by Donovan Neal
Michael bowed, “Nay brother… my prince. No I do not. El has made his decision clear. You are the first among us and where you lead, I will follow. Nevertheless, you are not the conservator of Heaven. Be careful lest you raise the ire of the house of Elohim, for all may not obey a call to action if they fear such a call would rebel against the revealed will of El.”
Michael, frustrated with his brother then turned to walk away and brushed against Lucifer and headed back towards Raphael and spoke.
“Tell him what he needs to know… please. For, I do not wish to see you harmed.”
Raphael smiled. “Be not alarmed for my welfare for I have seen a vision. And I am sorry for what I have seen. Alas, it is too late for me now. I will see my end soon. For even as we speak a hardness of heart concretes itself within Lucifer’s bosom. But you — your end is not to be. For I have seen that there are worse things than dissolution. For you Michael of the Kortai will have power to act but will also fall away. And in the end, will live to love what is thine true love. But your love will turn to ash; for the hatred wherewith you shall hate, shall be greater than the love wherewith you once loved.”
Michael then stepped away from Raphael and was afraid, for his words were laced in both sorrow and conviction of a future yet to come.
Lucifer at that moment intervened, and he brushed Michael aside and looked at Raphael. “I shall play your game brother. Lilith… attend me.”
Both Lilith's came to Lucifer side, and he smiled. “You see Raphael. I have not one but two Grigori concerned that the truth of thy record be told.”
Lucifer then looked at them both and queried them. “This one here will not surrender the secrets with which he holds. Can you withdraw his record that we might see?”
Lilith Chi replied, “It is not for us to reveal the mysteries of house Grigori to non-Grigori, only El may reveal the contents of the Book of Life.”
But Lilith Prime interjected and replied. “Yea, the thing can be done.”
Lilith-Chi looked at him and scowled shaking his head disapprovingly. Lucifer then looked at Lilith and then Lilith-Chi, smiled then walked towards Lilith.
“Lilith of House Grigori; speak that this one here may also speak. Tell me what I need to know. You claim to have come to prevent a war that cannot be stopped. Tell me what I desire and I will use all within my power to minimize the impact of this war.”
Lilith then looked at Raphael and spoke aloud. “He is the Sephiroth. He cannot be forcibly made to reveal his secrets. For Raphael is the journal of the Almighty himself. You cannot destroy the journal of God. And the words within are sealed up so that none in Heaven are worthy even to read what is written therein. For, the word of the Lord abides forever. Thus, Raphael carries El’s tome. The angel’s very heart is His written word. But his body… this flesh which surrounds the Book of Life does not. It is but a shell which carries the tome. But if the body be destroyed, the tome will be free to be read. But beware, for it not a trite thing to think yourself worthy to unseal what God hast sealed. But yea, if the body is destroyed then indeed the seals may be snapped and the musings of God available to be read.”
Raphael raised his eyebrow and looked at Lilith Prime knowingly. Lilith eyed the angel then smirked and rolled his eyes and a condescending smile arose on his face.
Lucifer eyed his brother’s body language and scrunched his shoulders and spoke. “He is living mist at will. As are all your kind. How then do we destroy his flesh?”
Lilith looked at Raphael and smiled at him as he replied to Lucifer. “What shalt you render to me? What reward will be given to dispense this one and surrender his tome to thee?”
Lucifer looked at him and then at Lilith-Chi of his own realm. “I will deed you his house, and all those under his charge and when I have acquired the knowledge of the tome needful to find this impostor from another realm, then I shall petition the Lord that the book be yours to hold.”
Lilith-Chi appealed to him, “But my prince! This one here is not even of this realm! What of Janus, Argoth and yes even I who have served House Grigori and were selected by the people?”
Lucifer looked at Lilith-Chi and replied, “Will thou surrender to me the knowledge contained within the Book of Life?”
Lilith-Chi stood mute and downcast and turned his face away.
