‘Lucifer, I have some reservations. I know that you believe that Caleb is an ally but I don’t trust him.’
Ham followed the courage of Jezebel and added his own voice of concern. ‘I agree, Lucifer. I know Caleb better than any of us and I also know Tara. In my view, we would be taking a huge risk if we were to allow him to speak at such a large gathering. If he doesn’t say the right things, our cause may suffer instead of benefit.’
Although Lucifer can be the subtle master of half-truths and false diplomacy it is not his preferred approach, being one possessed of no patience whatsoever. Accordingly, he spares all of his subtlety for situations when he absolutely must use it, and saves no diplomacy at all for those who are unfortunate enough to be in his regular company. To say that he did not react well to being challenged by Ham and Jezebel would be an understatement of the grandest order. By turns he ranted, raved, screamed, shouted, pouted and sulked and eventually he got his own way.
Lucifer had the casting vote anyway, so combined with Troy, he always had the numbers, but he threw an outrageous tantrum nonetheless, as he was absolutely furious that any of his counsellors would dare to challenge him. To be frank, the control that he felt over the entire rebel movement had been severely shaken by his experience with fourth division, and to be challenged on a material point by some of those closest to him was an affront. He didn’t consider whether there was any validity to Jezebel and Ham’s concerns, he simply resented being challenged and resolved immediately that he would not concede. Once he had closed the deal, by way of his ingenious skills of negotiation, the four turned their attention to some of the finer details of promoting the forthcoming event.
68 dujas
Although Lucifer had reacted aggressively when challenged by Jezebel and Ham, there was one useful reminder that emanated from that argument. In suggesting an alternative to Caleb, Jezebel had reminded Lucifer of an associate whom he had lost contact with quite some time ago. As a Son of the Morning, Lucifer had ultimately struggled to feel close to any of the other Sons, as any feelings of brotherhood were gradually displaced by competitiveness and jealousy.
It was strange that Lucifer had such a chip on his shoulder about not having received sufficient recognition or authority. Indeed, being a Son of the Morning was an extremely high and holy calling. In addition, he was regularly praised whenever he flourished in good works. Sadly though, for those who are truly power-thirsty, sharing any level of power with others is totally unacceptable. Ultimately, any success by one of his brothers became a failure for him, while any success of his was confirmation that he was superior to his peers.
Annoyingly, the other Sons didn’t seem to see things the same way. They celebrated one another’s successes, and humility prevailed when accolade or recognition was received. There was one within the quorum however, with whom Lucifer had established a relationship.
Dujas at least seemed to have some similarities to him. At times he could be persuaded to join in on secretly mocking his brothers, and on one occasion Dujas had criticised his parents, something which Lucifer had very much enjoyed at the time. When they spent time together, in the company of other spirits, and away from the other Sons, Dujas was even better than Lucifer at elevating himself and deflating the other Sons in the sight of others. His personal deeds were magnified, and the deeds of his brothers minimised, enabling the hearer to conclude that Dujas was the most talented of all the Sons. Indeed, it could be said that Dujas never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
At least while Lucifer was present, Dujas was kind enough to elevate his companion in the sight of others as well, while diminishing the other Sons in a manner that was most pleasing. All of this had brought them closer, and at a point one might even have called them friends. Ultimately though, Lucifer had disassociated himself with the Sons of the Morning altogether, seeking the company of baser characters that could be more easily influenced. For this reason Lucifer hadn’t seen Dujas for many years, and hadn’t given him a thought for almost as long.
When Jezebel first mentioned his name he had been too angry to consider her suggestion, but since that time he had given his old acquaintance much thought. It wasn’t that Lucifer was considering substituting Dujas for Caleb, as she had suggested, rather he wondered whether Dujas may also be used to promote his cause. Increasingly, this notion appealed to him and at length he gave a tier two student the assignment of locating Dujas. He asked him to first find Dujas, and then watch him for a few days, to establish where his abode was located and where he liked to spend his time.
Lucifer desired this intelligence as he had resolved to visit Dujas personally, rather than request his audience at the darker end of the Kingdom, as such an invitation might not be accepted by one he hadn’t seen for so long. Lucifer also reasoned that understanding the movements and habits of Dujas may give him some insight into the nature of his character, helping him to identify any weaknesses. In addition, there was always the possibility that Dujas had increased in virtue, in which case it would be dangerous to disclose details of the rebel plan to him. Assigning a tier two student to the task was essential, as his countenance wouldn’t stand out so badly in the lighter areas of the kingdom, where Dujas was sure to spend much of his time.
It took the student less than a week to locate the legendary Dujas, who in some regions was surprisingly well known. Having located him he tailed him for three days before returning to brief Lucifer. Lucifer was very pleased to hear from the student and was intrigued by what he was told. It appeared that Dujas had not one, but two abodes. The first, as might be expected, was located quite near to Mother and Father. The second however, was located almost two thirds of the way towards Lucifer’s end of the Kingdom.
