Trial by God.

Lucifer is put on trial with God as the judge and Gabriel and Asmodeus as the lawyers.

The courtroom was filled with quiet chatter and whispers as angels anxiously flitted their wings in the pews. Behind the wooden fence that separated the spectators from the lawyers, defendant and the judge on the left was a table with a jug of water and a two angels. Lucifer sat in the traditional wooden chair quietly observing all around him. Asmodeus next to him reviewed his notes and occasionally talked to himself.

On the right side of the grand hall was an identical table with only one angel. Gabriel. He scanned the room, some of the angels waved to him as they noticed his gaze fall on them. Finally he fixed his gaze on a lamp on the other side of the court that would allow him to glare at Lucifer without having to look at him.

“All rise for the Holiest of Holy, the Creator, Him, the Father, Our Lord.” A pause, “God.”

God came out in a traditional black robe. He took his seat, lips pursed hiding a smile. He looked at the angels and took his time getting settled, “You may be seated.”

The angels did so in perfect uniform. “Case Number Six. Lucifer Vs. Heaven. The charges are three counts of disturbing the peace, attempted murder, and two counts of treason.”

God nodded very solemnly. “These are very serious charges, you understand?”

Lucifer nodded calmly, “Yes they are.”

“You understand that I am going to punish you for these crimes?” A confident almost intimidating smile made its way across God’s face.

“You already know what my punishment is going to be though, don’t you?”

“I know.” God said leaning back in the chair. That phrase which the Creator had uttered so many times before to his children ended the conversation and started the trial. “Are you ready with your opening statements?”

“Yes, Father.” Each stood politely as they spoke.

“Alight. Prosecution you may go first.”

The archangel stood slowly, and with unmatched grace and power made his way to the front of the court. “Father,” He nodded respectfully to God then shot at nasty glare at his brother, “Lucifer sits here today having caused great pain. He has turned us against each other, not long ago we battled. Brother against brother, sister against sister and Father against son. And for what? Because he could no longer stand to be under his Creator, his Father. Jealousy, pride and greed grew in Lucifer’s heart, turning it black.

“Even though he was your most favored, it was not enough for him. He wanted your throne. Lucifer is no longer an angel, he and his followers have become something more evil than that. For only true evil could turn one against their Father. They are demons.” He paused letting the new word sink in. The angels in the pews repeated it a few times and agreed this new word was vile enough to describe their new advisory, “Lucifer does not want to serve God, he wants to be Him.

“We cannot forgive his sins, he choose the path of darkness and to take others with him down that path. And he will not ever be satisfied until he has what he wants. He will only rebel again, and again, and again. His greed and pride will never be satisfied.An angels who falls into the pit of sin will never escape.  Today he is here charged with 3 counts of disturbing the peace, attempted murder and two counts of treason. Lucifer deserves a punishment equal to his crimes, true death. Thank you.”

The courtroom began to buzz in agreement, angels gave Gabriel a quiet thumbs up. “Defense you may proceed.”

“Father, you created us. You are the all knower, every past, present, possibility and future is already known to you. When you created Lucifer you saw all the paths that he might take, and you saw him choose. You knew that Lucifer would fall and bring others down with him. But is it his fault? Father, you created us this way born with emotions and the power to act of our own accord to them. Lucifer wanted to be the best, he helped you at every turn, assisted you, loved you. Soon he began to feel that he could do a better job than you. And maybe he could.All of these emotions, his pride, his greed, everything was given to him by you. You knew he would rebel because you created him to rebel.

“Today your most favored son is charged with three counts of disturbing the peace, attempted murder, and two counts of treason. Heavy crimes, you knew he would commit. Lucifer has served you loyally until now, and for one slip up he does  not need to be removed from this world but to have his sins removed. You could make him pure with no even a seconds time. Return your son to the way he was before so that all can return to normal. Thank you.”

Asmodeus sat down. The angels glared and whispered harsh comments and looked to God for his opinion. God hadn’t moved since the beginning, he was still relaxing in his comfortable chair with a sneaky half grin on his face. The angels glanced at Lucifer, unable to bear the sight of his traitorous for more than a second. He had his hands folded on the desk, neutral, but intrigued by everything.

“Prosecution, your first witness.”

“Prosecution calls Michael to the stand.”

Michael gracefully made his way to the witness box. Whispers  of admiration filled the hall but cut off as God spoke. “Are you going to tell the truth, because I’ll know if you aren’t.”

