To Reign In Hell

by Steven Brust

  From the four Regencies of Heaven, they came. Tens of thousands of angels, hundreds of archangels, all gathering on the hill beneath Yaweh's palace.

  At the top of the hill was a platform with great horns set next to it. These, it was said, would carry Yaweh's voice to everyone who was gathered there.

  Some had been there two days, some three, and some were just now arriving, weary and footsore, to cast themselves down on the ground and rest for a time. It was only a matter of hours, now, until he appeared. The restlessness and feelings of expectation spread through the crowd and infected each angel present.

  It was curious to note that there was no division or separation between angels and archangels, as if the coming presence of the eldest of the Firstborn was enough to make any other division among them trival.

  They looked up the long expanse of greenery and waited, and the tension grew.

  Soon, they told themselves, soon.

  "Abdiel!"

  "Yes, Lord Yaweh?"

  "I've just heard from Yahriel."

  "Who?"

  "Yahriel. Chief of the order of Dominions."

  "Oh. Yes, Lord?"

  "He says that he needs help. There are more angels out there than his Dominions can cope with. Are all of your Thrones back?"

  Abdiel swallowed. "Yes, Lord, but—"

  "Is there any reason why they can't help keep things orderly?"

  "No, Lord, but will a mere two hundred make a difference?"

  "Maybe. We should try, at any rate."

  "As you wish, Lord. But am I not needed elsewhere?"

  "That's true. Is there someone among your Thrones that you can trust to lead in your place?"

  Abdiel breathed a silent sigh of relief. "Yes, Lord. I can find someone."

  Zaphkiel walked along the perimeter of the crowd. From time to time an angel would begin shouting at an angel next to him over a place in the grass to sit. Then Zaphkiel would look at one of the Thrones, and indicate with his eyes, and the Throne would go and speak quietly until the trouble was settled.

  That each Throne carried a naked sword in his hand may have helped somewhat.

  At one point he met Yahriel, who was engaged much the same way. They nodded without speaking. Sometime later he met Michael, who was watching the area beyond the edge of the gathering. Zaphkiel bowed low.

  "Who are you?"

  "Zaphkiel."

  "These seem to be Abdiel"s angels."

  "They are."

  "Yet you seem to be leading them."

  "I am."

  "Well?"

  "He's busy."

  "I see. Well, I'm sure you'll be of help to Yahriel."

  "I hope so."

  Michael cocked his head and studied the other.

  "You don't say much, do you?"

  "No."

  They stood looking at each other. Michael felt uncomfortable. If Zaphkiel felt uncomfortable, he didn't show it. After a moment, Michael moved on.

  Zaphkiel continued, his eyes always moving. Suddenly, there was a low rumbling sound. Zaphkiel identified it as the sounds of thousands upon thousands of angels, all sighing or muttering at the same time. The sound began near the top of the hill and spread backwards.

  He looked up at once and saw a distant figure that he identified as Raphael. Next to her he recognized Abdiel. The two of them were walking toward the platform, and there was a continuing rumble from the gathered angels.

  Zaphkiel shifted his eyes to the Palace and saw an angel he assumed to be Gabriel leading some dozens of angels toward the platform. Next came twenty angels led by Uriel. In their midst walked Yaweh, barely to be seen. The shouts from the host were nearly deafening.

  Yaweh walked up to the platform.

  Having seen all there was of interest, Zaphkiel returned to scanning the crowd.

  "'Tis strange, milord, that none can see us, yet we are so near."

  Satan shrugged. "We can hardly see them. It works out."

  "Verily, milord."

  They sat within a small grove of trees just over the hill from the platform. They had made their way in the night, and remained still and silent. The trees were thick, but sound carried well, and there were many angels walking nearby.

  "The sound of angels yelling, milord."

  "Yes?"

  "Methinks the time of Yaweh's speech draweth nigh."

  "I imagine so."

  At that moment, there was sudden silence in the center of Heaven. Yaweh had raised his arms.

  "I am Yaweh," he said, and through the trumps at his sides his voice carried to every corner of the hill and valley. "I welcome each of you."

  He paused and turned his head to look across their great expanse. He lowered his arms and continued.

  "Each of you may be at ease, and be assured that I know you, and love you all. I have gathered you together today, in part, to tell you that. You have come, in part, because you know it already.

  "This is as it should be.

  "I existed, timeless and eternal, alone in the void, from the beginning. This you know, because the beginning was when I came to be. Before me, there was only flux.

  "After me, there will be only flux again."

  He stopped to let that have its effect. He wondered about the truth of it, but put it out of his mind. In a certain, poetic sense at least, it was true. That would have to be enough. Unpleasant as it was, he could not fail in his duty to the hosts over a matter of interpretation. And as he looked through the gathering and saw the effects his words were having, he knew that Abdiel was right.

  For a time there were murmurs throughout the valley and hillside, mostly consisting of, "Did you hear that?" and, "What did that mean?"

  Yaweh raised his arms and there was silence again. Then he said, "I did not know I was lonely, at first, because I had never been unalone. But I was alone, and wished for others like myself." This was possible. He wasn't really aware of the very beginning—he couldn't remember when he had become aware of himself as such. He made a note to ask Lucifer about this, then remembered that he couldn't. He shook the mood off and continued.

