A thirteen-year-old boy is murdered after a lifetime of starvation, abuse and torture. Not knowing whether there is a Heaven or a Hell and not really interested in it because he was happy that he would be spared further pain. He enters Heaven and it is immediately turned upside down because the boy is none other than the son of Lucifer Morningstar. At least the Morningstar from another universe and with that pandemonium breaks loose. Fortunately, at least he has Red to help him through it because this is one clusterfuck!

After being thrown into the cargo bed of the old rusty pickup he must have lost consciousness a few times. Now HE was dragging him through a wooded area while SHE silently followed and watched. He knew there would be no chance of survival this time and he didn't want to. The hunger, the misery of being locked in a cage and the pain of the many beatings had just become too much. It had started in the house, HE wanted to work him with his belt again until he would beg to stop, until he would be completely submissive. Not this time! Fuck it and fuck HIM! It took the utmost of him not to cry out in pain and continue to look HIM pointedly in the eye without showing one sign of submission or fear, on the contrary his eyes radiated nothing but contempt for HIM and HER. He knew that doing this and continuing to do it would be his death sentence but he would be damned if his last act on Earth was an act of submission or fear. In the woods he was thrown hard against the ground by HIM and when he saw HIM pull out a hammer from out of his waistband he became strangely totally calm, a sense of peace descended upon him. At least it would be over soon enough he thought. He felt the first two blows to his body, a flaming, sickening pain shot through him. The final blow he saw coming but did not feel it land. Everything went black.

The strange thing was that he was still kind of conscious, something he was totally not expecting and did not want. He wanted to sink into black nothingness. Never to think anything again, never to feel anything again. He thought he heard voices but attributed that to the fact that he was probably still dying and since he no longer felt pain he thought that was fine.
" He must go to Raphael! Now!"
" He doesn't belong here!"
" Both stop it now and take him to Raphael!"
" But mom..."
" Do as I say Samael!
" Yes Mylady."

He didn't know how long it had been completely dark but he could now sort of think again and sort of feel. He seemed to be floating on his back in some kind of liquid. On the one hand, it was a pleasant feeling. On the other hand, it slowly irritated him that this dying thing seemingly had to take so long. At least he was no longer in pain and it couldn't last that long anyway. He sincerely hoped there was no Heaven or Hell. Not that he was afraid of landing in Hell. After all, what could he as a child have done wrong to go to that place? Nothing, had never had the chance to. Maybe violated the commandment "father, mother shall be honored" daily. But he thought there were extenuating circumstances for him considering his parents and what they did to him. Starved him, locked him in a cage, beaten or better tortured him, pressed burning cigarettes on him and finally killed him by dropping a hammer on his skull. No, he had mitigating circumstances. And if there did exist a God and a Heaven and God threw the commandment at his feet then he would look at him with as much rebellion and contempt as he had looked at his father in his last moments on Earth. Was he therefore thrown into Hell? So fucking what! And there were those annoying little voices in the distance again and they were beginning to irritate him.
" Raphael what is happening?"
" I have never experienced this before Mylady. His body should not look like this, it should already be on its way to heal completely."
" Look what they have done to this poor beautiful boy. Every time I heal him his body refuses to stay healed and goes back to the state we found him in. How can that be?"
" I think the answer is both simple and incredibly sad Mylady. I think this boy really doesn't want to live anymore and that's why he doesn't want to come back, that's why he's anchored in nothingness."

He had no sense of time at all. Was it seconds since he had heard the little voices or hours, maybe days, he had no idea. God in his so-called omnipotent creative state had this whole dying thing pretty much fucked up. Either you're dead or you're alive so make up your mind already. He had gone with his father to the DMV once and this was starting to look pretty much like that. Drawing a number and then having to wait in the vestibule of Hell for all eternity. Ah fuck there are the little voices again, why can't they just leave me alone, enjoy the black nothingness? This was starting to get more than annoying, he thought.
" Raphael, how's he doing?"
" Not good Sam. But do Mom and Dad know you're here? Does Sammy know you're here?"
" Mom knows and Sammy does not know at all. Can't you really do anything for him?"
" Mom has already tried. She has used her full power for it. I am the healer I don't have the powers of the gods. This boy just doesn't want to live anymore. I don't know how long we can anchor him before he slips away completely."
" Samantha, you shouldn't be here and stay out of his way."
" Silence Samael! Yes I am your little sister but in moments with the permission of your Goddess I am also your Princess!"