Still standing the archangel nodded in the affirmative. God waited a few moments before giving him permission to sit.

Michael and Gabriel started with the standard greetings and the basic obligatory questions before getting to the real heart of the matter. “How long have you know Lucifer?”

“My whole life.”

“Did you expect something this evil from him?”

“Not ever, Lucifer was always a kind and loving angel but before he rebelled I he did start acting different. Strangely, but I thought it was just because of lack of sleep or being overworked. He occasionally acted weird when he did not get enough sleep.”

“Now when you say acting weird, what do you mean by that?”

“Two weeks ago we were sitting at the gates when he told me that he was having strange dreams. In one of them all the angels rose up against God and took over, and together we all ruled as the new Gods. And he was slowly getting more and more aggressive. I wish I had noticed, I just thought he was stressed.” Michaels voice failed, having given up completely on everything around him.

Slowly Gabriel went through the questions. A month had passed when he finally got to his last one. “Today Lucifer is on trial for, among other things, attempted murder. You’ve already said that you fought against Lucifer and the other rebelling angels, can you tell us how the war ended?”

Michael took a breath and spoke in a defeated voice as though it were he who had lost the war. “It was perfectly sunny. The fighting was going on and it seemed like it would never end. I was fighting Lucifer, keeping him away from Father. His face was so angry, so cruel, how could a face like that be on an angel who was once so beautiful and kind?” A pause to calm himself, “He rushed at me and cut my wing so that I struggled to fly after him. Everyone was so distracted with their own battles that they didn’t see him. No one came to help me. He burst open the gate and attacked Father. His own Father.”

“Thank you, no further questions.”

Asmodeus stood the whispers interrupted by the scraping of his chair against the old wooden floor. Again the mandatory greetings and questions were first asked. “Michael, you worked alongside Lucifer to do Father’s bidding right?”

The archangel sat upright and glared at the angel speaking to him irritated with the senseless question, “Yes.”

“In all that time Lucifer was always God’s favored little helper wasn’t he?”

“Yes, he was.”

“Now, if we were humans, in that situation, one would get jealous. Right?”

“We aren’t human.”

“That was not my question.” Asmodeus continued agressivly, “If a human were in the same situation, where two people are doing the same job but one is more favored than the other. The one who is not favored will be jealous.”

“Again we are not human but-”

“Michael, yes or no please, would that human get jealous?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. Humans and angels have the same emotions correct?”

“Well yes...”

“So isn’t it possible for even an archangel, such as yourself, to become envious of their fellow angel?”

“No.”

Asmodeus smirked, “So you’re saying that an angel with all the emotions of a human cannot act like a human?”

Michael shifted in his seat again. He looked to God who was smiling down on him amused. He looked into the pews of whispering angels and caught a glance of Lucifer who was looking at him softly, I knowingly. “I suppose it’s possible but I would not become jealous.”

“So what you’re saying is that it’s not just Lucifer who can succumb to the natural more sinful emotions that God created us with?”

“Yes.”

“Moving on. I’m going to give you another hypothetical OK?”

Michael nodded.

“If you put a cat in a closed room and tell the cat that he will live forever but he will always be hungry. Then you put a mouse in the closed room with that cat, telling the cat that he cannot eat the mouse no matter how hungry he is, what do you think would happen?”

Michael didn’t answer, only shifted in his seat again.

“Remember, be honest, Father knows if you’re lying. If you lie then you’re no better than the man on trial today.”

“I suspect that the cat would eat the mouse.”

“Now what if you knew for certain that the cat would at the mouse. Would you still put the mouse in the room with the cat?”

“I-” he stopped himself and crossed his legs then uncrossed them. The archangel looked to God for support. God looked satisfied, almost as if he thought Michael was getting what he deserved. “I don’t know, but that’s why neither of us are  in charge of something like that.”

“See, angels, Father. Lucifer was that cat and these emotions the mouse-”

“Objection!” Gabriel said slamming his hand on the desk.

“What is it?”

“Where is the question?”

“Asmodeus, the question please.”

“I’m sorry Father.” He said without emotion, “I’ll move on.”

Michael was cross examined for another month before he was allowed to step down and another witness was called up. Witness after witness repeating the same thing to prove the same point. Eventually Lucifer was called to the stand. The same information was told but with a different voice. “Why,” Gabriel asked, “Did you choose to start a rebellion?”

