Heaven's Night

by Harry Aderton

  “I’ve been there before, Lucifer. Many times in fact.”

  “How recently?”

  I shrugged. “Millennia ago. Perhaps longer. I recall giant lizards roaming the earth.”

  “They’re gone now, replaced by birds and mammals. Creatures evolve rather quickly there. In fact, they were my inspiration when I introduced duality into the spheres. The easiest way to introduce duality, or the opposite of what angels were accustomed to, was to start a war. Can you guess what manner of creature provided my inspiration?”

  “Ants?” I recalled Mephistopheles infatuation with them.

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Exactly so! Ants! To think that the billions of souls that fell in the astral spheres can be attributed to the nature of one of the smallest of insects. How do you think Michael would react to that?”

  “He’d snap your neck.”

  Lucifer laughed again and popped a piece of melon into his mouth. “I daresay he could try. It’s probably for the best then that I not give him the opportunity.”

  The door opened and Mephistopheles entered. A wizened scholar with flowing grey locks and curled beard followed him in. They closed the door behind them.

  “Well?” I asked.

  “Baraqel has confirmed it,” Mephistopheles said, nodding to the scholar to speak.

  “We traced her vibration to a biped that lives in a small village in a forested region at the base of a large mountain range,” said Baraqel, his voice gravelly. “She appears to be healthy of body. I could not discern more than that.”

  I smiled in spite of myself. Requel always loved the forests. “How can I go to her?”

  “Therein lays the challenge, Sariel,” said Mephistopheles. “Time passes much more quickly there than it does here. If you wait another few months, she’ll die of natural causes and we can trace her back to the astral. Once she’s back, there are a few procedures we can do to reclaim her memory and find the child.”

  “Will the procedures hurt her?”

  “Of course. The longer she stays in the physical, the less she remembers when she returns. There have been cases where demons have full or partial recollection, but that is rare and usually requires their dying at an early age.”

  “I don’t want to hurt her. Find another way.”

  “There is one, but you won’t like it.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” I snapped.

  “She has to die.”

  I bit back an angry retort.

  Mephistopheles looked at Lucifer. “I told him he wouldn’t like it.”

  “She doesn’t really die, Sariel,” said Lucifer. “She is a soul, after all. There’s a better chance of our collecting her memory if her body passes away at an earlier age in the physical. The younger they are the more naturally spiritually in tune they are. This is only her first incarnation so the probability of her retaining at least a partial memory of her life as Requel is a good one. The longer she is attached to the physical, however, the more likely her memories will fade. The choice is yours, however.”

  “And if I choose to end her life prematurely, what then?” I said, my mouth suddenly dry.

  “There is a distinct barrier between the planes of existence. You won’t be able to physically kill her in your current form,” answered Baraquel. “The more powerful fallen can manipulate physical matter to a degree but not enough to harm. At least, not that we’ve seen so far.”

  The conversation made my stomach turn. I found myself growing angry. “Then what is the point of this conversation, of locating her, if we cannot do anything?”

  “There is a way,” said Mephistopheles.

  “And what is that?”

  “Have you ever heard of possession?”

  I frowned. I hadn’t. “No.”

  “It’s when a soul invades the body of another and seizes control.”

  “That’s impossible,” I said, cringing internally at the thought.

  “On the contrary, it’s quite possible. I’ve done it. So has Lucifer,” said Mephistopheles.

  “We’ll not discuss this. It’s not natural,” I said.

  “Why not?” said Lucifer. “What is natural these days? Look about you, is anything natural? Everything has turned to muck. Just consider the possibility, Sariel. If you were to take possession of another body, just for a few moments, slay Requel’s biped body, then exit the vessel you just occupied you wouldn’t be hurting Requel. You’d be setting her free.”

  “It’s true,” said Mephistopheles. “She’s a biped at this moment, Sariel, on the primordial plane with limited intelligence, no memories of who she really is, and scraping out a meager existence. What could be worse than that?”

