The Realm

Jealous, conceited and blinded by his greed, Lucifer, the most beautiful and powerful of all of his Father's angels begins down a path that will lead to his eventual banishment.

Chapter One

Eden

There is no word or string of words for that matter within your language that could possibly convey the true nature of the kingdom of God. Thus you will have to excuse my frustration towards you and your simple minds, for if it was of my will, you should not have ever been breathed into existence. Your ignorance, your wickedness, and the simple matter of your being are responsible not only for the birth of evil into the universe, but also for the downfall and eternal condemnation of my greatest friend and my brother Lucifer.

I can remember even now the day he fell; it was, in fact, the very day I became aware of your birth as a species. Lucifer was forged out of the nothingness and cast in the likeness of our Father. He was most the wise, the mightiest, and the fairest of the entire Angelus; such are the attributes that are required to hold the position of Guardian Cherub, the protector of the very presence of God. Such as my brother, I was created to serve the will of my Father. Declared into existence, molded from the image of God, it is I, Gabriel the Archangel who has been entrusted with the protection and delivery of the will of my Father. Through the countless ages of time, all the while basking in the eternal light of the one true Almighty, I gratefully declare the word of God throughout the Kingdom.

 Called before God, Lucifer and I were the first to learn of your existence. There we stood, the right and left hands of our Father, shoulder to shoulder in the presence of the Almighty himself, blissfully unaware of the events that would soon unfold.

It was at this Holy conference in which He told us of the glorious conception of your planet and of all living things that dwell in it. Knowing nothing beyond the glory of the God’s flawless kingdom, this news cast up in me much excitement, anxiety, and fear, for it was known that all, which existed beyond the walls of this fortress of fortresses, was vulnerable to corruption and influence. Our Father spoke of a man and a woman living in a garden of tranquility; a garden created in the image of His kingdom above. It was in this garden where God had created and revealed himself to this couple and spoke of the world in which he had shaped for them. It was his will that we journey with Him there so that we might begin to understand his plan for your species.

My voyage to your world and my reaction upon first laying eyes on it was, as I stated before, impossible to properly convey in the medium of your lacking words. Even after dwelling in the presence of my Father for countless ages, the spanning blue seas, cloud engulfed mountain peaks, and green valleys below reduced both Lucifer and I to tears of breathtaking joy and wonderment; never before had either of us witnessed the genius and glory of our Father manifested on such a large scale. It was on the highest point of the tallest peak from which Lucifer and I sat, watching the sun fall and moon rise for several days, all the while paying our undivided attention to our Father as he taught us of the glories of his work. The complexity, irony, and beauty of all that surrounded us echoed my love for the sum of our Father’s work, embedded in the very fibers of my being; an inexpressibly perfect phenomenon.

It was after our journey through the skies above and seas below that our Father led us into the garden. Pillars of trees stretched upward, casting long dark shadows across the impossibly green grass in which beasts and birds alike took shelter from the sun’s heat. It was here where a man named Adam and his companion Eve resided. The man called Adam was the first to notice our arrival and fell immediately to his knees out of fear, respect, and immeasurable joy. His body and face could’ve belonged to Lucifer and I if it were not for his reduced stature and lack of garments.

His eyes welled with tears as he declared, “Glory be to you and all who accompany you my Father! It’s been but two suns since you last came to us and still, my wife and I have spoke of nothing but your return! ”

He then crawled on his hand and knees before stopping at the feet of Lucifer. There was something pathetic in the way he crawled; the words that rolled off his tongue mirrored the nature of his current position; weak, ignorant, and lacking dignity. I had found one element of this beautiful world that I did not rejoice in. I drew my eyes from the man up to my brother’s face: it was in that moment where I believe I witnessed the first indicators of Lucifer’s downfall. He watched the man called Adam kiss the hems of his shining silver robes, which glistened brilliantly in the bright sunlight. The expression, barely visible for it only lingered within his features for a split second, was not one of distain or love; it was a expression of twisted ambition. It was in this moment, as I would later come to discover, that my brother expelled the first vapors of greed this world had ever seen.

