Chapter 3: Seven Seraphim, Three Fallen
Walking briskly away from the council room, the new commander of the exorcist angels name only Lute, was praying deep inside that no one attempted to disturb her retreat to the angel's quarters. If anyone, be they winner, angel, or even St. Peter himself attempted to grab Lute's attention, the reckoning would be a terror to behold.
"Stupid fucking hypocrite, can't believe Adam's death counts for nothing compared to Sera's stupid bitch-ass pussyfooting little sister. Someone needs to put that cunt in her place." Almost every heavenborn and winner was desperately trying to avoid being within twenty-feet of Lute at all times.
The look of her face was apocalyptic, her eyes gleaming with murderous intent, a strong jawline clenched in easy to view rage. By the time Lute reached her barracks, it was almost high noon and there was only one way she knew how to deal with all this broiling rage that needed to be dealt with. Sending out a call for seven exorcists to report to the training fields, Lute retrieved a wooden staff from the weapons rack as her underlings formed up in front of her.
It was supposed to be training, but when Lute launched herself at the other angels, they quickly realized that they would be fighting to keep the commander from tearing their heads off. They parried, countered, and defended the best they could, but against a bloodthirsty fighter one after another was bloodied, knocked down, and beaten into submission. Only three minutes passed before the last opponent was sent sprawling into the ground.
Lute landed over her defeated trainees with a viscous snarl like a cornered animals. Raising her staff, her victim could only ball up and pray someone would intervene, and thankfully, she was saved.
"That's enough. I doubt any of them can stand much less fight." Lute spun on her heels with a deadly barb on her tongue, but bit back her words as a seraphim descended in front of her. Instead of the two that operated as rulers in Heaven, the other seraphim dealt with influencing the mortal realm, and the one who ruled over the human lords and conquerors was standing four feet from Lute.
He stood tall and proud, half a foot taller than Sera, built like a brick shit house, dressed in a full set of gold plate armor, and a large blue cape that billowed from behind even with no wind. His face was incredibly well defined and chiseled, with bright blue eyes, long sweeping gold hair, with a smile that could melt a woman down to her very core. Lute wasn't the type to swoon at anyone, but she did find her stance a bit more firm and respectful tone in her voice.
"Apologies Lord Michael, I let my emotions get the better of me. It won't happen again." On the ground behind her the other exorcist groaned and grunted the disagreement, but Michael laughed and waved their suffering aside.
"Warriors have to deal with great pain on the battlefield, so this at least can remind your forces to learn to improve on their skills than fly arrogantly into conflict."
"With all due respect sir, I'm not sure if they will need to improve on their fighting capabilities if the council has its' way." This brought a knowing grin on the male seraphs face.
"Don't be too sure. I might have a special project in mind that can make use of the exorcists unique fighting prowess."
Lute instantly wanted to know as much as possible, so she dismissed the whining angels on the ground, then followed obediently Michael as he guided her over to the center of Paradise City. Approaching the crown jewel of the city, Lute could make out the Seraphs Palace, a decadent and beautiful multistory palace that was crystalline in appearance with seven tall towers surrounding a middle building with a massive halo hanging over the top of the highest spire.
Arriving at the large double doors where angels and cherubs came back and forth on various missions and objectives. It was usually barred to the winners, save the few that achieved greatness on Earth, and were brought in to receive a halo which would grant them immense holy power depending on what station they would be placed in. Lute vaguely remembered when she'd been brought in by Adam to receive her halo and join his force as second-in-command.
Forcing her tremulant emotions down, Lute picked up the pace and followed her superior. Down the winding halls, up spiraling stairs, all the way to highest point in the tallest tower, coming to the end of the path where Lute didn't see anything like door or entrance. Michael then reached forward and morphed into his true angelic form. Gold energy erupted across his face, creating the appearance of a lion complete with fangs, a brilliant mane, and leonine eyes.
The wall in front of them split open into a pitch dark passageway, though when Michael stepped into the space his divine light lit up the passage allowing Lute to see the thin walkway ahead. On either side she could only see endless darkness, but the closer they got to the light, the easier it was make out those giving off the illumination. Sera and four other seraphim were seated at a large round table, all in their angelic forms.
Seraphiel the blue eagle, Uriel the red bull, Raphael the green dragon, Gabriel the black falcon, and Azrael the white wolf. Michael took his seat finishing a collective rainbow that left only one seat left unattended. The vacated throne of Lucifer. Lute took her place standing behind Michael while shooting Seraphiel a dirty look, but the seraphs attention was on Michael.
"What is the reasoning here Michael, why have you brought all seraphim here when I've already given the final verdict." Every word Sera spoke was dripping with irritation, and it appeared her sister Azrael shared her sentiment.
"She's right Michael. Sera has the authority to decide the movements of angels in Heaven, not you." Azrael shot an annoyed look at the vacant chair, then turning her eyes back to Michael. The gold lion broke his silence and his words into complete shock.