Those little voices were starting to get very fucking annoying now, and he hoped they would stop soon. Suddenly bright blue streaks of light blazed through the darkness as if they were blue asteroids shooting through the dark night. Although he did not feel his body he wanted to grab one of them and at that moment all hell broke loose. He gasped for air like a drowning man. Again felt all the burning pain in his body from the last beating. The pain in his head was unbearable. He could see again and in his confused state it seemed as if he was in some kind of hospital. He wanted to fight, scream that everything was too much, hurt too much until he saw her. The most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen looked into and two thick tears had formed that rolled slowly down her cheeks. But her sight, her beauty was mesmerizing, reassured him. Panic left his body he began to think coherently again. He wanted to get up on the bed but a strong hand stopped him:

" Calm down kid, sitting up is not good for you."
He wanted to struggle but she came up beside him and took his hand. Softly she said:
" Please do as Raphael asks. He is our best healer."
Reassured by her hands around his, he let himself fall back. The next moment an elegant beautiful lady with a warm smile stood beside the girl.
" Hello Alexander, glad you decided to stay with us. If you want to lie quietly for a while, Raphael and myself can heal you. Don't worry it won't hurt, just a kind of warm peaceful feeling in your whole body. Okay?"
He struggled to understand everything that was happening and to nod slowly. The next moment he felt the lady's hands on his head and chest and those of what he thought was a doctor on his stomach and legs. She had not exaggerated, it was feeling like a warmth moving through his whole body and it was peaceful. After a few minutes the feeling stopped and he could think coherently again. In a raucous voice he asked:
" Where am I?"

The elegant lady spoke:
" The infirmary."
" How long?"
" Two days."
" Great, I'm dead as a doornail."
" What makes you think you'd be dead?"
She asked with a warm smile. Alexander replied:
" Oh not so much actually. Let's see. After the beating I got to endure I should now be in the ICU if I had survived. Here however, there are no machines in sight that would normally seriously get on my nerves with their beeping. No tubes going in or out of my body and I don't feel any bandages anywhere. The last three blows I received must have at least splintered my femur, broken a couple of ribs and probably punctured my lung. Let's not forget that the last blow I saw coming must have left a serious hole in my skull. None of you wear the scrubs that ICU doctors wear. The terminology you guys use would make absolutely no sense on Earth and I'm pretty sure that just hands would not really help my wounds. People who are not immediate relatives would never be allowed near an ICU patient and certainly not a girl."
At which he pointed to her and saw that she still had tears in her eyes.
" Not to mention that Spicy Red here put that grump in that the corner in his place by suggesting to him that she is a Princess. Samael and Samantha? If she is a Princess and you are her mother, that makes you the Queen. Since this is way too neat and soothing I don't think Hell but Heaven. So unless the Bible is very wrong then you are not the Queen but the Goddess. But if Red is your daughter then there must be a God hanging around somewhere too."
After those words the Goddess and the Healer stood looking at him amused and relief and pleasure had appeared in Red's eyes as he had christened her.
" That's a remarkably keen observation ability for someone your age Alexander."
Said the Goddess as she gently placed a hand on his bare shoulder. His reply sounded much more bitter than he would have liked:
" You learn fast when you have to assess every day where, when and how the blows will fall..."
The Goddess squeezed his shoulder encouragingly and tried to distract him a little. He realized it but let it happen, he didn't want to think about all that misery for a while.
" And you don't seem shocked that there is a God and Goddess?"
" Nah, why would it, maybe one of the very few things the Bible has or should I say had correct. I once read that in the original Genesis, don't remember in what language but at least ancient, and before it was filtered out it said - And THEY created man in THEIR image. Last time I was in school their still struck plural. And why should God be different from what He created. Male and female everywhere. God and Goddess, absolutely normal yes."
He looked at the Goddess sternly for a moment:
" The only thing I can't figure out right now is why the Goddess is at my bedside? An incredible amount of people around the world die every day and unless they all go to Hell, which I can't imagine, why would you here in Heaven going round to shake hands with the newcomers one by one?"
" That's the one question I'm going to answer today Alexander. Your soul has a lot of healing to do and you need rest."
Indeed, he felt himself becoming very sleepy and slowly nodded.
" I am here with you Alexander because you are very special and because we want you healthy and well. Close your eyes boy when you wake up we will talk further."
The Goddess gently placed her hand on his eyes and he slipped into a pleasant sleep.