Before I could analyze the scene any further, I heard my Father speak for the first time upon entering the garden, “Rise my child, I wish to set my eyes on you. You are well?”

“Very well my Father! I have done as you asked Father, I have given names to all the beasts of your kingdom and am working to understand their purposes!” the man croaked through joyful sobs.

I did not appreciate this creature referring to my God, my Father the Almighty, in the same fashion as I; this man knew nothing of the ways of God, only of what he was told or asked to do.

“You have done well, my child. These beasts of the land, creatures of the sea, and birds of the sky are here for your use. Eat from them, care for them and love for them, always remembering to dispatch what I have taught you to your children and your children’s children. If you do this, I promise these beasts shall always be at your disposal,” our father said kindly to the man who had still not risen.

“My children and my children’s children shall know of your glory, your power, and your grace Almighty God!” the man quickly shouted before being taken over by yet another wave of sobs.

The frustration, unease, and confusion mounted in my chest, never before had my Father called me, or any other angelus for that matter, a “child”. The word itself was enduring, almost as if it something to be loved and cared for with the upmost diligence. In that moment, standing with my feet in the cool grass, all I longed for, all I desired was for my Father to call me his child.

My wandering thoughts were severed as I was called back to present by the voice of my Father as he spoke once more.

“This is the man in which I told you dwells in the garden, it is with him that I entrust the care and protection of all living things, both in this garden and beyond its borders,” my Father indicated to both Lucifer and I before continuing.

Glancing at my brother, I saw that Lucifer’s face showed blatant skepticism of this proclamation made by our Father that I was certain was mirrored in my own features. I turned back to the man called Adam as my Father began to speak again.

“Adam, here with me are two of my most trusted, most loved, and most loyal Angelus’, Lucifer and Gabriel. They are charged with relaying my word to all those in my Kingdom above. They shall, and will forever, be at your call if ever you come to face adversity. Though their Glory and faithfulness have resonated through the myriad ages of time; they are not to be worshiped or praised. Now my child, where is your wife Eve, I wish to see her as well,”

My chest swelled with pride and affection for my Father, my frustration and confusion evaporating as quickly as it had appeared:Most trusted, most loved, and most loyal of all my Angelus’. How foolish I had been to allow the trust in my Father to be rattled by a creation of his will. I suddenly felt honored to be trusted with the protection and care of this man and his companion. Turning once again to look upon my brother, I saw that he did not share in my delight of the task bestowed upon us; his features taut and determined: an expression of betrayal.

As the man finally stood to rise, he wiped the tears from his face before lifting his arm and pointing to the base of a large fruit filled tree, indicating the presence of what appeared to be his sleeping companion. I had never seen a woman of your kind, nor was I familiar with the concept of sleep or rest for an Angelus requires no such thing; though there was something peaceful and beautiful about the slow rise and fall of her body as she deeply breathed in and out. Her dark hair fell in long waves against her naked skin. The man called Adam placed a still shaking hand on her tan shoulder, gently easing her back to consciousness.

The towering figure of my brother was the first thing her eyes came rest upon once opened. Her two beautiful brown eyes, though ignorant to my presence, pierced through me in a way nothing had ever done before. Beams of sunlight fought their way though the thick canopy above, gently painting lines of gold across her body as she gracefully stood, her eyes never breaking contact with Lucifer’s; they lingered there only a moment longer before she turned smiling, to face my Father.

“I’m so very pleased to see you again, Father,” she breathed. “I have wished and dreamt of nothing but your return since last you left,”

My eyes, not having dared glance elsewhere, were still firmly fixed on her beautiful figure. Her words, though still somewhat strange sounding, were both soothing and powerful. It came almost as a startle when I heard my Father speak.

“My child, Eve. It brings me great pleasure to rest my eyes upon you and your husband once again,” my Father inquired.

“The pleasure is, and will forever, be mine, Father,” she delicately replied as a single tear traced the path of least resistance down her cheek.

