"Wine And Snow"
Part 12
by Beryll
I was so blind
that I never knew
Faith and strength
are one in you
I can't understand why I lost so much
cause I was hardly touched
--Nuclear Valdez
The sword descended in a perfect arc, aiming for the exposed neck of Belial
kneeling before Uriel, head bowed in defeat. There seemed to be no possible
thing at all that could have saved him and the despair in Uriel's heart was
dark indeed.
He did not notice the sudden ripple run through the air next to him, did not notice the figure suddenly materializing. Only when a hand shot out and stopped the blade in the last possible moment was he able to tear his gaze from the condemned demon to look into the burning eyes of Lucifer himself.
An almost soundless gasp went through the ranks of the angels assembled and they recoiled from the source of all their fears. The silence in the great courtroom was so thick that he threatened to suffocate those in attendance. Even the archangels were shocked into mute staring.
All eyes were fixed on the prince of hell, the fallen one. None even noticed another demon prince and Michael quietly slipping in through the doors.
It was Lucifer's voice, silken and as pleasing to the ear as ever, but now boiling with barely suppressed rage, which finally broke the silence. "It is not for you to decide the fate of this fallen angel." he said, steel ringing in his words. "He was condemned to eternal suffering by god himself. Do you now dare rebell as well?"
A faint sound that could only have been described as a squeak was heard from Metatron, but Gabriel was suddenly on his feet, his bright green eyes burning with a rage just as fierce as Lucifer's. He was so angry he needed a moment to even find words.
Lucifer used that moment looking over at him, smiling suddenly with all his charm. "Ouch..." he said and let go of the blade which fell uselessly from Uriel's fingers, crashing to the white marble floor with a noise that made everyone wince. Lucifer just raised his hand and looked thoughtfully at the deep cut in the palm of his hand, carelessly allowing his blood to drip down, staining the pristine white of heaven.
Then he looked at Gabriel again. "Your blade his damned sharp." he muttered. Gabriel was over the low railing that separated the judges from their intended victim in a heartbeat, wings spread wide, obviously intend on ripping Lucifer's heart out. And still the eerily quiet held sway.
But the attacking archangel was intercepted by another figure in shinning armor with white wings spread to protect those now dearest to his heart. Michael caught Gabriel in midair, wrapping powerful arms around him and holding him back.
"No!" he shouted, his voice finally bringing back life to the courtroom, making all of the angels turn their attention to him with surprised noises. "You will not harm them, Gabriel!" He grabbed the other angel but his right wing painfully, turning him so Gabriel must look at him. "I love Belial. And I love Asmodeus. You know that it is true. That it had always been true! Before you harm them you will have to extinguish my soul!"
Now pandemonium broke loose in the ranks of the angels, all demanding to know what this was supposed to mean at once.
Asmodeus used the confusion to move over to his brother, who was still kneeling on the floor, even more confused than the angels. He knelt next to him and hugged him tightly, burying his face in his brother hair, inhaling his scent deeply, the clamor of the angels and the mortal danger they were in momentarily forgotten. "You are alive..." he whispered, almost sending a prayer to god in gratitude.
"Ami...?" A shaky hand touched his face and them Belial's arms wrapped around him just as tightly, holding on to him like to a lifeline.
Lucifer looked down at the two demons kneeling by his feet and allowed a faint smile to cross his lips. Now he would just to get all of them out of here in one piece, he mused. Looking up again he noticed Uriel was looking at the two demons just as fondly, one hand brushing a tear from his face that would haven fallen had he been forced to kill Belial.
Maybe even angels were not beyond hope, Lucifer mused. Then he brought his attention back to Michael and Gabriel who were shouting at each other, trying to be even louder than the angels around them.
Lucifer shook his head in disgust. Absolutely nothing had changed in heaven since he had been thrown out, a couple of millennia ago. Gabriel was still the same asshole as ever. But one sexy asshole, Lucifer mused, as he moved closer to the two archangels. What a waste of good looks.
"You don't know what you are doing!" Gabriel just shouted at Michael, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him. "It is just an infatuation. It will pass once they are gone for good. It is not too late to safe your soul!"
Lucifer coughed next to them to gain there attention but was completely ignored. "I have been in love with them since they were created and it will not pass!" Michael shouted back, just as infuriated. The archangel of war was quickly losing his temper and it was now only a matter of time till he would draw his flameblade on the other angels. Something that Lucifer very much wanted to prevent. He had come here to talk, not to start another bloody war that would make everybody suffer.
"Michael, listen to reason! Do you want to be cast from heaven because of that scum?!"