The next morning he slowly began to wake up from a deep refreshing sleep. He could not remember the last time he had slept like this. That he had slept in a normal bed. That in his sleep he didn't have to be on his guard. He felt someone standing at his bedside and blinked a few times before his eyes were fully open.

" Doctor Livingstone I presume?"
He asked with a smirk. The healer smiled and shook his head for a moment.
" You seem to be doing a little better Alexander."
" Ah you know, not having a hole in your head and being dead does wonders for your health."
With that, Raphael had to snort. He was beginning to like this young fellow.
" I suppose you are hungry and thirsty. Do you think you can sit up straight?"
With great difficulty Alexander got up but he would be damned if he asked for help and Raphael quickly put two pillows in his back. Alex really couldn't resist and said:

" You know Raphael the people of Earth have found a perfect solution for this problem. Hospital beds, you push a button and the bed itself makes you settle into a sitting position."
" I know, even thought about having one made for a while. But other than that, I didn't bother. We never actually get patients here who have to stay. Some bumps and bruises of course but after a short time they can go out again."
Alexander pondered this for a moment and said:
" Must be handy as an Angel. Then how do they get those bumps and bruises? Distracted Angel has no right of way and boom mid-air collision?"
And that image painted by Alexander was enough to make Raphael laugh out loud. The moment he set the little table on Alexander's bed, the Goddess entered with Red in tow.
" Good morning Alexander, it's not every day someone gets Raphael to laugh so hard."
Amused, she looked at the two of them.
" Oh well, no big deal. Fuzzie Bear's humor isn't understood by everyone either. Right Fuzzie?"
The healer did like this boy very much and asked played sternly to the Goddess:

" My Lady, with your permission this patient urgently needs to go back to sleep."
The Goddess shook her head and Alexander heard the girl giggle for the first time and it was the most beautiful sound he ever heard. The Goddess put a hand on his forehead for a moment and closed her eyes.
" Much better Alexander, maybe another day or two of bed rest and you will be back on your feet."
" Complete bed rest?"
" No you may move a little when you are ready but for now only in the infirmary."
" I can live with that. Ha, see what I did there, living. I'm killing myself here. Boom, again!"
Now it was both Raphael and Red laughing out loud, and the Goddess had to do her utmost not to burst into laughter as well. The Goddess asked:
" What would you like to eat and drink Alexander?"
" I'm dying for scrambled eggs, bacon bits and tomato juice."
He said with a perfectly straight and impassive face with the emphasis on dying but now a snort did escaped the Goddess at that last pun. She waved her hand and there was suddenly a large plate and glass on his table. He looked at that which had appeared out of nowhere on his little table.
" Now, that's a neat trick, I so gotta learn that."
" Well I just came to see how you were doing Alexander. I'll come back later and we can talk."
He just nodded. Although he wanted answers he was not really looking forward to the conversation itself. The Goddess was preparing to leave the room when Samantha asked:
" Mom, Alexander could use some company from someone his age, can I stay for a while?"
The Goddess looked at both of them for a moment and nodded:
" Fine, but if Alexander gets tired let him sleep he needs the rest."
The Goddess left the room with these words. Alexander took in the girl. She was perhaps the same age as him, quite possibly just a little younger. Beautiful long red hair, some freckles on her face but not overly so, just perfect. And then those eyes, the brightest blue he had ever seen with a shimmer of purple. She wore a simple light blue summer dress but there was also a pale green tone in it that matched perfectly. A discreet necklace with a green stone and a small ring also with a green stone. Samantha was equally absorbing him as he began to down his breakfast. After the first bite, he said:
" Hey Red, are you going to stand there all day or are you going to sit?"
He pointed to the foot end of the bed and she happily sat down. After he finished his breakfast at record speed he looked her sternly in the eye.
" Okay spill it..."
" Spill what?"
She asked not quite understanding what he meant.
" Oh not so much, two things. First, in what condition was I when I was found?"
She averted her gaze from him, for a moment she could not look him in the eye, and said softly:
" Bad, very bad. You came falling out of nowhere just in front of the palace. Your whole body was covered in terrible wounds and blood, so much blood and so bad that your face was almost unrecognizable."
He shook his head for a moment and said nonchalantly:
" Yeah well, whats new."
She looked at him not understanding. How much pain must have been inflicted on him, how many wounds must have been inflicted on him to react like that.
" Second, how do you make things appear out of nowhere?"
Pleased that he changed the subject, her eyes lit up as she answered:
" Well in Heaven anyone can do that, on Earth only us Celestials. For newcomers it takes at least a few weeks, sometimes longer, to master it. Think of what you want and project that."
He looked at her with a frown for a few seconds and then closed his eyes. With a smirk, he opened them back and winked at her for before closing them again. The next moment, a light blue robe appeared on the bed with "Alexander the Great" in small but clearly readable letters at the top left. He then manifested socks, underwear, sneakers, sweatpants and a T-shirt. Samantha sat there watching it with wide eyes and open mouth. With a sneaky smile, Alexander asked:
" What's up Red, seen a ghost?"
" That ... That should be impossible. No one can do that without training."
" Gummy bear, gum drop, nothing is impossible, nothing."
He noticed a wide smile appear on her face.
" Is there a place here where I can get dressed?"
He asked. She pointed to a door not far from his bed but made no move to get off the bed. He got a blush on his face and said:
" Can you maybe close your eyes for a moment until I get in there because I have absolutely nothing on under these sheets here."
She put her hands in front of her eyes after which he stood up and grabbed his things. He just felt her gaze on his back so he knew that she had secretly glanced at him. He was barely in the room when he cried out:
" WHAT THE HOLY FUCK IS THIS SHIT!"
Completely forgetting that he was naked, Samantha and Raphael flew into the small room. He stood looking into a mirror and didn't know what he was seeing. Suddenly he realized he was no longer alone in the room but at that moment he he couldn't care less for being naked, he had more important things on his mind. Alexander turned to Raphael and with a steely gaze he asked:
" What the Hell? This is not my face and this is definitely not my body either!"
The healer looked wearily at Samantha and then said to Alex:
" This shouldn't have happened yet that was up to Mom to explain to you. Samantha shouldn't have manifested clothes for you yet."
She replied dryly:
" That wasn't me that was Alexander himself!"
Raphael stood looking at him open-mouthed and muttered:
" Holly Fuck..."
He shook his head for a moment and asked .
" I would ask you to be patient just a little longer she will be back soon."
Alexander considered yelling but then looked in the mirror and stared at himself for a moment. The body he saw was healthy, not malnourished, broad shoulders and muscular for a thirteen-year-old, and above all no longer scarred. A powerful face, blond wild curly hair and the brightest green eyes he had ever seen.
" Yep I can wait. After the initial shock I must confess I like this one better than the basic model I used to have."
Now that he had been seen naked by both of them anyway he didn't bother anymore and put on the rest of his clothes. He wanted to tie the laces of his shoes and dropped to one knee but fell on his ass. Tears sprang to his eyes from the pain and he needed Raphael's help to snare them and get back up again.
" Fuzzie, is there a garden here with a bench?"
The healer hesitated for a moment because the Goddess had clearly said that Alex was only allowed to move inside. However, it had clearly been a shock to the boy and fresh air would do him good. He nodded:
" Samantha can show you the way it's not far. But if you need help please let her provide help."
He just nodded and started walking extremely slowly. Samantha supported him by the arm and led the way. Once they sat on a bench he manifested a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He chuckled for a moment and she asked what was so funny."
" Actually nothing you know. On earth most kids do it sometimes, sneak a cigarette. I know it's nonsense but it gave me a peaceful feeling, a moment of complete freedom in my head, escape from my reality. My first time was six months ago. Of course, the price for my first few cigarettes that afternoon was a bruised ribcage and the first burn marks of cigarette butts on my back."
He lit a cigarette and she took him gently by the hand. Right now neither of them had anything to say even if Samantha would have known what to reply.