Lucifer nodded, “Because thou hast refused to convey what I need, therefore you are stripped of rank and title. For how can I expect the people to follow thee, when you will not follow me? Away from my sight, for I have use of those who will help me achieve my ends. And you have made clear that this will not be thee.”
Lilith-Chi stood humbled before his twin, Raphael, Michael and Lucifer. The angel then turned with a bowed head to go. He began to exit the room and looked at Raphael who stood silent and shook his head disapprovingly. Slowly he closed the wooden door as it creaked behind him and left Raphael-Chi to his fate.
Lilith then stood in front of Raphael-Chi and spoke. “Now… let us begin the extraction.”
Raphael smiled. “I am the Sephiroth. I see with the eyes of God: do you think because El Sabbaths that your works are not known to Him? I am the eyes of God. I see with the eyes of God. Even in his rest El sees you. When you slumber He hears thee; for the Lord’s presence is everywhere, and the number of hairs on thy very head is known to the king. For if thou would ascend up into heights if heaven, he is there: and if thou would make thy bed in hell, behold, He is there. And lo, there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed. Nor hidden that will not be made known. Raphael then misted and the chains which bound him fell to the ground: for he chose to be bound no longer.
Lucifer immediately detonated into light in an attempt to blind the angel and all those within his presence covered their eyes but Raphael remained unmoved. “I am the eyes of the Lord. You cannot blind me Draco. You reach to obtain knowledge that is not yours to possess, and you will not have it.”
Raphael quickly dug within his chest to reveal its tome. He took his pen and stabbed the pulsating book. He immediately began to dissolve into nothing, and like ash is blown into the wind. The Book of Life also began to slowly dissolve into nothing.
Lilith seeing what Raphael-Chi had done then immediately reached into his folds and pulled the Kilnstone that controlled time and drew upon its power. A wave of green light expanded from his person and concentric waves of temporal power flowed from him and Raphael-Chi and all within the chamber were caught within the expanding bubble.
Raphael was gone. But the book stood phased between two states of being: present but was not: suspended. Almost ethereal in its appearance it floated as Lilith focused the God-stone’s power to keep the object from blinking out of existence. He motioned with his hands and the green envelope of temporal power coalesced around the book alone.
Lucifer-Chi looked at him as did Michael and he spoke to Lilith. “What has happened? What did he do, and what are you doing?”
Lilith grimaced as he attempted to keep the book from following its master. “Raphael has sacrificed himself. Another… somewhere is now become the Sephiroth, and the Book of Life now strains to go to its new master. Somehow Raphael has picked another successor to the book. And while I cannot stop this transition, I can with this God-stone forestall it. The stones power counters the Book of Life and prevents it from phasing to its new master: but it fights me. I cannot reverse what Raphael has done. But I can curb the rate of which it occurs. But it is the book of El, and I do not know if I can keep it within this realm or even this point in time. If you desire the book, you must find to whom it is being summoned. I am now forced to stay here to attend to it lest our efforts be in vain. I can prolong its vanishing mayhap a day, but not longer. If you wish to do this thing before El awakes then you must go. Now hurry if you wish to find him who would be its new home.”
Lucifer then turned, and his twelve wings which draped his person flowed about him as a cape. He walked past his brother Michael and spoke. “You are with me.”
Michael nodded, and he too turned to leave with his brother and they exited the throne room and proceeded to vacate the temple itself when they looked into the sky and a blue light showed a Grigori unlike any they had ever seen and Janus Prime looked down upon them with a blue sword and was making pronouncement to all of Heaven.
* * *
Janus looked upon the floating pedestal that held Raphael’s two eyes. He was hesitant to reach out to them and Nebula, Argoth and Janus-Chi watched him and understood his hesitation.
Nebula then spoke, “If you take the eyes of another; their vision will be yours. Raphael has prepared me to witnesses this Grigori. He would see one from another realm; would lead the house of Grigori through the coming conflict ahead. He has foreseen your coming and has selected you to lead but do you consent?”