“Because I am better than the job that was assigned to me.” Lucifer look to God, who for the first time looked honestly intrigued by what a witness was saying. “My job as Father assistant is to easy and demeaning for me. I’m better than that. Lowered to look after the pathetic, flawed things on Earth, when I could have made so much better. I didn’t want to at first, I tried to resist but questions kept entering my mind. ‘What would I change on Earth?’ I thought about them, and realized that my version would be so much better than Father’s.” Lucifer continued to look at God with an insightful, wise and understanding expression. “I was too good to stay where I was. When I started to talk about it to other angels, they approved and thought the same. I was right, I still am.”

“I hate you Lucifer!” Yelled a crying angel, “We spoke no ill of you. We loved you! You turned into an evil demon, all because you were too proud to remain under God!”

Lucifer looked away from God, both with a different expression of pain. “Yes.”

She spat as she spoke trying, unsuccessfully, to calm down. “You’re the worst. I hope God kills you.”

The examination continued, then the cross. Never ending witnesses were called up to say the same thing until finally God called for closing arguments. Whether there were more witnesses or not.

Gabriel paced back and forth a few times before he started to speak. “Father, Angels. Today you have heard a weak defense by Asmodeus that Lucifer should not be punished because God made him to break his rules. God made me, and all of us, the same way. Yet we did not go on a fruitless endeavor to kill our Creator. We can fight those feelings, that is a gift we have. Lucifer is not a cat acting on primal instincts. He choose to betray his brothers, sisters, and Father. Today he is on trial for  three counts of disturbing the peace, attempted murder and two counts of treason. Do not let Lucifer be forgiven for his sins when he clearly had a choice and he choose to betray those he loved and who loved him. Thank you.”

When he sat down this time, there was no control the angels cheered and clapped. God quickly silenced them.

Asmodeus stood, stared at God as he moved from behind his desk and never let his gaze waver. “Father, time and time again I have said the truth.  My opposing counsel's position that Lucifer committed a crime is not being disputed. Lucifer did try to kill you and he did lead a rebellion against you. But you knew that was going to have, from the moment of his creation, to the moment when you gave him free will up to the second before the war started; you knew that Lucifer was going to betray you. For you to be angry with him for doing what you knew was going to happen, and you did nothing to stop it, is unreasonable. Instead of killing one of your once most loyal and beloved angels, fix him. Take away those sins and even his free will if you want but killing him for doing the inevitable is unreasonable.”

He finally broke his glare with God and gazed into the pews of angels, they frowned and whispered malicious things. He smiled at them, a subtle, cocky, lustful smile as they looked down on him. He sat next to Lucier and whispered, “If they weren’t so beautiful, I’d kill them.”

“Assuming they could be killed.” Lucifer whispered back to which his lawyer nodded.

For a while the court was silent as God leaned back in his chair and overlooked his creations. “This court is adjourned.”

Anxious and dissatisfied the  angels filed out of the old wooden room until only Lucifer and God were left. God stepped down from behind the bench and made his way slowly towards Lucier. With a small grunt he sat on the table and faced the open door and his son, legs dangling over the edge leaning back on his palms. “What a grand trick we just pulled,” The two laughed, “imagine their reactions if they knew.”

In a quick shift of light God became Lucifer sitting relaxed on the table and Lucifer became God. “I don’t have to imagine, I know.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes and watched the last pair of pearly white wings take off into the heavenly air. “How did it feel? To be so completely hated by everyone.”

God thought for a moment, “It was kind of interesting. Very sad, I didn’t quite know how to feel in response. At any rate, it wasn’t pleasant.”

Lucifer chuckled lightly, “Yes, not pleasant at all. Even before I rebelled they did not like me because you liked me. Which only drove me closer to you.”

“I know.” The two smiled at each other and slowly walked out of the room of judgement. The sky blushed a soft pink to see them together, side by side on the bench. “So how did it feel to be me?”

“Powerful. It was hilarious yet enjoyable to see their high respect to me. A lot of pressure, the way Michael kept looking to me for advice. Of course I would have never given any to him but you know what I mean.” He paused, watching the cluds float by, “I don’t think I got the full experience. I feel a little cheated.”

“You feel cheated?” They took one look at each other and laughed. “Well what are you going to do? I did my best.”

“Maybe start another rebellion.” They laughed again with one another. “Still this trial was a little pointless. I mean it’s like a in  pregnant woman in trial for lying; saying she’s still a virgin. There was no point, there were better way that I could have experienced being you.”

God smiled cleverly, “There was a point.”