They had been sitting silently on the bench for some time when the Goddess suddenly appeared before them. He was startled for a moment, not used to the fact that a person could appear in front of him out of nowhere. Sarcastically, he said:
" One should hang a bell around your necks. It might save people a heart attack."
The Goddess looked at him rather sternly, and the fact that Samantha squeezed his hand told him that he had quite possibly taken it a little too far.
" I'm sorry Mylady for not keeping our agreement. It's not Samantha's fault. Just about the time I went to get dressed there was suddenly a muscled naked boy in front of me who started screaming like a little girl. However, I realized it was a mirror and so it was myself who was screaming but..."
He pointed his finger at his face:
" This is absolutely not mine. At least as far as I know. Either this body I have now belongs to the afterlife or the body I had when I was alive was not mine. The first option, I don't have much problems with that. The second one? I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that. Well after the first shock I needed some fresh air."
The Goddess' face relaxed and she got a somewhat sad look in her eyes. She joined him and Samantha on the bench and said:
" This should not have happened yet but you never cease to amaze us. The speed with which you recover and find your intellectual abilities again are simply unimaginable. And the fact that you do things that take others weeks to learn in minutes, according to Raphael."
After a minute or two of silence, Alex asked:
" The conversation we have to have will absolutely not please me I suppose?"
The Goddess slowly shook her head and sighed:
" Do you want to talk inside or outside Alex?"
" Outside please."
She manifested a table with eight chairs a little further away.
" Jeez"
He thought:
" If they need seven people for this conversation, what kind of fucking shit is that going to be?"
He slowly got up and with difficulty walked to the table where he plopped down in a chair. Samantha immediately sat down to his left and the Goddess took a seat to his right. A moment later, three men appeared at the table and Alex was startled again:
" I swear, if I'm still here at Christmas I'll hang a bell around the necks of of them all."
This time the Goddess and Samantha did get a smile on their faces. The three men sat down. The man in his mid-forties who had taken a seat next to the Goddess was quite obviously the God. Not as he had pictured God. An older man with a long white beard in a white robe and sandals. This one was impeccably dressed in a three-piece tailored suit with a perfect appearance. What stood out most about him were the mischievous playful preening eyes. Samael aka the grumpy guy he already knew, of course. The newcomer he did not know. He pretty much smelled like military, it just leaked out of his pores.
" You gave us quite a scare Alexander."
Alex looked at the God inquiringly before replying:
" Mylord, Mylady, Princess, grumbler and noble stranger why do I get the feeling that I am lying bound in a guillotine and waiting for the blade to fall?"
" Why would you say that? This is Michael, by the way?"
Asked the God who had heard that the boy had a sharp mind.
" Michael as in St. Michael, commander of Heaven's forces?"
Alex asked, as he ignored the God for a moment and looked the newcomer sternly in the eyes. The latter merely nodded in the affirmative but did not say a word. Alex held his gaze fearlessly for a moment before shifting his attention back to the God.
" My lord, I may only be thirteen but even I can read this situation. Eight chairs so there must be two more individuals en route."
He let it settle for a moment and manifested tea for Samantha. She had drank it this morning in his room so he thought it would be good. Tomato juice for himself. The four others present watched this in amazement. They had heard it from Raphael that he could manifest but that he could do it with such ease was still something to see with their own eyes. Alexander continued:
" The God, the Goddess and the Crown Princess are present. Samael is somehow attached to Samantha, counselor, mentor, bodyguard or all three. He would prefer to keep Samantha far away from me but probably got his ass kicked by Samantha or the Goddess or both. He is mad at me for not being able to keep Samantha away from me and I can almost tangibly feel that. Michael is watching me like I'm an bug under a microscope. He is trying to figure out if I am a danger and if so how he can eliminate that danger, fast. I simply cannot imagine why I, a nobody of thirteen, and let's face it compared to you and your powers I'm a nobody of thirteen. How can I be a danger to Samantha. And it's obvious Samantha otherwise Samael wouldn't be so protective and Michael wouldn't be looking for my weak spots."
Impressed by the sharp mind behind the bright green eyes, the God said:
" You must forgive Samael, he is very protective as far as his little sister is concerned."
" Oh, I don't mind that at all Mylord. As long as he is aware that there is a difference between protecting and choking."
The adults and Samantha got wide smiles with this sentence, except Samael of course. Alexander and Samael's gazes bore into each other. The longer Alex held Samael's gaze without blinking or to be impressed in any way by him the redder Samael turned. The two were fortunately distracted before the situation could get out of hand. A silver gold bubble of light appeared in the garden. The light disappeared, leaving behind a man and a woman. She the epitome of Southern beauty and elegance in a magnificent blue robe. He tall, broad with a strong but kind face and dressed in what looked like a dark blue djellaba. With smiles, they greeted those present and took their places at the table. The Goddess spoke:
" Alexander may I introduce you to Aisha and Franklin the Gods of All Creation."
Alexander nodded to them deep in thought. He looked at the Goddess:
" If they are the Gods of all creation, what are you the Gods of?"
" I am Salome, my husband is Robert and we are the Gods of this universe."
He let this information pass through his brain for a moment and suddenly shot upright in his chair. His eyes lit up red with Hellfire and he snarled in a growling voice:
" The multiverse! That means there must still be an incredible number of me being tortured, starved and killed! What the Fuck!"
Salome manifested a mirror, held it up to him and he shouted:
" Jesus fucking Christ what the fuck is this?"
Robert ignited Hellfire in his own eyes and Alex looked on uncomprehendingly. The God said:
" This is Hellfire Alex. It comes out when you are very angry."
Samantha grabbed his hand and squeezed it letting him know she was there. He automatically began to breathe more calmly and the red in his eyes disappeared.
" You can learn to control it, at some point you will have full power over it and be able to use it whenever you want. You can use it to show people Hell and their fate after death. It is not a pleasant sight to see them react to that."
