Hidden Grace

7 MillionYears Ago*

He stood on the shores, watching the tides come in. He had to get away from Heaven and Earth had been one of his father's favorite creations. It was so beautiful, so peaceful, perfect in every way, but he knew that it wouldn't stay that way, how could it, once his Father finished making the hairless apes. He had tried to convince God not to create humans, but his father had his mind made up and would not be deterred. He had been there in the beginning to lock up the darkness so that his dad's creations could take place, but had he known then what he knew now, he would have left his aunt Amara free. If the darkness has remained, there would have been no creation, and yes, it would mean no Earth, but he would gladly sacrifice the earth to be free of the abomination that God was about to make. Humans would destroy this planet, he felt it in his very core, the mark of darkness that he had to bare to keep Aunt Amara locked up burned bright every time that he thought of them. The mark was drawn to the hairless apes, which wasn't a good sign. He had tried to convince his brothers that humanity would turn out to be evil, but they wouldn't listen to him. Even as he stood on this shore, his father was in the garden creating the first of the humans, Adam and Eve.

"I thought that I would find you here," he heard his brother Gabriel say.

"I just had to get away from Heaven," he said.

"Luci, why do you hate them so much?" Gabriel asked.

Lucifer stared at the mark on his arm, it lit up and twitched, fueling his anger, corrupting his soul. He hated the mark, he hated that he had to carry it to keep Auntie Amara locked up. "Maybe I could love them if I wasn't cursed with this mark of darkness. The Mark lights up, it burns, every time I think about Humanity, every time God mentions them. It's not a good sign and I refuse to love anything that this detestable mark loves," Lucifer answered.

"I know that you think that father is making a mistake and that humanity will be evil, but maybe they will surprise you. Please brother, just give them a chance," Gabriel pleaded.

Lucifer stared out at the sun going down over the horizon as he sighed. "I'll try my best Gabriel, for you. I'm glad that you are here. I need you to do me a favor," Lucifer asked.

"Anything," Gabriel asked.

"I need you to cut off some of my grace," Lucifer stated.

"What?" Gabriel asked as he took a step backwards.

"This mark it's turning me into something that I no longer recognize. I can feel it twisting and corrupting my grace. I fear that it will destroy all of the good in me. There's a little piece of goodness left, I need you to remove it and hide it from me, at least until I can figure out how to unload this mark without releasing the darkness," Lucifer explained.

"I'll do it," Gabriel stated as he pulled out his Angel Blade.

"Just give me a minute before you slit my throat," Lucifer stated. Lucifer closed his eyes as he focused on his grace. He found the good and pushed it into the location that they needed. "Now," he whispered.

Gabriel made a tiny cut in his brother's throat. He could see his brother's grace shining through. Most of it was black and twisted, but some of it was white and glowing, the way that it was supposed to be. He cut the pure white light away from the dark mangled grace and sealed it in a container and then healed his brother's wound.

"How do you feel?" Gabriel asked.

Lucifer felt anger and hatred. There was nothing good in him, not anymore. "I'll heal, just take that somewhere far away from me, before I corrupt it," Lucifer spat out.

"I'm sorry Luci," Gabriel whispered and then he was gone.