The First Judgment
Michael sat kneeled before the Lord in prayer, his thoughts weighing heavily upon him. He sought answers from his Heavenly Father on the task that had been set before him, but to no avail. He rose, feeling only more confused and lost than before he received his Father's guidance. "Was there no other way?" he wondered to himself. What more could he do? He had tried so arduously to save his brother from his darkening future. But even the mighty Archangel Michael, the most highly regarded and influential amongst the Seraphim, could not alter the future that seemed destined for Lucifer. It had seemed that God himself had desired for his dear brother's dissension. Opening his ethereal eyes he looked upon his Father and bowed graciously while lowering his wings to where they laid upon the floor showing his utmost respect to the Lord. He loved his father and was gracious for the love that He showed all of His children, but his mind still wondered how despite his every effort to save his brother from himself the Universe itself seemed to continue to push against him.
The Archangel Michael had left the Lords Domain with a task that he had desired would never have to come to fruition. A part of him still believed he could correct his brother's misguided ways. Afterall, if Michael couldn't save him, then who could? The two Angels had always been close, they had even complimented each other. They were said to be inseparable, and when together they had emanated a light that glistened with warmth, a unique quality between the two brothers that was never seen between any other angels in all of Heaven. Michael, unlike his brother Lucifer though, was gifted with foresight. He could see his brother's fall from the the very moment his mind began to turn away from the Light. He had asked his Father for guidance on what could be done to prevent his beloved brother from his own hate and viscous contempt, but he had only left unsatisfied with his answer. He now knew that he had left only taking with him his belief that his brother could still be saved, despite his foresight and his guidance telling him otherwise. The Lord had said that He had created the Universe, but it was imperfect, that it had actively sought chaos and disorder and that it's manifestation in Lucifer was a mere matter of time. So Michael had set out, not to warn his brother of his future, but to guide him himself so as to prevent him from straying into further thoughts of darkness. But he strove in vain. He could only feel his brother grow colder and more distant as the time had passed until the time came when he had received his summons from the Lord. Michael knew what this had meant, and for the first time he had feared. Michael had ran out of time, and so had Lucifer.
All the while, his Father had known of his brother's falling, and He had allowed it to come. Why would He allow for this to happen, what could come of him losing his brother and allowing evil into the world? Michael still struggled to accept that his brother had been condemned from his beginning and that he himself was to be the one to cast his beloved brother into what the Lord had referenced as the "Pit". But his love for the Lord was eternal and Michael was loyal, so he obeyed and accepted his fate of delivering Lucifer to his. Michael knew Lucifer trusted him unfalteringly, and that he would see the deliverance of his righteous judgment as a betrayal. This troubled Michael monumentally, but he was the greatest of the Archangels, and the only one capable of casting down Lucifer at the time of his judgment. It would be done.
Time grew slow as the pace of Michaels troubled mind quickened and the realization of his orders only grew heavier on him. He had made his way from the Chamber of the Lord and into the capital gardens which he found to be soothing. He walked amongst the flowers and under the trees that grew effortlessly in those Heavenly Gardens. A particular flower had caught his eye as he had glanced around the countless species that graced the gardens with their eternal beauty. He kneeled down to admire and discover what had made this little flower catch his eye. It was small, but strong, and had soft red petals that carried a small yellow crescent on the base of each petal. It grew from a vibrant green stem with a few beautifully healthy leaves that emerged from the stem and reached up as to present the flower to Michael himself. Michael carefully cupped his fingers around the flower and gently felt the petals. His restless mind began to calm as an overwhelming feeling of tranquility gently coursed from his fingers through his arm, into his head, and throughout his body and massive wings. "How could something so delicate and beautiful exist in a world that sought it's own undoing? I simply do not understand." Michael, with the raging storm of his mind now soothed but still lost, caressed the soft petals once again and raised himself from the garden floor. He released a soft lament for his brother and set out to find Lucifer.
Was he prepared for what he had to do? That he didn't know. It had all happened so fast, and the darkness that enveloped his brother's thoughts had spread so swiftly and entirely that it had taken Michael by surprise. There really was little that could be done for his brother. It was all so new that he didn't understand, never had such hate and disloyalty exist in an angel as to desire to bring forth a violent revolution in the realm of Heaven. Was it something that he had allowed in, or was it something that had always been there? Why had it been him? These questions bothered Michael as he searched out Lucifer. Regardless, Michael knew what he had to do. The Lord had said to him, "Though Darkness may emerge in our Heavens, in the End, The Light will triumph and a Everlasting Peace shall reign." The Archangel pondered on these words as he had approached the garrison that Lucifer had recently began to reside within. Michael knew that if he were to find Lucifer, it would be within this place amongst all his closest friends and followers. It was a very large structure that shimmered with light similar to the way most buildings that were built in Heaven did. It had nine pillars that rose high into the skyline, each adorned with polished stone that looked impossibly smooth to the touch. Atop each dwelt an angel whom Michael noticed was leaning over into the open air and singing in harmonies a melody that appealed to him, almost as if they had been singing for him. The melody of the angel's song rang through the air. The Archangel advanced forward through the arched doorways into the massive garrison, the melody had seemed to follow him and pulse with his footsteps as he walked. There were angels all around the complex of all types, from messengers to guardians both grand and small. Michael's presence had captured the attention of a couple angels as he began to hear the curious whispers of his brother's and sister's as his presence became known. He acknowledged them, as was custom, for he was afterall looked up upon by most of his kin, for he was powerful and was close to the Lord Himself, whom few had the privilege of even having an audience with. It had been a long time since he had seen lucifer and this visit had gone unannounced. A small messenger angel had approached Michael. The small angel spread it's arms out warmly and spoke, "Welcome Archangel. Might I ask what has graced us with your visit?" Michael, gathering himself and displaying his grace replied in kind, "Thank you young angel. I'm looking for my brother the Archangel Lucifer, may I find him here?" "Indeed he is. Lately he has been by himself in the courtyards. You're sure to find him there." "Thank you little one, you've been a service." The little angel nodded and wondered off as he began to sing that same peculiar tune that he heard earlier outside of the garrison.