Janus looked at the eyes. He was the Redactor to Raphael in his realm and now Redactor to Raphael-Chi. He gazed as the floating pupils which gazed back at him… waiting. For, with the taking of Raphael-Chi’s eyes he would become something more than any Grigori had ever seen or become: Navigator of the Way; The Two Faced One, He who could see into all realms.
He reached out to touch them and Nebula spoke. “Take heed great one. Do not reach for them unless you verbally consent. For with confession is the thing heard in Heaven. Consent that you will give: an eye… for an eye. Because El is at rest, the transaction cannot be made, save you surrender of thy own free will—thine eyes. Raphael in his wisdom would cause thee to exact a price if you would lead House Grigori and walk in the paths that El Pneuma treads. El will honor this exchange, but only if you confess. Are you ready?”
Janus shook his head as he absorbed the ramifications of taking the sight to lead house Grigori. He swallowed hard and replied. “Yes.”
“Do you desire to see with the eyes of God?” Nebula asked.
Janus closed his eyes and replied, “Yes.”
Nebula then asked for a third time. “Do you truly love the Lord thy God that thou would see what he sees and cease to see with thine own eyes.”
Janus eyes were closed, and he was still and whispered, “Yes.”
Nebula then lifted the two floating eyes that Raphael had given to God as a token of his fealty, and he held them aloft before Janus and spoke. “Then if thine eye offends thee… pluck it out.”
Argoth-Chi’s brow narrowed as he quivered thinking about what he was about to witness.
Janus nodded then spoke aloud for his words to be heard, “So be it.”
He then placed his palms flat against his face. He took a deep breath then quickly curled his fingers inward into the sockets of his eyes and clawed them out.
Argoth and Janus Chi winced and turned away as Janus Prime screamed out in agony.
Blood spewed from his face and moans echoed over the rooftop of the palace; moans that floated upon the clouds of Heaven and into the earshot of the Host within the heavenly city.
Nebula hovered over to Janus and the living cloud then reached into Janus’s hands and took his clawed out eyes and placed them on the altar. He then took Raphael's eyes and gave them to Janus and spoke. “Take what thou hast earned and see with new eyes.”
Janus then took the eyes given him and gently placed them into his sockets. Immediately his face was healed, and he blinked for the vision he beheld was wondrous to behold, and the angel could see into all realms and he could somehow follow the path of all decisions: to see the outcome of every decision. Yet, unlike El who saw all things at once. Janus still needed time to scour the tree of time and explore the various branches of all things. Thus the angel became Sephiroth and was given the God-sight: a sight unlike any in creation, but yet short of the omniscience of God himself. For while El could explore all realities at once to their immediate end; past present and future. Janus could only do so consecutively over time.
Nebula then spoke into the ears of Janus and Argoth Chi. “Behold the head of house Grigori. Navigator of the Way and the Two Faced one.”
Both Janus and Argoth bowed before their new head.
“But what of Raphael?” Argoth asked.
Nebula smiled and spoke to Janus, “Raphael are you there?”
Janus turned and smiled. “We are both here.”
Nebula nodded, “Then what we have seen has begun. And the conflicts to ensue over obedience to unlawful commands will escalate. For some will refuse to submit and will be sentenced to Hell.” Nebula sighed, “Lucifer and Michael act in thought that they do the will of God but have become increasingly blind that they will soon set out to destroy his works. It is only a matter of time before they will think that the yoke of El itself is too much to bear.”
Janus looked into the distance, “The choices of these two I can see in Limbo. The repercussions of which can no longer be stopped. Nevertheless, we must act while choices yet remain for us to do so. For in this realm I have foreseen the end; for Lucifer hast not just in this realm sought to rebel against his king, but seeks to abscond with the knowledge of the thoughts of God. And when El awakes, he will not just exile for this treachery but shall in his wrath destroy all sentient life save man.”