For all the majesty and beauty that the Lord my God had filled this new world with, this woman represented the focal point of all creation; beauty that not even the star-drenched night sky or the clouds in the heavens above could match.

Mastering my impulse to stare any longer than I already had, I turned my gaze to my brother. It was at this point, I would later come to know, my brother acted as the vehicle in which lust entered your seemingly perfect world for the first time. His features, which had eternally echoed the upmost loyalty and poise, were now carved into a hungry, almost burning expression. I convinced myself the look of longing and desire that consumed my brother’s face was simply the sun playing off his fair skin. It was then that my Father spoke once again, denying me further time for my thoughts to continue lingering on my brother.

“Eve, it is with pleasure that I introduce you to my Guardian Cherub, the protector of my very essence, Lucifer,” the Almighty proclaimed as he indicated to my brother standing at his right side.

Stepping gracefully forward, his glorious robes brushing the ends of the green grass at his feet, his eyes locked firmly on hers, Lucifer inclined his head and stepped back into rank; an introduction and acknowledgement that we had both denied the man called Adam.

Whether by the wisdom of my father or by the abnormality of Lucifer’s reaction to his own introduction, it so happened that I was not, nor would I ever be, directly introduced to this beautiful creature called Eve. Revisiting the memory now, I feel nothing but gratitude and affection towards my Father; he had spared me from looking upon her. He had spared me from the tragic fate of my brother. He had spared me from my weakness.

The sun set low across the landscape as my brother, my Father and I made to leave this place called Eden. Unlike my brother and Father, I did linger to bid the man and woman farewell. Instead I strolled to the edge of the garden. It was there on the border of this heaven on earth where I stood, reflecting on the splendor of my Father’s creation. With the gentle breeze kissing my neck and the cool grass between my toes, I experienced a contradiction of feelings; on one hand I wished nothing more than to linger in the garden if only a moment longer, on the other, I desired to remove myself from the unsettling captivating sensation that arose in my chest when in the presence of this woman Eve.

Chapter Two

My Brother’s Tree

            We returned to the Kingdom as quickly as we had left, leaving time and space ignorant to our absence. I opened my eyes slowly to find we were standing once more in the chamber of my Father. Lucifer and I did not speak as we stood there, each of us considering all that we had seen. With the images of the lush garden and the beautiful woman in my mind, I felt as if I had left part of myself there; whether this was good or bad, I did not know.

            Breaking the silence, my Father’s voice echoed against the walls of the vast rotunda.

“Now that you, my two finest and most loved, have witnessed what I have created, I ask, what questions occupy your minds?”

Being asked to answer such a broad inquiry left me speechless. Perhaps that is why I was surprised when my brother responded almost immediately.

“I have mastered the concepts of the planet below, my Father. I wish to return to the garden,” Lucifer declared, almost as if it was a demand.

            The oddness of Lucifer’s words, followed by the seemingly endless pause was bested only by the heartbroken and eternally wise words of my Father when he spoke once more.

“Lucifer, you are the fairest and mightiest being of all my creation. As such, it is of my will that you shall return to the garden and assist the man and woman in their understanding of the splendor, which surrounds them. I hence forth appoint your brother, Gabriel, to act as my guardian in your stead, may your mastery and wisdom serve you well,”

            The words seemed to numb my brain and rendered my unable to move or speak as I considered the gravity of the situation. I was now to act as the Guardian of the Almighty and my brother was to return to earth. I dared not speak. I stood, my legs shaking beneath me; as yet another long pause filled the chamber.

“My duties within the garden shall not interfere with my position as your Guardian, there are none other mighty enough to be entrusted with your protection than I. I shall act both as your arbiter below and guardian above,” Lucifer spoke out in the same manner, which danced the line between a request and a demand.

“That is not my will. You have requested to return to garden, which I granted. You are incapable of fulfilling both the duties as my arbiter and my guardian. I dismiss you Lucifer, your duties below await,” my Father responded with authority and warning.

            That was the last time that I saw my brother as his once glorious self. Before turning on his heel and exiting the chamber I felt my brother’s eyes lay to rest on me. Though I had remained staring intently at the wall opposite of me, I could feel what I now know to be his fury, jealousy, and feelings of betrayal pierced through me as if done by his sword itself.


