A breeze passed the space where Lucifer's soul had been a moment before, sending a wave of song through the grass.

Trixie stared at the space for a moment, her hand still clamped about her son's dead hand. Her eyes distant.

Lucifer's soul had been reclaimed.

The young girl released the hand beside her with a sigh, and leaned over to place a kiss on Lucifer's dead cheek.

Then God shed the child's shape, and blazed over the meadow with a cry that stilled every celestial and wandering soul in heaven.

Every song stopped.

God released another cry, and dissolved the body beneath into light.

Matter and soul reclaimed then, God performed an act of creation unlike any performed for millennia.

He made an new angel.

He reweaved his son's body from his own light atop the stone platform, careful to keep the same form, the same shape.

But he strengthened it, removing a key vulnerability that had existed before.

The body lay before him an empty shell, inanimate, awaiting the last piece.

God bound the soul to a new scroll that wrote itself in the Hall of records, then meshed the flickering light within the body just made.

New songs rose from the hosts of heaven, and a breeze swept through the meadow, stirring the chimes of the grasses and flowers.

BREATHE

The body took in a deep, relaxed breath.

WAKE

His new son's eyes opened. The dark orbs took in the space above without blinking.

YOU ARE SAMAEL

I am Samael, the man atop the platform said.

STAND BEFORE ME

The man sat up, swung his legs off the platform and stood. He looked about himself with a young wonder.

What is this place? Samael asked, scanning the trees, the sky and the ground beneath his feet.

YOUR HOME

Samael smiled.

It is beautiful

Closing his eyes, he opened his mouth and began to sing, joining in the song of the hosts, and weaving intricate harmonies with the land about him.

SAMAEL

The man stopped singing and opened his eyes. Yes, Father?

CLOTHE YOURSELF AND FOLLOW

Yes

Samael turned and pulled the robe from the platform. He briefly drew his hand down the soft fabric, enjoying the way the light refracted from the materials. The colors shifted as he pulled it on - warm golds giving way to shimmering deep red accents. It fit him perfectly and he looked down at himself with a smile.

I am beautiful

God watched his son with love.

Some things would never change.

FOLLOW

He rose above his home, above all of creation, until the stars and planets of the universe were arrayed before him, spinning in their endless cycles.

Samael's wingbeats followed, and his son drew level with him.

EARTH

God gestured, and Samael knew everything at that moment about the tiny blue planet.

Earth, Samael repeated.

A DARKNESS HAS RISEN THERE

Samael nodded.

YOU WILL DESTROY IT

I will, Father

IT WILL SAY IT KNOWS YOU - IT LIES

I understand, Father

SAVE THE MOTHER, OR BRING HER SOUL HOME TO ME

Samael smiled. Of course, Father. I will strive to save her

GO NOW

God felt a pang then, unlike any he had ever felt, as his son left his side and delved between dimensions to Earth.

There was little point in resuming the small life that was Trixie now, for if Samael succeeded in his task, he would return home, no doubt to sing an endless song with the others. He was too new to know any different.

It hurt.

He missed his wayward, defiant son.

This Samael was certainly just as powerful, with the same gifts and talents, the same base seeds of personality.

But he was merely a copy, and a blank one at that.

The Samael he had cast out, then strived so hard to reach, and spent such small delightful moments with, was gone.

God's anger pulsed out in a wave across the universe.

He could crush the Earth about the child, but it would not fix the problem. The consciousness of the Third had woken and would not be snuffed so easily.

The ring had proven an effective prison held in check by Samael's talents, until Samael had so saturated himself in the woman his energies had been dampened enough for the entity to circumvent them.

His son's mortality might have been the fault of the Third, but God could not deal with him directly.

Another held a greater share of blame.

He pulled her from Heaven and placed her before him.

Remiel gasped and curled about herself, closing her wings tight.

I am sorry, Father! she cried from within her nest of feathers. I am sorry! I should not have done this, I know!

YOU SOUGHT REVENGE FOR URIEL

Yes, Father

DO YOU FEEL JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED

Remiel opened slightly, drawing back her wings. Tears fell from her eyes and she lowered her gaze.

No, Father

YOU WISH FOR HIM TO BE UNMADE AS URIEL WAS

She nodded hesitantly. I do, Father. I am lesser for that, I know

YOU WERE HURT AND ACTED FROM YOUR PAIN

Remiel placed her head in her hands. Yes, she whispered.

SAMAEL WAS UNMADE

She raised her head slowly. What?

I COULD NOT RESTORE HIM AS HE WAS

Remiel went white. I did not mean for this... I did not truly want... Oh no...

YOU DID

She bowed her head, then nodded.

What is your punishment, Father?

I CANNOT REMAKE URIEL, REMIEL, I AM SORRY. HIS PATH WAS FULFILLED

Her head bounced up, the news unexpected.

I... I know that Father

SAMAEL WAS UNNATURALLY SEVERED FROM HIS PATH
HE HAS BEEN REMADE
YOU WILL AID HIM NOW ON EARTH
THAT IS ALL

Remiel swallowed, then nodded.

Yes, Father

And away she flew.

God watched, satisfied.


Bold speech - celestial tongue, for those popping into this chapter out of the blue (which I sincerely hope nobody does). I'm probably going to post another chapter today, as this isn't the best to stop on. Also, it kind of cracks me up how GOD SPEAKS LIKE DEATH FROM PRATCHETT'S DISCWORLD SERIES, WHICH ARE AWESOME, BTW, DO READ THEM. And also, anyone who may have read my Warm Bodies series - there are similarities here with Samael's reanimation. ;)

Anyhoo! I wonder if anyone can guess where the newly remade Samael might go first?