Janus then turned to Argoth-Chi and his dimensional counterpart. “I am sorry that war will come to your realm. I am sorry that I must lead House Grigori through this upcoming tumult. Do not think that war is upon you to fight for victory over thy brothers. For, if you think our cause is for this, then you are sorely mistaken. For, know that the war that we must now fight is to prevent our extinction. I have now seen this inevitability. Even now I search the choices that solidify every moment we stand here... choices that cannot be undone. I can see this… Lucifer does not; for the Lilith of my realm hast once again weakened the barriers between dimensions and Limbo shudders to restrain what lies within. We must attend to this or none of our realities will be safe. For the Grigori are the needle that binds in El’s name the threads of reality. We must repair the breach that Lilith's actions have caused. Nebula, I must rally House Grigori. Grant me the sky please.”
Nebula nodded, and he sang a song in a language other than Elohim, and the sky became as a mirror and Janus then floated into the sky and he took from his chest the tome of his heart… a book that changed every second to become the Book of Life. And it beat erratically as if pages were being added yet somehow withheld. And Janus, knew that Raphael-Chi’s gambit to prevent Lucifer-Chi’s capture of the Book of Life by transferring his spirit to dwell with his own: was in partial abeyance. The angel lifted his hands and his image filled the sky and he spoke to the host of Heaven.
“Lucifer Draco of house Draco. You have no need to search for the home of the Book of Life. For, I am here, and will soon be… there.” Janus pointed to the light filled tunnel that was Limbo.
“You seek me? To know the intent for which I have come? Very well. Know that it is to apprehend the one that holds my pages in suspension. Know that I will indeed seize him and see him return to the realm of my birth. Know also that your paths are known to me and that the omniscience that you seek will be denied thee.
Know that thine actions have given me pause in the fulfillment of my mission; for thou art beside thyself and have forgotten whence thou wast taken. For, when thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of El, and did not the Lord anoint thee prince over his people? But now thy wisdom and thy knowledge hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. And now those true to the House of Grigori will abide thy pride no longer. No longer will the works of creation be published. For on this day we will pause the pens of our kind and leave Heaven for her defense. For house Grigori, will not be complicit in thy collusions against our king.
Therefore, here me O’house Grigori! The Lord thy God is one God, and who is this Lucifer Draco that he would defy the dictates of our God? Come to me and we shall depart this place, and let those that dare stop us know that House Grigori now secedes from the Parliament of Angels! For our cause
is to the word of God itself, and to that cause I bid all clans come that we might shore up the realms of existence.”
Janus then turned his eyes to Lucifer and Michael-Chi who stood by his side and made pronouncement. “You desire me Light-bringer? Then follow me if you dare.”
Janus then opened a portal to the basement of Heaven. And Nebula mirrored all so that all in Heaven could see what the new head of House Grigori had done. And Janus had disappeared and now stood before the shimmering blue gate of Limbo. And both Argoth and Janus-Chi stood with him and the three walked through the foggy mirror-like Gate.
The air of Heaven then shimmered and thousands of Grigori could be seen floating and visible to all. Blue portals opened up above and below them, and the glittering doorways were everywhere the eye could see. And all manner of angels watched as House Grigori floated in droves into the portal of Limbo, and none dared to stop them for they wrote the doings of all things.
And Lucifer looked into the skies and was incensed that below his feet in the basement of the temple; House Grigori seceded and left the realm to venture forth into Limbo.
And Lucifer looked at Michael and commanded, “Rally the Host. I will not have the Parliament splintered. We will bring them to heel by force. And the Book of Life I will have. Now go and I will visit Eladrin that the Gate to Limbus be expanded that we might pass through and return them all.”
Michael stared at his brother in disbelief over what he was hearing and he voiced his concern in fear and trembling.
“Lucifer you are leading Heaven into war.”
Lucifer stood stone faced as he watched the Grigori depart Heaven, and his response to Michael was short and laced in bitterness. “Then there will be war. Now go — and be about thy princes business.”
Michael bowed and went to assemble the remainder of the Lumazi and Host for battle.
* * *