" As far as I know, my parents have nothing to do with Hell. Although they can rot in it for all I care. So how do I get it and how do you get it?"
Salome knew they were now getting closer and closer to the final act and said:
" Robert is not only the God of this universe but he is also the King of Hell hence he can summon Hellfire."
" Are you implying that my mother somehow had a affair with the Devil, your husband?"
He asked dumbfounded. Aisha interfered in the conversation:
" Wrong father, wrong mother."
" What does this mean? Did those two assholes kidnap me as a baby or something to have a toy? And what about these other universes?"
Aisha replied:
" The couple that were supposed to be your parents during your life here on this earth cannot have children in any universe. At most one child, stillborn after which he kills her a short time later."
" And this is true in every universe?"
" Indeed."
" So why do you create the same universe over and over again? You know what the definition of insanity is, don't you? Doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different outcome."
Aisha and Franklin had to smile at this and did not feel offended in the least. She said:
" The origin of the multiverse, the universe and its purpose we would very much like to explain that to you in full color another at some time. It would take too much time to do it now and you have a lot of healing to do."
" Okay, back to the subject of my parents."
" How it is possible for you to be here? I can show that to you if you let me."
He looked at her suspiciously for a moment with eyes squeezed but nodded after a few seconds. Aisha stood up, walked around the table and placed her hand on his forehead. In a few seconds, a incredible amount of information flowed into his brain until he cried out:
" Lucifer fucking Morningstar! MAM eeuww that image you could have spared me, eeuww MAM!"
He shook his head and said:
" Red, quick a gallon of bleach and a skull drill. I need to burn that image out of my brain!"
Aisha said:
" Sorry Alexander, I didn't want to show you that image but you completely and unexpectedly linked with me in turn and absorbed a huge amount, more than I thought possible, of information like a sponge."
Alex stood up and said to Salome:
" I hope your Angels are not as idiotic as those in the universe I seem to have come from."
He turned to Aisha and said snidely:
" This conversation is far from over!"
After which he began to shuffle away from the table. Samantha looked pleadingly at her parents and her father nodded:
" Go"
She flew straight and went after Alexander. She took his hand and silently they walked on. About twenty meters further on, he stopped and took in his surroundings. It looked like a lavish courtyard garden of an abbey such as he had seen in a photograph once.
" In name of everything holy and unholy... This is one giant clusterfuck Samantha!"
" Since you arrived here my parents never said much Alex. Is it that bad then?"
" My brain is still processing all the information I got in but it seems to be getting worse and worse."
He lit one of his cigarettes and they remained in silence. When he finished his cigarette he let it disappear into thin air. Surprised, she asked:
" How do you know you can make things disappear?"
" If you can make things appear out of nowhere it seemed logical to me that you must also be able to make them disappear into nothing. Lets go, the sooner this conversation is over the better for me."
Back at the table, sweat was on his forehead and his T-shirt was soaked through. Sweat from exertion with a body that ached from top to bottom. He dropped into his chair and manifested a large glass of tomato juice. If anyone even noticed it had a good amount of vodka in it, no one let on. After lighting a cigarette he turned to Aisha and Franklin:
" Correct me if I'm wrong. Aisha, and I am far from ready to call you Mom by the way notwithstanding my little outburst just now. You are on vacation on Earth, Lucifer is on vacation on Earth, you guys have some fun together and nine months later I showed up."
Both Gods were nodding.
" Normally the body you were in should be infertile and Lucifer as an Angel would normally not be able to reproduce with a human either. Yet I exist and no one can explain why. At least no clear explanation, something vague about Lot caused it."
Again nodding.
" The God in that universe is a rabid tyrant who is killing his own children, Angels, left and right, and has locked his own Goddess in a little cell in Hell. That old fool is so frustrated with Lucifer that he is going to destroy that universe sooner rather than later. The only thing he fears is a being like myself a Nefilim?"
Franklin said:
" In very broad terms this is absolutely correct."
He turned to Salome and Robert:
" You have known of my existence from the moment I appeared in this universe. You called Aisha and Franklin and got the full explanation of who and what I was?"
Both nodded yes. Hellfire ignited again in Alexander's eyes and he spoke steelily:
" Where you four completely drunk out of your minds . You..."
and he pointed at Aisha.
" From the moment you were back being a Goddess you knew what happened and what those four idiots had planned after which that plan went haywire. And you..."
Now he pointed at Salome and Robert.
" You knew what I was after their explanation. You knew how important I was to the other universe. And yet the four of you decided together to sit back and do nothing? To leave your own son to this fate Aisha? Are you fucking kidding me! Hands off policy my freaking ass! The least of the shit that happened because of this is that I was tortured and killed. And that is absolutely the very least of the shit! But what if this hadn't happened? What if I had still been trapped in the wrong body and didn't die until I was very old? An entire fucking universe could have been wiped off the map along with tens of billions of souls! Not to mention the danger I am to Samantha and your entire universe! How dare you put that decision on my shoulders! I'm fucking thirteen. Now I have to go and decide to save a universe or turn my back on billions of souls. And what if I decide to do nothing and want to stay here? Then I'm a potential danger to Samantha. Who's to say I won't grow up to be a psychopathic madman like my grandfather? Who says I am not the literal Antichrist who is going to bring untold destruction to your universes?"
He chugged his glass all at once and turned to Samael and Michael:
" Samael, you're right I'm a danger to your sister! Michael, finish it! Don't take any chances for your sister or your universe. You don't even have to look me in the eye just ram your sword through my back or do it in my sleep. Whatever but do it fast!"
With those words he turned and stumbled back toward the infirmary.
" Alex don't say stuff like that!"
Shouted Samantha and jumped straight up and wanted to go after Alexander. Her mother said:
" Samantha stop."
She looked at her mother angrily and said:
" Make me!"