  Nothing, I thought. “Still, it doesn’t feel right,” I said.

  “One of us could do it for you?” said Lucifer.

  “No,” I growled angrily.

  “Then we wait until she dies a natural death in a few months,” said Mephistopheles.

  My resolve wavered. I couldn’t wait that long. I just couldn’t. I exhaled in resignation. “No. Let’s not wait. I’ll do it.”

  “Excellent!” Lucifer clapped me on the back.

  “When do we begin?” I asked, an uncertain dread welling up in my stomach. I felt like vomiting.

  “It won’t take me long to teach you the technique,” said Mephistopheles. “You could be seeing Requel through the eyes of another as early as tomorrow.”

  I nodded.

  I vowed I would do anything to get you back, my beloved Requel.

  Even kill you.

  PART III

  PRIMORDIAL PLANE

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  I floated in the physical plane, still in astral form, and hovered above a tiny village. The sun beat down on me oppressively, the air hummed with insects. A saturating humidity hung in the air so thick it felt as if I wore a cloak of steam.

  I grimaced, recalling once again why I intensely disliked the primordial plane so much. The energies in this plane lacked subtlety, the finest being the light and magnetic waves in the ether but even those were coarser than anything found in the astral. Physical matter felt and looked harsh, the energies condensed to a point of absurdity. I had no doubt God had a plan for the physical but I certainly wished for no part in it.

  “There she is,” said Mephistopheles, pointing.

  My heart began to race. I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the spot where Mephistopheles gestured. A group of female bipeds gathered near a stream. They all appeared the same to me. I frowned. Why couldn’t I pick her out? Shouldn’t I be able to spot my beloved Requel instantly?

  “You won’t be able to differentiate her by sight,” said Mephistopheles as if he read my thoughts. Perhaps he did. “The only reason I can spot her is by her aura. I know what to look for based on the formulas we calculated. Don’t be so hard on yourself, brother.”

  I grunted in annoyance. “Which one is she?”

  “The one with a clay pitcher in her hands.”

  I focused on her. The figure knelt and filled a pitcher. Her body was covered in fine hair. Clothing made from animal skin was wrapped about her torso and clasped above one shoulder. It looked surprisingly like a short dress. Her hair was stringy, her forehead sloped.

  “They evolved from apes, you know,” said Mephistopheles. “It was quite interesting, to say the least. Evolution took millions and millions of years for them to look like the creatures you see now but they still lived as apes, habitating jungles, caves, and so forth. That’s because they were animals and had no souls. It wasn’t until the war began in the astral plane that things changed. Fallen and angelic souls started incarnating into these creatures after their bodies of light died in the astral. When that happened, and with my help of course, they began to use tools, build shelters, communicate with spoken words, wear clothing, create art, worship spirits, build a society based on rules, laws, social, and family structures. In short, civilization took root.” He beamed with pride.

  �
��The war began over fifty years ago. This all happened since then?” I asked in amazement.

  “More or less. Remember, time moves more swiftly in the physical plane than in the astral just as the astral moves more swiftly than in the Causal. A day and night to God is equivalent to four hundred thousand years in the astral and twenty-four million years here in the physical. So think about it, fifty years in the astral equates to three thousand years here. Much can happen in three thousand years.”

  “So how did you do it? Civilize these bipeds?”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t so difficult. It’s in their nature, and it’s what they wanted to gravitate to whether they knew it or not. They were angelic souls, after all, within their primitive bodily prisons. A possessed biped, in the right place, and at the right time is all it took, really. I typically inhabited a leader who taught others. I showed them all manners of things. Teaching them how to make fire was especially interesting and it was one of the first things I taught them. Entire villages went up in flames and sometimes entire forests. Still, they learned quickly and I went on to show them how to make tools, grow food, use herbs, make weapons, and so on.”

  “You taught them warfare?” I asked with a slight edge.

