give it.”

THIS WILL BE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TASK, YOUR MOST VITAL ROLE.

The fire hesitated.
 
Lucifer caught a glimpse of sadness and remorse, but it was quickly replaced with something else, hope and though Lucifer did not know it then, desire.

YOUR SACRIFICE WILL GLORIFY ME.

“I give myself willingly.”

AS YOU WERE DESIGNED, SO YOU WILL FOLLOW THROUGH.
 
A PERFECT CREATION.

Lucifer nodded.
 
“Yes.”

I WILL LEAVE SOON, BUT WHEN I RETURN, GO OUT OF HEAVEN AND GIVE YOURSELF TO THE VOID.
 
BE THE LIGHT BRINGER TO THE DARKNESS; LET HER SHINE WITH YOU SO THAT I MAY SEE HER FACE.
 
BRING ABOUT HER CREATION.

Lucifer did not understand, but he nodded.
 
“Of course.”

THOUGH YOU WILL BE GONE, YOUR SOUL WILL LIVE ON IN EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS.
 
THIS BEING MADE, YOU WILL BRING GLORY TO IT.
 
IT IS PERFECTION.
 
A GIFT.

The fire left him and Lucifer stepped away from the throne as the fire disappeared.
 
Lucifer walked to Michael and sat by him.
 

Michael looked him over.
 
“What was told to you this time?”

“I am to be a part of a grand task, a creation.”
 
Lucifer smiled.
 
“I am to be the Light Bringer.”

Michael grinned.
 
“That is wonderful!”

“Indeed.”

“When?”

“Upon His return, I wait only now for this.
 
Let me impart this to the others.
 
Will you wait here to herald His return?”

“Yes, Lucifer.”
 
Michael was beaming for his older brother.
 
“Go in peace.”

Lucifer nodded and kicked off into the air to track down his Archangels.

***

Dahlia was rigid against Lucifer.
 
She scratched at his stomach.
 
“Why did you not share this before?”

Lucifer frowned.
 
“I did not see it as important.
 
I also do not like to look upon myself at that time.
 
I was a fool.”

“He sought to
kill
you!”

He mulled the thought over.
 
“I suppose that is correct, or at least He considered it a likely scenario of the orders He communicated to me.”

Dahlia brought her hand to her mouth.
 
“He wanted you to die in order to create for me this body.
 
You were to be a sacrifice so that I could come and learn, to grow.
 
He wanted a body so that I could be His.”
 
Dahlia pulled away nauseous.
 
“I could have been your death and not even have known!
 
You could have died simply for my gain in knowledge!”

He wrapped an arm around her and brought her back.
 
“But I did not die.”

She glared at him.
 
“Obviously an unintended consequence!
 
No wonder He did not look for me immediately after the creation.
 
He had no reason to fear me meeting anyone.
 
He thought you dead!
 
Michael was given the role of speaker in your stead because He did not expect you to ever come back!”

Lucifer frowned.
 
“This could be true.”

“It obviously is!”
 
She stared into the stars.
 
“How could He have ordered you to do that knowing it meant your death?
 
You were His!
 
It is
sickening
.”