Alexander struggled to move. It seemed like his whole body was on fire. Sweat was running off him. Samantha tried to support him as best she could. painstakingly he pulled off his robe and dropped it, far too hot. At the door, he could no longer stand and collapsed. His eyes turned away and in a panic Samantha screamed for Raphael. The healer looked at Alexander worriedly, lifted him up and brought him back to the room. After laying him on the bed, Alexander was able to briefly focus his eyes on Samantha with an extreme effort and whispered softly:
" I'm sorry Red..."
Then things went black again for him. Raphael tore open his shirt and continued to stare worriedly at the bare upper body for a while. He feared they were back at the starting point and that the injuries could reappear at any moment. After a few minutes, they had not and he breathed a sigh of relief. The healer removed the torn shirt, sneakers and sweatpants and covered the boy with the sheets. The girl with tears in her eyes took a seat next to his bed. She was so very angry with her parents and Aisha and Franklin and no one would get her out of this room now.

Outside at the table, the mood was subdued. Michael said:
" And that tells us something about Samantha and Alexander. I don't really want to say it but I will do it anyway; I told you so!"
Samael replied tersely:
" And what is this supposed to teach us about the two of them?"
His brother looked at him icily:
" That as of today your little sister has become our crown princess! If you don't see that then you desperately need to get your head out of your ass or resign your role as a mentor! She is no longer a child, she has become a young woman. Get used to it! The time when she runs after you and meekly does and says what you want is over Samael!"
The mentors mouth fell open. For a moment he did not know what to say. Robert asked:
" And what does it teach us about Alexander?"
" That boy has been through so much and suffered so much and yet he puts himself last, everyone else is more important to him. Thirteen years ago I did not agree with your plan of action. I warned you that he should not stay on Earth because his soul was in the wrong body!"