  If he noticed it in my voice he didn’t acknowledge it. “I didn’t need to. They picked it up on their own. It wasn’t long before one village started raiding another. I have a theory that fallen or angels of like minds tend to incarnate into family units and, by extension, tribes. I also believe that memories, prejudices, likes, dislikes, and other subliminal tendencies aren’t completely forgotten when one is incarnated into the physical. They remain in the subconscious. What if angelic tribes and fallen tribes, when they attack one another, are simply continuing the battle on this plane as a carryover from the wars in the astral? Wouldn’t that be utterly fascinating?”

  I nodded, both weary and disturbed by this discussion. “Quite. So what happens next?”

  “We stay with our plan. I’ve convinced a war party to attack from a neighboring village. It’s amazing what a few well placed dreams can do. Fear and paranoia are potent tools, to be sure. Do you remember the technique I showed you?”

  “I do.”

  “Good. You will take possession of one of the warriors in a neighboring tribe and ensure Requel is slain. Afterwards, you will exit the body and return to us in the astral. Simple.”

  I swallowed, feeling uneasy. The truth was this whole ordeal made me uncomfortable. It felt unnatural, vile.

  But I needed her back. At any cost.

  “Why go through all this trouble?” I asked. “We are here now. What’s to prevent me from swooping down and ending her life if I so choose?”

  “Because, brother, there are limits to what we can do in this plane. God has decreed it so. I’ve pushed the boundary as far as it can go and I tell you the most we can do in our astral forms is feel, touch, taste, hear, and smell the physical plane as observers. We may be able to influence a mind to some degree through dreams or emotions, perhaps even manipulate a physical object or two. But that’s it. They can’t see us, except on the rarest occasions, and we can’t hurt them. It’s rather annoying.”

  “Then why can’t I just go and possess Requel’s body then jump into the river and drown.”

  “I can think of two reasons,” said Mephistopheles. “As I mentioned previously, you can only inhabit one body at a time in a specific plane. If you possessed a physical body at this moment while your astral form is here in the physical, your astral body would perish instantly and you would be stuck in the physical body you possessed. And when your possessed body eventually dies, you would begin the cycle of birth and death and incarnate back into the astral as a demon or wingless, with or without your memory, and what purpose would that serve?”

  “None. So what is the second reason?”

  “Possession of a body can harm the soul inhabiting it. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Think about it, you’re forcing your way into another soul’s body, suppressing any free will one may have, forcing him to watch, be aware, as you wrest control away from him. Any act done by his body is against any choice of his own. He becomes nothing more than a helpless bystander, without a voice or ability to act. To a soul made in the image of God, what could be more agonizing? It can cause great mental harm, even to the point of madness. I’ve seen souls who were victims of a possessed body literally lose their will to eat, breathe, or live. When such souls die and return to another body in the astral, they are mere husks of their former selves. We can’t risk any such mental damage to Requel or she may not recall the whereabouts of her child.”

  His words, spoken so matter-of-factly and without any sense of remorse, disgusted me and my stomach recoiled in revulsion. Was I capable of such a vicious and penetrating act?

  “Come, it’s time to leave,” said Mephistopheles, creating a portal in the air with a swipe of his hand. “I’ve shown you what she looks like. Remember her well. The next time you see her will be through the eyes of another.”

  * * *

  I reclined on a couch in Mephistopheles’ parlor, a pillow propped behind my head. I wore a simple tunic, my wings folded about me like a warm blanket. Trepidation stirred within me and I repressed a shudder. I knew within my heart that the act I was about commit was unholy and betrayed all I stood for.

  But I was bound to this course. I could not turn away, not without arousing suspicion from my brothers. And wasn’t the end worthy of the means? Did a father not have a right to protect his son? If this path was the only way to retrieve information from Requel, how could I not pursue this to the fullest of my ability?

  But it wasn’t the only path open to me and the truth of it scared me. All I had to do was wait. Be patient. Requel would come back eventually. I didn’t have to destroy the life of another and kill the body of my beloved. All I had to do was wait …

  “Let’s get this over with,” I growled to Mephistopheles.