"Yaldabaoth has sent for me to tell you all that the time of reckoning against Sabaoth is approaching." Every seraph save Michael was speechless, save Lute who had to speak up.
"I'm sorry I don't understand. Are those demons or angels?" The seraph council turned to Lute, and Michael gestured to the empty throne.
"Take a seat Lute, all will be revealed in due time. It's time for truly deserving angel to receive the blessing of the seraphim." Rage was burning in Sera's eyes as Lute complied. Reaching from her white robes Azrael produced a new halo, silver in color, passed it to Michael who presented the divine crown to Lute.
"We may no longer purge the sinners, but three traitors are going to regret abandoning the Archons."
After taking an elevator to eleventh floor of the hotel, Vaggie and Emily stepped to a dark red door with a sign reading 'Charlies Office'. After knocking twice, the door popped open revealing a disheveled looking princess and behind her, the first of the fallen himself, Lucifer. The other fallen angel and seraph slipped past Charlie, and Lucifer moved to stand directly in front of Emily.
He was not only shorter than Emily had expected, but came off as a lot more tired and downtrodden than imposing or scary. Alastor and Zestial had both been closer to what Emily had imagined 'the prince of darkness' would look like than a short king dressed in a white suit, a top hat where above the brim was a snake curling around till the head reached out to an apple. His hair and face resembled Charlie's, even the rosy cheeks, but his teeth were all sharpened.
"So this is Sera's little upstart hellion, eh?" His voice even match what Emily had fathomed, but she still gave a respectful curtsy.
"Hello sir, my name is Emily and it has been a pleasure to assist the royal princess in her endeavors." But Lucifer surprisingly laughed and held out his hand to lift her up, despite being a full foot shorter.
"Alright now, no need for the formality. Since you're not acting like we're lucky to be breathing the same air as you, then just take it easy. Also thanks for giving Charlie her early birthday present. Seriously I don't think I've seen her that happy since her mother dragged her dumb-ass ex-boyfriend back to apologize for being a dipshit."
Charlie's face turned the same color as her cheeks while Vaggie put a hand on her partner's shoulder. That implied some kind of history Emily wasn't privy too, but she had more important things to discuss with those present. Sitting down on a red sofa that matched the scarlet Victorian styled office, Emily sucked in a deep breathe, then relayed her final bit of info.
"Yaldabaoth is rallying the seraphim to oppose someone called Sabaoth who is residing in Hell." Lucifer's expression was placid, Charlie was just confused, but Vaggie stumbled and would've fell without leaning on the hotel owner.
"Well fuck, that's definitely the worse case scenario, and this time no Eve to stand against their new invasion." mumbled Lucifer as he pulled out a silver flask and taking a long swig. Charlie helped Vaggie sit down next to Emily, and addressed her father in an awkward voice.
"So Dad, who and what the names Emily just mentioned and why is it a big deal?" Lucifer paused for half a sec, then tucked his flask away levitating a heart shaped chair over to sit down in.
"Before the creation of the physical realm, Elohim made the spiritual realm as a place where his creations would live in absolute bliss, but the one created to govern Heaven wasn't satisfied with free spirits under the Supreme Beings control. Yaldabaoth made the angels to be his enforcers in a realm with matter, laws and unbreakable rules. My brothers and sisters followed his bidding believing this to be the Almighty's will, but I couldn't stand humans possessing no freewill, so I gave the Fruit of Knowledge to Lilith and Eve so that there would be some chance for humans to escape the Demiurge and his designs to keep mortal souls imprisoned forever."
Not a word left anyone's lips, though their minds took in the information, processed it, then overwhelming panic seeped in, and all three young ladies began to talk to Lucifer without allowing him a word in edgewise.
"Wait so heavenly angels are working against mortals?" whimpered Charlie.
"Is that why Sera said Hell was trying to uprise against Heaven?" squealed Emily.
"FUCK DAMMIT SHIT, how'd I know it was all bullshit?" cursed Vaggie.
"Language Vaggie please, let's all dial it back just a little bit shall we?" Lucifer pleaded.
Slowly the ladies calmed down from terror and/or fury, till Lucifer was able to move on with his exposition.
"So I get kicked out, and 7,977 years later, Elohim sent my replacement in Sabaoth down to Earth to break Yaldabaoth's control over the procession of souls to either Heaven or Hell, then escaped thanks to the crucifixion and back to Greater Heaven. Sabaoth isn't in Hell, but the seraphim refuse to except that there could be anything more splendrous than the so-called heavenly dystopia."
Again no quick responses, though Emily was the first to recover with a question.
"So I'm not your replacement, I was made to replace the Son as the seventh seraph." Lucifer hummed in agreement, and then Charlie spoke up.
"Wait so does Mom know about any of this. Is that why she was trying to bring Hell together under her rule? To stand against Yaldabaoth's rule?"
"Pretty much, she thought a unified Hell full of put down sinners and helllborn could appose his angels, but then she took you and just backed off completely." His voice laden with pain that his daughter could easily hear, Lucifer leaned forward and placed his face in his hands. Charlie rushed over and flung both arms around her father's shoulders, tears falling down her own face.