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            Over two years of man had passed since he had last been dismissed from the chamber of God, a blink of the eye in the Kingdom above. The warm night air filled Lucifer’s nostrils as he opened his eyes to survey the garden before him; illuminated by the moon above. Everything was in order and the time was now.

            He strolled silently across the dewy grass, past where the man and woman slept to the top of the bare hill that rose out of the center of the garden. The stars looked down upon him as he drew forth a dagger from his robes. Falling to his knees, he allowed his mind to fill with images of himself sitting on the throne of God, his father and brother lying dead at his feet, the woman Eve, running her fingers across his chest. He considered his jealousy of his brother’s favor in the eyes of his father: the blatant betrayal and defilement of his unmatched mightiness and wisdom. Tears of savage pleasure, unspeakable sadness, and unmatched arrogance poured from his tightly closed eyes as a hate unlike anything the heavens above or the earth on which he stood had ever seen. Wrapping his hand around silver blade that shone brightly in the moonlight, Lucifer spelled both his blood and his tears onto the ground below.

            For a moment, nothing happened, the soft simpering from the kneeling angel was all to be heard. Then, as if the world itself cried out, there shone a bright fiery light from where his tears and blood had fallen. The flame grew at such a rate that even Lucifer was taken back as he scrambled to regain his footing and move to safety. The pillar of flame extended towards the sky, burning the clouds, and scaring the earth. Though this flame produced no sound, upon it disappearance the garden seemed as quite as the void itself.

            As his eyes adjusted back to the darkness, Lucifer saw before him a magnificent tree standing as tall as ten men. The wide trunk twisted, spiraling to the star painted sky above; brightly colored fruit hung from the strong branched which extended from it; mighty, powerful, and strong. So there stood Lucifer, laying eyes upon his creation, an affirmation of his equality to God, weeping and basking at his own brilliance and wisdom.

            This defiance would surely cost him his status in the Kingdom above, this he knew.  However there was but one more task to be completed before he could take up his rightful place as the one true God; he must find Eve.

            Locating the man and woman in the garden was not difficult for Lucifer; he knew where they took their rest. Swiftly and silently he made his way through the foliage-lined paths until he reached them. There, at the base of a tree, a tree much smaller than his own, Lucifer found his prize. She slept peacefully with the arm of her husband around her waist. Lucifer’s jealousy and hatred for this man Adam knew no end; God had provided for this weakling a creature, a woman, that was only fitting for himself, the most glorious and mightiest being in existence. He considered for a moment how easy it would be to strike down Adam in his sleep; but no, that would undo his plan. Instead, he would now take what his father had jealously deprived him of.

“Awake, it is I, Lucifer,” he said loudly. The couple awoke immediately and gazed upwards at his towering glowing figure.

“What word from our Father have you brought us this early morning?” the man called Adam enthusiastically asked.

“No business that involves you creature, return to your sleep. I must speak with this woman immediately,” Lucifer irritably responded.

“Very well! If that is indeed the will of God,” the man said before rolling over and returning to his dreams.

“Yes. Yes, that is the will of the true God,” Lucifer thought to himself as he extended a hand to the woman.

“My Father said that I am not to touch you under any circumstances,” Eve muttered silently as she stared his glowing left hand; his maimed bloody hand concealed within his robes.

“Ah my dearest Eve, how wise and obedient you are. However do not let your mind be filled with worry, for it is in tonight’s lesson that I teach you of the true nature of love, our Father wishes it,” he suavely replied as all traces concern disappeared from the face of the woman at his feet. 

            She smiled eagerly up at him as she took his hand for the first time. Her warm flesh and gentle touch rose up in Lucifer desire and lust unlike anything he had ever experienced. It seemed to consume his body, engulf his brain and cloud his vision.