Michael had found his way to the courtyards and began to wander in search of his brother. But something was odd about the air around him. It grabbed at him and carried a certain foulness that perturbed Michael. Something was wrong here. As he walked along one of the paths that lead deeper into the courtyards, he found that whatever was in the air was only growing stronger. He noticed that the flowers that lined the pathway slumped to the ground, their petals had lost their vivid colors and looked as if they were struggling to maintain their grasp on life. "What could cause such… corruption?" He knelt down beside the path and gathered the petals of a wilted flower that had fallen on the path. In his hand he stroked the dead flower petals, they had felt cold to his touch, it even chilled him. He let them fall back to the floor, where they sat sadly in the cooling air of the courtyards. He looked over at a dying flower that was still struggling to maintain its grip on life. He gently lifted the flower and held it in the palm of his hand. It's color began to return at his touch revealing beautiful vermillion petals and a familiar yellow crescent. Life was returning into the young flower as it grew visibly stronger and began to cling to Michael's fingers. A small gust of wind blew around the Archangel carrying the same familiar melody he had heard earlier, but it wasn't a voice he had recognized. In fact it wasn't a voice at all. It sang in his head clearly but still it wasn't his own thought's. Its origin remained a mystery to Michael. He stood himself up and spread his massive wings across the pathway. It was an intimidating sight to see an Archangel, especially if they had bolstered themselves in fury. Michael was no exception. He looked back down at the flower he had recently risen, which stood and danced happily in the breeze, while it's neighbors surrounding it still lay dying and dead. He knew he needed to find Lucifer.
Michael ventured further into the courtyards only to discover that the corruption that plagued the grounds only worsened as he drew closer to its source. It sickened him to see such suffering in a place that used to be so pure and had encouraged life. Now it existed only as a desolate wasteland. He continued deeper, in hopes of finding the source of this corruption and finding Lucifer. Michael did find though that small black flowers with twisted vines and thorns began to sprout from the corruption as he drew closer to the origin of the darkness. There was something strange about this flower that made it stand out from the ones he had seen previously. They looked healthy, almost as if they were thriving off whatever was causing all of this death and decay. He couldn't be far.
At last he had found what he had been looking for. He had encountered a large enclosure of the same polished stone of the garrison, but it glowed with an eery dusk and appeared to be of a black-opaque stone that Michael was unfamiliar with. He knew what he would find inside, he only had to see it for himself. And as the Archangel Michael entered the dark enclosure, what he found had not surprised him. He looked around as the same black flowers grew wildly about the room, wicked vines shooting here and there, with thorns pointing out in every direction in hopes of snagging a victim. It was a malefic sight. And in the middle sat a black throne, decorated lavishly with intertwined vines of black roses, atop which sat the Archangel of Light, Lucifer. Michael approached his brother as his wings stretched farther outward, displaying his power over and displeasure with his brother. He approached the dark throne bursting forth with righteous light and fury. The dark flowers began to wither at the light the Archangel had emitted while Lucifer, acknowledging his brothers presence, remained motionless upon his throne. His eyes flamed with his fury as he spoke Lucifer's name. "You've betrayed everything you've once stood for brother, and I can stand idle no longer while you allow this corruption to grow within you. I have no other choice." Michael raised his open hand and pressed it against Lucifers chest, firmly pinning his brother against his dark throne. "You've corrupted yourself and many of our brethren in the process, and for that you and your followers are no longer welcome here. I'm sorry... but it is your time to leave brother." A bright light flashed between his hand and Lucifers chest creating an even stronger glow between the two angels. A dark and fiery hole opened below the throne and from it emerged dark iron chains which had begun to bind themselves to Lucifer. These infernal chains continued grasping at Lucifers unresisting body and began to drag him into the dark and fiery abyss. Michael looked into Lucifer's eyes with rage, while Lucifer calmly looked back into his brother's. They were missing their familiarity that Michael was accustomed to seeing in his brother. It had dawned on Michael then, that it wasn't his brother anymore. His wrathful gaze lightened towards his brother, his sadness returned to him. Lucifer returned his lost gaze onto Michael and simply said,"I'm sorry Brother..." The chains had now seized his brother entirely and had thrust him into the darkness. The abysmal hole that sat below the throne had begun to fade. Michael had noticed that the Light had returned to the room turning the dark stone back into the familiar polished brick that decorated the garrison and that the dark flowers had also vanished in the presence of the Light. Michael had completed his task, he had banished the darkness from Heaven. Because of him the darkness was now gone forever, and along with it, his beloved brother.