“Really, was there?”

God nodded and the two were quiet for a little while. “What do you think your punishment should be?”

Lucifer thought about it for a second, “Well I don’t want to be killed.”

“Seems only right since you tried to kill me.”

“But I didn’t.” They laughed heartily again. “I suppose I should at least try to stay here and help you again. Return things back to way that they were before.” He sighed regretfully, “But I would never be able to do that. I can’t be under you again.”

“You’ll always be under me.” Silence. The sky started to darken. “I’m going to throw you and your followers down to a place below Earth.”

“And what am I supposed to be there?” Lucifer asked dryly. There was no arguing here.

“You can have the other souls who choose to betray me. If they betray me on Earth then they will do the same in heaven.”

“Don’t expect me to just lay down and take this.”

“I know.”

Lucifer was quiet, “You know. You know! You know what I’m going to to do. We both know I’m going to keep coming back and coming back trying to dethrone you. Until I become God! I’ll always come back until that happens.” Voice breaking he stood and turned away from his Father to face the blue planet. “Why do you let me live?”

God stood next to his son and his arm on Lucier’s shoulder, “Because I love you.”

Lucifer shook off his Father’s hand and flew away enraged. “I wish I were as ingenous as you.”

Author's Note

Please let me know what you think about the theme, the realtionship between God and Lucifer and also if I have any fact wrong. (In relation to the fall of the angels all information should come strait from the Bible and as much as I love it not Paradise Lost) Also my ending line with what Lucifer says about God. I have mixed feelings towards it if you could suggest a better phrase that would be better. I wanted it to express Lucifer's jealousy of God while at the same time expressing his pride and thoughts that he is better than God.

Reviews

[Marie]

You do not have your facts wrong, since the Bible is not based on facts. The theme has been used before but you gave it deep, different meanings.
At first I thought the last line could be better. THen I read it agan and realized what it really meant. It's a good ending.

[Imara]

Thank you. I'm glad I at least could stay consistent with what the bible says. As an atheist I haven't read it much. I'm glad you liked the last line but I'm still going to change it, I found a new word that expresses better what I really mean. Thank you so much for the great review :)

[Petra Vlah]

This is BRILLIANT! A true masterpiece of writing. Your ability to bring such powerful emotions into play and to keep the reader engaged are of the best kind. The inspired twist you put into this story makes it even more captivating. I wish I could say more, but I am still breathless

[Imara]

Oh thank you so much! I am honored and humbled by your words. It means so much to mean that you enjoyed this so much. It was one of the harder pieces for me to post (as I didn't know what reaction I would get from it) I'm glad you liked the twist. I put a lot of work into this. Thank you so much for letting me know it was worth it. Thank you.

[Tegon Maus]

Interesting... the currant math suggest there are 17 dimensions, each with a universe as limitless as ours... that’s a lot of knowing and someone has to pick up the stragglers. Good write.

[Imara]

Yes, I've been thinking of doing a dimensional piece too and our "God" on that but its summer and well the beach calls me haha. Thank you for the review :)

[A. H. Pinley]

Well, Lucifer's jealousy and pride is what's at root here. The Spirit of Freewill take great responsibility. People look at it as a trick put on by God, but I see as an expression of love. Example, you have children. You love them all equally, but in different ways. Now you can shield them and protect them when their young, but eventually you're going to have to let them go out into the world and live. You raised them well. Taught them right from wrong and even gave them a direct line incase of an emergency, well the situation changes. You still love them and it pains you to see your flesh and blood commit such, sometimes, petty crimes, but eventually these petty crimes escalate. These crimes begin to infringe on peoples safety and begin to cause harm and death. Remember the love of the parent is still there, but the child made his or her choice. Walking away from teaching and embracing the teachings of the Lord of the Air. I like the trial till the end. I think these are questions many wrestle with. Far too often we humans confuse religion with faith and we judge God by what mortals do. Humans are blemished and not a good gauge for measuring God's love for us. Some would argue that "Well if God loves me He will change for me." Well compromising on principle is healthy. Setting a standard that if not met easily shown grace for is a great expression of one's love for another, but not everyone will embrace that. We all wrestle with this. Thank you for writing this.

[Imara]

You bring up some better points, I'm not used to defending God so if you don't mind I would love to incooperate some of those points in my edit. I really tried to portray God as a loving Father in the end and Lucifer as a more human like character who still loved God but wanted to surpass him. Thank you for your kind and deep review. I'm glad you liked it :)