            He did not release the woman’s hand once he had helped her from the ground; instead he used the contact to guide her through the garden. Down the paths and along the river they walked, laughing and speaking to each other. After Lucifer felt that they were far enough away from the eyes and ears of the sleeping man, he released the woman’s hand for the first time since first grabbing it and asked her to sit down. As she made to sit, Lucifer began to speak.

“As you know, you and the man Adam were placed in this garden to familiarize yourself with the birds of the air and the beast of the sea and land. Now that this task has been completed, it is the will of God that you come to understand the future of your own species, I can only assume your wisdom has surely already revealed this fact to you,” Lucifer said kindly as he looked longingly into the woman’s eyes.

“I suppose… I mean to say… well, yes. Yes it has,” Eve responded somewhat confused.

            His plan was falling together perfectly, the two years in Eve’s company had taught him that flattery and confusion were powerful tools.

“Of course you did,” Lucifer said with a smile. “Then I can also presume that you have discovered that you and your husband Adam’s body are composed differently?”

“Yes!” Eve declared happily, her confidence now returning. “It was one of the observations that I made, but I have no knowledge of its significance, is that what you are teaching me today?”

“Beautiful as you are wise my dearest Eve! You will have surely noticed by now that I, unlike you, are dawned in clothing and robes. Prior to this lesson I was required to wear them, assuring that you knew nothing of my body before you were capable of understanding. Now that you are ready, I shall remove my robes. Are you ready to begin?”

The woman gave a nervous but eager nod as Lucifer lifted his robes over his head and cast them to the side. There he stood, almost twice as tall as the woman, his body illuminating the clearing in which he stood.

“Your body… it looks like… it looks like my husband Adam’s. I do not understand,” said an overwhelmed Eve.

“Right you are my dearest, it was from my image in which your husband was sculpted. His figure is my figure as such is the opposite. Do you understand?” Lucifer explained.

“Yes I believe so…” Eve timidly responded, Lucifer sensed her nervousness growing, however, that was the least of his concerns at the moment.

“Very well. Now stand and lay your hands upon my body,” Lucifer instructed.

“You will have to excuse my timid behavior, for I am unsure if that is proper thing to do, should not my husband be present with us as well for this lesson?” Eve asked as she made compromise with his instructions by standing but taking several steps back.

“Of course, of course. I understand your reluctance. Perhaps you are not yet ready? I shall go forth and tell our Father that you are not yet prepared for today’s lesson,” Lucifer bluffed as he made to re-dress himself.

“NO! I am ready. These new lessons are often confusing to me, but I take comfort in knowing that our Father has reasoning for all the lessons he has sent you to teach me,” the woman declared, hoping that her chance at learning the lesson for the day was not foiled.

“That too I understand. Do not fret, you still have much to learn. Now, shall we continue?” Lucifer asked with a imposters smile.

“Yes!”

“Very well, now come close and rest your hands on my chest, I shall kneel so I can do the same to you,”

The woman called Eve moved forward and let out a soft breath as she placed two shaking hands on the chest of her teacher. The reaction was almost immediate, her eyes rested upon him with captivation that doubled that of their first meeting some two years ago.

Kneeling, Lucifer raised his own hands and laid them on the woman. If his feelings of longing lust were strapping when they he had first touched hands with Eve, they could now be considered unbreakable. His plan was drawing to a glorious close.

“You can feel the bond I assume?” Lucifer asked softly.

Still breathing heavily, the woman closed her and nodded very slowly, running her hands down his chest and across his broad shoulders, her judgment clouded with every passing second.

“Very good. I now would ask you to embrace me, allowing the bond to grow deeper with every breath you take. Do not speak a word but allow your feelings of desire to consume you body and mind,” the great deceiver gently breathed into the woman’s ear.

“For you my greatest teacher, I can do anything,” Eve whispered faintly with her eyes and her mind closed tight from all reality.

            It was then that Lucifer entered the woman. Her body moved and sang in rhythm with the seemingly pure ecstasy, all the while ignorant to deception of her greatest teacher. For it was in that clearing that Lucifer’s second unholy creation was breathed into existence. The lesson of lust had been completed. His plot was all but seen through, he; Lucifer could now claim the throne of God.