Salome asked softly:
" And what should we have done Michael? Kill a baby?"
" What murder? Those animals where supposed to have a dead baby not a live one. It is because Alexander's soul was trapped in that baby that those monsters had a living child. We should have just let nature do its work and let them have a dead baby! Is it murder if we free a Nefilim from a body where he does not belong? Mom, your part in the decision was based on yourself, as I said at the time. Your capacity to make a decision at that time was based on emotions and not on logic and therefore invalid. Just like now, he would have appeared here immediately in his true form. Alexander could have grown up here with Samantha because they are the same fucking age. You were about to give birth to Samantha when Alex showed up in our universe mom. I could have played the same role for him that Samael plays now for Samantha. Could have quietly prepared him and given him all the tools he might need to make a decision, his decision. Now he has been exposed to a miserable existence in his short life. I must admit that I feared he would be totally broken spiritually. That his soul would be filled with hatred and vindictiveness because of all the pain and abuse. And yes, I am the only one of you all who has followed his life and seen all the misery! Because you remained true to your position of not getting involved. You have no idea what that boy went through! That is why I am pleasantly surprised to see that his moral compass seems to be chiseled in granite. You will no doubt have noticed that his first concern was Samantha's safety. His first reaction when he knew what he is? Sacrificing himself so that he could no longer be a danger. I would almost feel sorry for the God in his universe and a few people in our universe. Because, believe me, his decision has already been made, right here at this table in a split second, when he gave us a verbal pandering. He is going to unleash the fury of Hell on that God and those vile people upon our Earth and I am not going to put a stone in his way. In fact I am going to get the stones out of his way so he can do what he needs to do. No Alexander is not a danger to us. He is pissed and I don't blame him at all and you four owe him a sincere apology and much more."
With these words, Michael stood straight. The four Gods looked at him begrudgingly as they realized he was right. Before he left, he addressed Samael once again:
" Brother, as of today Samantha and Alexander are under my personal protection. You can feel free to continue your role as mentor. But I hereby warn you, put a stone in the way of those two and you fucking will curse the day of your creation!"
The next moment, he was gone. Samael was shocked. Yes he and Michael had disagreements from time to time because they were both hotheads but they always worked it out. Never before had Michael physically threatened him let alone in front of the gods. Worse yet Samael did not doubt for a second that his brother would keep his word and that scared him a lot.

Once a decision is made there is no turning back, especially when you know there is so much at stake. Is he turning his priorities upside down? He's thirteen, so fuck it! It is certainly never a good idea to piss off the Antichrist. What you get is; nothing is impossible, nothing!