  “Baraqel is coming with the looking glass,” he said. “He’ll be here in a moment.”

  “Are you certain you can track her when she returns?” I asked.

  “Of course,” said Lucifer, sitting languidly on a couch across from me, his legs folded, a cup of wine in his hands. “That’s the easy part.”

  A stray thought cut through me. Was it so long ago that Michael and Gabriel were at my side as I readied myself to approach God? Now, as if it were a mocking reflection of that moment, Lucifer and Mephistopheles were at my side as I readied myself to possess another to kill my Requel. The heart wrenching absurdity was not lost on me.

  How low had I tumbled, cast out of the Causal with no one but Lucifer and Mephistopheles as my sole companions? Were these not the same two destroyers of the lower spheres? Oh how I loathed myself in that moment. I had fallen as low as they when I threw myself in with their lot.

  Oh Lord my God, would I ever be able to redeem myself? “No,” said Lucifer.

  I shot him a sharp look. Did he read my thoughts?

  “I can see the conflict in your face and I can surmise what you’re thinking,” said Lucifer, throwing me a sidelong glance, the corners of his lips curled upwards. “You’re asking yourself if you should partake in the pleasures of the flesh when you inhabit another? My suggestion is no. Don’t get engrossed in it. Yes, it is as exotic and tantalizing as I’m sure you’ve heard. And yes there is a primal addiction, to be sure. But it will only distract you. Complete your goal then leave.”

  I grinned as if his observations regarding me were correct. “Why brother, if I didn’t know better, I would think you experienced this addiction yourself?”

  He chuckled. “On more than one occasion, and it is intoxicating. It’s both terrible and wonderful at the same time. You have no idea how limiting a physical body can be. I can’t even begin to tell you how claustrophobic you will feel. Your senses will be stifled to the point of suffocation and you will feel a constant heaviness caused by your fleshly cloak that will
nigh unhinge you. But the pleasures of the flesh have no equal. Gorging on juicy meats or delectable fruits when claimed by a clawing hunger; an ice cold drink from a mountain stream when thoroughly parched. These are most tempting. But then they are as nothing compared to the more primal hungers, such as the need to procreate.” He grinned. “It would be crass to go into any more detail but suffice it to say it can be quite addicting indeed.”

  “I am duly warned,” I replied.

  “Good. Have you considered how to end Requel’s life once you find her?” he asked.

  I kept the grin plastered to my face despite the cold emptiness seeping into me at the thought. “No. I hadn’t given it any consideration.”

  “You don’t want to traumatize her or else she could carry it back with her after she passes away. It may affect her memory. You want to do it as quickly as possible.” He turned towards Mephistopheles. “What do you suggest, brother? Strangulation?”

  Mephistopheles crossed his arms, his lips pursed in thought. “Possibly, but I have noticed that strangulation is tricky. The victim doesn’t always die if the attacker isn’t thorough and it can be a drawn out affair. That wouldn’t do. Definitely no breaking of bones; that is quite painful and can certainly traumatize. I wouldn’t recommend hacking or stabbing either. Unless you hit the victim’s vital organs or arteries, it may take too long to bleed out. Not only can this be excruciatingly painful but it can certainly traumatize a victim when one sees their life blood seeping away. For you, Sariel, I would recommend a sharp blow to the head, right alongside the temple or the base of the skull if possible. It will incapacitate her immediately. Then, I would either crush her throat underfoot, slice it cleanly, or decapitate her to make it quick.”

  Lucifer nodded in agreement then turned towards me. “There you have it.”

  I stared at the two in disbelief. A raging anger threatened to boil up within me and spill out. They were speaking of my Requel.

  But isn’t that why I was here, to do exactly what they suggested? Hadn’t I agreed to it? In their perverse way, they were actually trying to help. I suppressed my rage. And for the hundredth time that day, I questioned my decision.