In that part of the Kingdom he was thought of very highly, having convinced all of his associates in that region that he was a whisker away from replacing Michael as Archangel and commander of the Sons of the Morning. In that particular location, Michael was considered completely incompetent and unworthy to have charge of the Sons of the Morning. Indeed, it was broadly believed that it was a travesty that Dujas hadn’t replaced him long ago.
Lucifer was delighted to hear this report and commended his disciple generously before dismissing him. Things were back on track and between this news, and Caleb’s impending speech, Lucifer was sublime.
69 rewarded
During the course of that next week, the fabulous four were by no means idle. They enlisted the full support of their inner circle, each division of the army and also many tier three students, to spread word that Caleb would be addressing a vast assembly in support of the rebel plan. In an attempt to maximise the success of Caleb’s presentation, Lucifer instructed his drones to enter regions that had previously had little exposure to his message. All of the areas from the midpoint of the Kingdom back to his abode were invited as a formality. Following this, Lucifer pushed as close as he dared towards Father and Mother’s end of the Kingdom.
Caleb’s many virtues and broad achievements were espoused and exaggerated, for the benefit of those who may not know him. All of these efforts had the desired effect and, at the appointed time, the largest ever gathering of spirits assembled, in a vast outdoor area, to hear Caleb’s address. In all there were almost eleven billion spirits in attendance.
The area selected for the meeting was not as close to Lucifer’s abode as we might expect, the mastermind reasoning that holding the event in a marginally lighter area might assist in attracting more spirits. The slight increase in light was troubling for Lucifer, but his spirits could not be dampened as he sat in the most elevated seat, gazing at a multitude that stretched further than the human eye could see and higher also, as many spirits hovered in the air to gain a vantage point. With some exertion he had managed to persuade Jezebel that it was important that he attend the gathering, despite her concerns about maintaining his anonymity. He reasoned with her that, because the final vote was almost at hand, it was time for him to be revealed
to all as architect of the new plan.
As Lucifer observed this incredible sight from his elevated vantage point, he rejoiced. All of this was because of him he thought, revelling in his own cleverness. He pictured each of the attendees being converted, supporting his cause, and spreading his word. He dwelt upon the obvious outcome, which was that he would get a healthy majority at the final vote. He pondered the stupidity of his parents for allowing all of this to occur right under their very noses. He cursed them under his breath for all that they had not done for him.
Caleb himself had arrived, but had not been revealed to the crowd as yet. Lucifer would make them wait to build anticipation as always. Lucifer stood, and as he did so a huge cheer arose from the faithful. He waved and then sat back down. He had not stood for any purpose other than to elicit the cheer of his adoring fans.
Not all were so devoted. Many were at a rebel gathering for the very first time, intrigued to see whether Caleb had truly defected. Not one of the spirits who had recently shunned the rebel cause bothered to attend this gathering. They had learnt their lesson and were where they should be, doing what they ought to.
Ultimately, Caleb was revealed and a roar erupted, both for the speaker, and for the president, who descended from his high seat with much pomp to introduce his special guest.
‘My brothers and sisters, welcome!’ he said in both a tone and a pitch designed to evoke further cheers from the gathering. He attracted a roar from his devoted followers and a polite response from the less enthusiastic.
‘Today we have a very special treat for you. As you well know we will be favoured to hear from one of the leading lights of the Kingdom. Caleb has received many honours during his time within our Kingdom, and he is thought by many to be at least the equal of Michael the Archangel.’
This wasn’t actually true but Lucifer didn’t really care.
‘Over the past few months Caleb and I have had many meetings discussing my, err I mean, our plan,’ said Lucifer, who always struggled to remove both the 'my', and the 'I' from everything that he said and did. Indeed, it sapped his energy having to persuade others that he cared about anyone except himself.
‘During this time I have been incredibly impressed by Caleb’s vision. He is a truly brilliant spirit who was able to grasp immediately the dangers implicit in Father and Mother’s plan for us. His benevolence is without question, and he has shed many tears as he has considered the possibility that some of you might not make it back here, following the mortal journey.’
Lucifer knew that he was laying it on very thick, and that he was not necessarily dividing fact from fiction, but he assumed that if he coupled this with a generous serving of flattery, Caleb wouldn’t mind.
‘Enough from me however, I would hate to detract to any degree from the words of our greatest supporter. My wise spirits I give to you, Caleb!’
At this introduction, a cry of acclamation to exceed Lucifer’s arose from the immense gathering. Lucifer noted this with a little displeasure but he calmed himself with the thought that Caleb’s hour would be short-lived, after which time he would again command the loudest cheer.
Caleb commenced his address calmly.
‘Brothers and sisters, I am extremely glad to see so many of you gathered here as this is truly a historic day. Never before has there been a gathering of this size within the Kingdom. In addition, what is said here today may have a very large influence on your future destiny.
‘Despite the immensity of this congregation, I would cast your minds forward but a short time, to a gathering at which almost twice this number will assemble. Yes, within a matter of weeks, we will be called to assemble with every other spirit within the Kingdom, to decide between the plan that Lucifer will propose, and the plan that will be presented to you by our parents. Your choice at that time will have a great influence on your entire destiny, and the fact that today’s proceedings may sway you one way or the other, means that today is indeed a momentous occasion. To give you a little background, I’ll describe those things that have influenced me as I’ve formed an opinion on this plan. I was first made aware of the alternate plan by Anas, who is among us today.’