"I'm sorry Dad, for so long I thought you just didn't care about us, I should've tried to understand what caused you so much pain. Please forgive me for ever thinking that the angels were more trustworthy than my own family."
"Your mother didn't want to risk destroying your home in open war when you were still so young. I think the exterminations are wrong, but I'm not the kind of fighter that can rally Hell against Lesser Heaven, and Lilith hasn't been seen in Hell for seven years."
"She has to be somewhere, she wouldn't just up and abandon her home and family to be destroyed. Can't you contact her somehow, please?" Charlie her dad, but he just sighed and leaned onto his little girl's side.
"I tried over and over again, but she simply won't respond. Not me, not even you, so I don't know what we can do against Heaven's armies."
"We fight." Emily spoke up. Charlie stared at the renegade seraph in confusion, so Emily stood upright fire burning within intense sapphire orbs, another growing out the center of her chest.
"I have not and will not submit to some arrogant, self-entitled wannabe creator who thinks they can seize and guide mortals however they want without question or challenge."
Wings unfurling at full length, Emily lifted herself of the floor and morphed to her full angelic form.
"I will not sing and dance in front of the throne of anyone but the God I serve. I am who I am because the I Am showed me who I am. Sir Pentious deserves better, same as Molly, and all sinners willing to fight for their freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. If anyone else such as Seraphiel, Michael and Lute think that I am damned for thinking different, then damn them in return. I'd rather choice to be fallen then submit and thrive where other are suffering. That is how I'll live for the Lord."
For once Lucifer was at a loss for words, but Vaggie brushed her bangs aside, striding forward to stare directly into Emily's eyes.
"Are you sure? There's still some time before it's too late for you to return home. Back to your sister, to your friends, the people you spent your life around. Can you really swear to fight for those you just met, against all whom you have known for over a thousand years?" Charlie pulled away from her dad and stood alongside Vaggie.
"We'll understand if you go back Emily, we can't ask you to just turn away form Heaven-"
"I'm not turning against the people I love, I'm fighting for them with those that will listen. Even if the exterminations stop that doesn't mean the angels care about true peace. If who they perceive as the master of Heaven says to fight, they will. Someone has to say no, to reveal the lies, and give them the tough love they need. Not unending lies to make everyone fell conformable."
Lucifer rose from his chair, moved past Charlie and Vaggie and gazed directly into Emily's eyes.
"Almost two thousand years ago I witnessed another angel put his life on the line to fight for an entire world full of sin and strife. He even came down to the depths of Hell to assure me that one day there would be those who can rise up and stop Yaldabaoth's tyranny once and for all. When I look at you three I see what he and Lilith saw so long ago. Souls can change and grow, and you are welcome in Hell if you to stay."
Emily floated down, reverting to her humanoid form and let out a long sigh.
"That's it then. If the Demiurge wants a war, he'll have to find another replacement for his seraphs. I'll miss Sera, but I won't stand with her if she will only submit and do the bare minimum to stay in someone's good graces. From now on, I'll dedicate my life to winners and sinners."
"FUCK YEAH WOO." Charlie randomly shouted. Two seconds passed and Vaggie actually laughed out loud shaking her head.
"I already left Heaven behind a long time ago. If they want a fight, that's we'll give them." Short and simple, Emily figured that Vaggie would get along well with Camilla's daughters.
"Okay this is some good sentiment, but we need a unified Hell to pull this off. I'll speak to the sins, but my authority may not work on the Overlords. They know angels can be killed, so a power-play is definitely coming against Heaven, and us." Lucifer's words made Charlie hum in thought, then she pulled out her Hellphone, and began texting rapidly.
"Guess it's time make a move against the Vees, it's time someone stood up to them for good."
Vaggie smiled and nodded in agreement, pulling out a small card form her skirt pocket.
"Then I'll contact Camilla, and we can try to get Alastor to set up a meeting with the more rational Overlords. Most can't stand the Vees, so this can be the step to making real change in Hell." Emily looked between the two shuffling and cleared her throat.
"So if there are any openings, maybe I can get started on working for the hotel someway. I'm very organized and always eager to meet new people and-" Charlie scrambled away mid sentence and pulled a piece of paper from her desk, shoving it into Emily's hands.
"Fill that out and you'll be quickly hired. There's the position of secretary or greeter or something for you to do, I just need tonight to organize some meetings with a few old friends, then we can have an interview tomorrow to figure out exactly where you belong." Emily excepted the paper and suddenly feeling exhausted, pulled out her own phone to check the time.
Ten minutes passed twelve p.m. Sera would be ready to tell her about Yaldabaoth and his plans for Hell, and she would be completely at Lesser Heaven's mercy. Emily wished she could've said goodbye, but knew Sera would do anything to stop her, so the now fallen angel shut off her phone, received a room key, and headed down with her coworkers to have lunch and continue her first day as a resident in Hell.