Thanks much for the reviews!
To almostinsane: yes, I'm quite aware that this is offensive to some people.
To those who it is offensive to: stop reading.
Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer...
Not a common name, Jehovah knew, but for some strange reason it made him remember things that he couldn't have recalled earlier...like that time, he (had his name been Lucifer?) and Jehovah had been exploring the surrounding forest, edging their way around a pond. They had been trying to get behind the waterfall, to see if there was a cave or something they could play in. The other angel had slipped on a rock, pulling the two of them into the water as he fell. They had walked home soaked - though the water had done nothing to dampen their moods. They had always been happy together...
There had been one time, when Jehovah had again been neglecting his duties, busy playing with his best friend, when his tutor had come and separated them. He had said that they shouldn't play together, anymore, because he was getting in the way of his schoolwork. Jehovah had refused to do anymore of his chores, crying relentlessly and screaming to see his best friend. A week later, the angel had snuck into his room at night, and brought an armful of pastries from the kitchens. They had stayed up all night laughing and playing games...
They had looked so young back then...and they had been. Most of the angels had been dead for at least one thousand years, and they had been but ten...Jehovah looked around sixteen now - though he was much older than that, he was still quite young as compared to everyone else...no one questioned his orders, though, despite his age...
How old did the fallen angel look, now?
Perhaps older - younger, even. Jehovah couldn't recall the difference in their ages seven thousand years ago. He could, however, remember every other detail. He remembered the day of the fall the clearest, though - almost as though it was yesterday, one could say. He remembered his eyes - they had been filled with a clear look of hurt - 'this is betrayal...' they had said. He had looked like he was about to cry...but he hadn't. He had always been the stronger one...
"Keep your wings!", Jehovah had screamed, "Keep your wings and never come back!
"I'll kill you!"
A threat he often wondered if he had remembered. He had probably laughed, the bastard. The smile that had lit his face had said as much - even if his eyes still danced with an unreal kind of hurt.
Jehovah hadn't even needed to push him, as he was supposed to - as he thought he'd have to. The angel had just looked straight ahead - smiling, smiling...- and fallen off the brink of existence. He hadn't spread his wings in time, Jehovah knew. He was falling much too fast... What was beneath the heavens?
"Hell", he had told the angels, "Any who oppose heaven shall be thrown into Hell!"
But the truth was, he had no idea where his right hand angel had gone. Perhaps he was still falling - or had he reached the ground? He hadn't opened his wings in time -that much was obvious - but Jehovah still liked to think he was alive...he still wanted him to come back...
I thought I was your equal...
You were, Jehovah thought sadly, you were so much more...
"I looked up to you..."
"Um, sir?"
Jehovah snapped his head up. Lucifer was watching him with a bright twinkle in his eye.
"Sorry...your name just sounds...familiar." he sighed, looking back to the ground, "Anyway, I should begin teaching you magic as soon as possible. You can't have your wings unless you're able to catch yourself if you lose control..."
"I don't suppose I could have a bit of a rest, first, though?" the angel said in his deep, soft voice, "I imagine I've had quite a journey to get here."
"Certainly," Jehovah said quickly, eager to get away from this man that made him want his old friend back, "I'll have one of my guards show you to your room."
Perhaps he would get some rest, too.
So Jehovah had forgotten his name...well well well...
Lucifer flopped onto his bed and smiled up at the cieling.
It really had been awhile, though, hadn't it? Seven thousand years was a long time...and the so called 'God' must have had alot of duties. Well, the only thing this lapse in memory would cause would be a little more time before Lucifer had to reveal himself. He couldn't afford to stay here too long with the other angels...someone would recognise him.
And besides - he turned onto his side - Jehovah surely wouldn't be able to forget his magic signature. As soon as he so much as put fire to a leaf, anyone watching who had known him would immediately see him for who he was. How disastrous it would be if word got around heaven that the 'demon' was back.
Oh, my dear friend, what did you do to my name?
But that mattered not.
He had come to Heaven, not to clear his name and return to his place as an angel - no, Hell was his place - but to get revenge. No matter how close he and the supposed 'God' once were, and perhaps could be once again, he needed to teach dear Jehovah a little lesson in friendship. No matter what the trial two friends go through, one mustn't give up and betray them...Tsk tsk.
A punishment was in order.
The next day, Lucifer was gathered rather early in the morning to begin his training.
"Okay. So, today, we're going to see how good you are with a weapon. There's quite a selection - I obviously don't know which you're best with, and I'm not sure if you remember, but try each one and see which one feels the most familiar, or which one you like best..."
Jehovah gestured for the guard to uncover the selection of weapons that were available. Blades of iron, steel, and some metal Lucifer couldn't remember glinted in the sunlight. He smiled a little and looked all of the weapons over. He was tempted momentarily to pick up the spear - but he knew that the only weapon for him was the double-ended saber. A long blade on each end, with only room enough for each hand beside each other in the middle, this weapon was almost as tall as Lucifer himself. It was nearly a replica of the one he had hidden under his bed back in his room...
Trust the angels not to search him for weapons.
Jehovah gasped slightly as Lucifer reached for the sword. He wouldn't say anything out loud, the fallen angel knew, but there was no way he could forget what weapon his former best friend had wielded.
"You - you like that weapon?"
Lucifer smiled.
"Oh, yes. I quite remember using these blades." he said, "Would you like to duel?"
Jehovah staggered slightly, obviously unprepared for this question, when he had been ready, just a moment ago, to begin teaching him.
"O...kay."
He picked his spear up from where he had rested it earlier, and Lucifer couldn't help but smile. After seven thousand years, he still hadn't perfected the handling. They both got into stance, and within two seconds, Lucifer was lunging at his old friend. Jehovah, who still seemed quite distracted by how he moved with the weapon in his hand, took a moment to retaliate, and when he did, he could only block half of the shot, so that Lucifer had to twist slightly to avoid hitting him. He tried to attack back, but in a blink of an eye, the other angel had him on his back on the ground, blade pointed at his throat.
Lucifer felt rather than heard the blade beside him coming towards his neck. He turned and parried the attack, stepping right up beside the guard, so that their faces were very close. His red eyes glinted dangerously.
"I'm afraid it's going to be rather hard to practise if you're going to be dead set on protecting your master during this. I promise you I will not hurt him, but I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
The guard, who had obviously thought himself one of the top swordmasters in Heaven, nodded with a rather frightened expression and left without once glancing at his God for the okay.
Lucifer walked back over to Jehovah, not bothering to watch the angel leave, and offered his hand to his friend.
"I see you haven't been practising much." he said, smiling as he helped him up.
"No - I haven't. I - we don't really need to know how to fight up here in Heaven. There's no need..."
"Nonsense." Lucifer waved his hand dismissively, "It is always useful to know how to fight. Come now, your handling of that spear is horribly off."
He went to move the angel's hands from behind him, and was delighted to feel him jump as their hands touched for a second time that day.
"That better?" he asked, leaning his head over Jehovah's shoulder to check out what he had done. There was a slight tinge on the angel's cheeks.
A blush? This was surely a surprise.
"Yes, but-"
"There is always a need for fighting. Perhaps it could help you in the future. Now, stop checking me out and attack me during this duel."
Lucifer watched as pink turned to red. It was like it had been years ago...
Back when they had still been angels.
Heh heh heh. Sorry for the long wait. You see, I've had this horde of relatives invading my house for the past little while. I've been sneaking away from the parties at times, and writing a little more at atime, but it's hard. I have to keep up appearances, after all. I'm going to my cottage again, for another week, so it'll be awhile. SORRY! In a few weeks, I'll be able to start updating regularly, maybe when school starts.