To this there was a cheer that arose predominantly from the military, at which queue Anas stood and beamed radiantly at the entire gathering. Lucifer was a little annoyed at this also, but he had little choice but to maintain the angelic expression that he had kept plastered upon his face ever since the beginning of Caleb’s address.
‘Anas suggested to me that there may be significant dangers in the mortal journey for someone that is very dear to me. Indeed, I care for her more than I do myself, and certainly far more than I can describe, so the thought that she might never make it back here was very disturbing. It was on the strength of these concerns that I attended my first meeting. Since that time I have attended a number of meetings, and have also met with Lucifer in person, seeking further guidance. I’ve felt a myriad of emotions, being truly divided between my loyalty to Father and Mother, and my desire to secure a surer passage back to the Kingdom for those that I care about most. Thankfully though, in recent times, I have received significant clarity on the path that I should take, thanks to the counsel of a very kind friend.'
At this, Lucifer couldn’t help but stand to receive the acclamation that he so richly deserved. Once in the standing position, he raised his hands a number of times milking the crowd for all that it was worth. After this sideshow was over, and the noise had died down, Caleb continued.
‘In very recent times I met with this kindly soul and received rich counsel at his hand. He also introduced me to another spirit who revealed to me things of which I was not previously aware, things that have very much influenced my decision to speak to you today.’
Lucifer knew that Caleb’s account wasn’t entirely factual, as he had not introduced him to another in their private meeting. Nevertheless, he had no objection to Caleb taking some poetic license of his own, and he again stood to receive his just deserts from the eager gathering.
Once this second disturbance had ceased, Caleb was able to recommence.
‘Yes, my brothers and sisters, this meeting caused me to reflect upon everything that is dearest to me. It caused me to consider all of Lucifer’s words, and everything that I have been told about the alternate plan, and to come to a final decision about the choice that I will make when called upon to cast my vote at the forthcoming council.’
As Caleb spoke, Lucifer literally floated with delight. He looked knowingly at Jezebel and Ham and wondered whether they felt foolish. At least they would know not to challenge him in the future. He gazed at the gathering once again and swelled with pride. He thought of that most important vote that could only be moments away. He thought of his parents' shock and distress as they were outvoted. It would serve them right. If they had properly assessed his potential, and made him the centrepiece of their plan, then none of this would have been necessary. He then settled back in his chair to enjoy the rest of Caleb’s address.
‘My dear brothers and sisters, I pray that following my address you will be persuaded to vote in the same way that I will. I pray that the words that I say will assist you to have the courage and the strength to choose wisely. I would have you know that Lucifer is a liar and a fraud and that he has absolutely no concern for any of you. His plan is entirely self-serving and all that concerns him is securing power and glory.’
Prior to this statement there had been the kind of general hum that you would expect to emanate from such a vast crowd. Following it however, a pin could have been heard to drop. Caleb took this moment to reinforce his message.
‘Father and Mother love you and have designed a perfect plan that offers you every opportunity to progress through the mortal journey and return here to the Kingdom. I promise you that even if you don’t make it back here, your end will be far preferable under that plan, than under any alternative that has been proposed to you by Lucifer and his followers.’
Lucife
r, who froze after Caleb’s first comment, was shocked into action by his second.
‘Attack him! All divisions attack him now!’ he screeched.
There were now six trained divisions, an army some sixty thousand strong. Each unit reacted quickly but Caleb had the jump on them. He was ready for this outcome and the moment that he had finished his second shock statement, he shot into the air and headed straight towards the light that represented safety. Caleb was quick, but he had not been training to the same extent that each of the divisions had, so to his horror he found himself gradually being reigned in. He was moving into areas that were less dark, but as yet there was no sign of anything that even resembled support.
As he flew he could hear his pursuers coming closer and he felt their swarming hatred licking at his soul. He could hear their curses, and their cries, and he knew that to be caught would be his end. This quickened his pace and he started to leave some of his pursuers behind, but not all. Those that were the quickest in each division were still gaining on him. If they caught him it would only take a moment for all six divisions to bring up the rear.
Lucifer himself had joined the pursuit. Such was his fury that he didn’t remain to participate in the damage control that was so desperately required at the location of Caleb’s speech. He deserted that post so as to exact revenge on Caleb for his betrayal. Lucifer wasn’t the only one to follow his army. Other attendees pursued also, so as to observe whatever would transpire. Lucifer hadn’t trained in speed and agility with his divisions, so increasingly he fell behind. Nevertheless, he would be satisfied enough to join the attack on Caleb last. Such bravery entirely suited his courageous character.
The following crowd managed to keep pace with Lucifer, but none were able to gain on the divisions. Throughout the pursuit it was getting lighter, but not quickly enough for Caleb. His pursuers almost had him. He felt a hand pass through his leg and his soul shuddered at the venom imparted by just that singular swipe.
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