"Heaven is empty without them anyway!"
"You are mad! This is all..."
"My fault." Lucifer interrupted the two angels, this time loud enough to make himself heard. "Now will you two shut up and listen to me."
He got the reaction he had expected. Gabriel tried to pull out of Michael's grip, calling his silver blade to his hand. "I should have finished this ages ago!" He growled. "You will not corrupt him as well."
Before he could actually attack the fire of Michael's flame blade was between him and Lucifer. "You will not hurt him either!" Michael hissed, his eyes now burning with his legendary rage.
Exactly what Lucifer had not wanted. Fuck, he thought. "Michael, that's very kind of you." he said, trying to make his voice sound as amused as possible under the circumstances, "But I really don't need your protection. He can't kill me. No one can. That's part off the curse god has put on me. And believe me, Gabe here has tried plenty..."
With a howl of rage Gabriel slammed his sword into the ground, breaking the marble as well as the blade, the sound finally quieting the confused angels.
"I may not be able to kill you," Gabriel whispered in the sudden silence, "but I sure as hell am going to kill Belial and Asmodeus."
Michael opened his mouth to speak but another figure in the room was faster this time. Metatron rose from his chair in a fluid motion, the light suddenly shining from his whole body drawing the attention of everyone. And when he spoke, it was clear that god spoke through him.
"ENOUGH! THERE WILL BE NO WAR IN HEAVEN! SEND THE CONDEMNED BACK TO WHERE THEY BELONG!"
A slow smirk spread on Lucifer's lips. He had counted on this. He knew that god would not allow bloodshed in his pristine halls again. He still remembered the pain of his creator when it had happened the first time. He did not feel pity, but he was quite able to use what he knew of god. Now he just hoped the old man had learned some reason in the past millennia and would not cast Michael from heaven as well.
"MICHAEL!" The archangel of war dropped to his knees, fearfully awaiting judgement. "YOU HAVE DEFIED THE WILL OF YOUR LORD! YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE FALLEN ONE BACK TO HEAVEN! YOU SHALL BE PUNISHED! YOU ARE STRIPPED OF YOUR TITLE! YOU MAY NEVER ENTER HEAVEN AGAIN!"
Michael slumped to the ground in despair, Belial and Asmodeus hurrying to his side immediately, but Lucifer's grin got wider. 'Stripped of his title, may never enter heaven again' he recalled his own judgement quite well and the crucial part was missing in this one. No 'you shall exist in eternal darkness' and even more importantly, Michael got to keep his wings.
Looking at the angels, he knew that they had not realized this yet. Gabriel had wrapped his wings around himself and was walking away slowly, sadness emanating from him in waves and Lucifer felt almost sorry for the proud archangel. He had fought so hard for Michael's soul. And had lost.
Metatron had sat back down heavily after god had left him, his face now hidden behind his hands in defeat, Raphael was still staring in muted confusion. And Uriel... Lucifer turned around and just caught the hint of a smile in the corner of the somber angel's mouth. Uriel seemed quite content.
Lucifer walked over to where Michael was still kneeling with Belial and Asmodeus next to him, their arms wrapped around him in consolation, and prodded the former archangel with his foot. "Come now, little bit," he said gently, "we are not welcome around here anymore. Let's find a better place to celebrate that Bell is still breathing."
Obviously that was exactly what Michael had needed to hear, just a little reminder that he had achieved what he had set out to do. Because suddenly his arms where around both Belial and Asmodeus, hugging them tightly and wrapping his pure wings around them as well. "I love you." Lucifer heard Michael whisper inside that white cocoon and his smile got even wider when he heard the two demons answer in kind.
He allowed them a moment longer, keeping an eye on the angels, that were slowly filing out of the courtroom with confused stares in his direction. Then he prodded Michael again and this time all three of them got up.
"Thank you, my lord." Belial said, bowing deeply to Lucifer. The gratitude shinning in his eyes was so bright it illuminated Lucifer's heart more than god's light ever had. For it was not only his life that Belial thank him for but also the fact that Michael was forgiven what he had done to the Lightbringer, that Lucifer accepted their love so easily.
They left heaven like they had come, materializing just outside the gates, facing an unanticipated problem. "I can carry only two of you..." Michael said, gazing from one to the other.
"How about I give you a lift down." another voice said next to Lucifer and they all realized that Uriel had quietly followed them.
Lucifer smiled. "That would be most gracious."
Together they watched, as Michael spread his wings, one demon in each of his arms. And them they were in the air, soaring away from heaven and their shared joy was so strong it shone around them, rivaling the morning sun.
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Beryll