  "I reached into the flux, and I drew forth the Firstborn, as, indeed, they have done for the archangels, and the archangels have done for the angels, and the angels will do for whomever follows.

  "This is how it was. This is not how it must be.

  "I envisioned a place where there would be safety for those made by the flux, whom the flux wishes to have back. Thus, Heaven came to be. Those who were with me during the time known as the First Wave helped to build and extend it. Those who came later did the same. Thus, Heaven is here for us all, though we must defend it from the flux.

  "This, too, need not be.

  "I have said that this will end—that we need not live in fear of cacoastrum, that there will be a time of peace.

  "This peace is coming. But, as I have opened my heart so that you may be, now I ask that my gift be returned. I ask that each of you think of me with love, so that we may all become one, and together establish a realm of peace, harmony, and love."

  "Milord, what means this?"

  "I don't know, Beelzebub. I wish I knew whether he believed all of this himself, or why he's saying it if he doesn't. But don't speak. I want to hear more."

  "Aye, milord."

  "What is he doing, Asmodai?"

  "I don't know, Lucifer. Should we move?"

  "I don't think so, yet."

  "Why not, Lilith?"

  "Because we don't know what he's doing. There has to be a point to all of these claims—"

  "These lies!"

  "As you wish. There has to be a point, and he hasn't reached it."

  "Do we want him to?"

  "I think so, Asmodai. If for no other reason, then to know what we're up against."

  "Maybe. What do you think, Lucifer?"

  "I'm still not certain. But let's wait a bit longer."

  "Sith?"

  "Yes?"

  "Why are you on your knees?"
/>   "I don't know."

  "Oh."

  "Now you're on your knees too. Why?"

  "It's so...."

  "I feel terrible about what we said, you know—what we were talking about... before."

  "Me too."

  "What should we do?"

  "Let's just listen. Maybe he'll tell us."

  "Okay. You know, Kyriel?"

  "Yeah?"

  "If he asked me to... do what we were talking about, before—"

  "Yeah."

  "I'd do it."

  "Me too, Sith."

  As Yaweh stood before them in silence, many fell to their knees.

  Yaweh surveyed them for a moment longer, then spoke again.

  "We will join together, and make something more than any of us can be alone. Look around you. Your brothers and sisters are all around you. As you love me who created you, and I love you whom I have created, so you love each other, who were created together.

  "Now rise, all of you, and join together before me. Come closer now, here in front of me, so you are as one. That is well. Breathe together and think together and be together. Yes. Even closer now, all of you, so you are as one.

  "Do you feel how I love you all? Can you return my love for you? Try...."

  Abdiel turned to Raphael and whispered, "He speaks well. I'd never have thought it."

  Raphael didn't answer.

  "I think we should begin," said Abdiel.

  "Very well."

  "Can you remember what to do?"

  "I remember."

  Abdiel closed his eyes and felt Raphael next to him. The two became as one, and then Yaweh was there, guiding and leading, and slowly, the angels of Heaven were there, too.

  A few at first, and then gradually more and more. Abdiel felt Yaweh begin the working—begin to turn the illiaster into a form that he could use, to create, and bring about his desires.

  Still more angels joined. Abdiel felt the force of Yaweh's will commanding the force of the illiaster in nearly all the hosts of Heaven.

  Abdiel had never had a notion of Yaweh's tremendous will. Otherwise, he would never have entertained fanciful thoughts of turning this event in a direction of more direct use to himself. But Yaweh was in total command of the energy—his will dominated the three of them; the force of his mind overpowered them.

  Some of those in the front began to sway, but they didn't seem to notice.

  Yaweh was utterly silent and motionless as he worked, and nothing came closer and closer to becoming something. Angels near the front began to fall over, and those further in back were wavering.

  Abdiel and Raphael felt the lines of tension from Yaweh as surely as they felt the lines of force from the assembled hosts.

  Then, taking a deep breath, Yaweh began in earnest.

  Chapter Ten

  And all those souls joined in a holy dance, and then, like shooting sparks, gone instantly, they disappeared behind the veil of distance.

  —Dante, Paradise,

  Canto vii:7-9

  Lucifer, Lilith and Asmodai watched in silence as the ceremony continued. They saw those in the front falling, and those behind begin to stagger, but they didn't say anything. After a time, they saw Yaweh close his eyes, bow his head, and begin to work his hands in and out of fists. Lilith said, "What is he doing?" "I don't know," Lucifer answered. "I can tell that he's drawing on his illiaster, but—" "More than that," said Asmodai. "Look closer. He's drawing on the illiaster of every one of those angels."

  "You're right!" said Lucifer in wonder. "How can he do that?"

  "I don't know. But he seems to have them, doesn't he?"

  "Yes. I think we missed our chance to do anything."

  "I agree. Well, what now?"

  "I want to see the rest of this," said Lilith.

  "Yes, so do—what's that?"

  As they watched, Yaweh spread his hands, and a glowing ball appeared in the air before him. The three leaned forward and stared.

  Yaweh continued, forcing his will upon the illiaster that had begun to take shape between his hands. Abdiel and Raphael were sweating now, directing the energy toward him.

  Yaweh was up to the hard part. It wasn't simply a matter of doing it—he was creating a thing that no angel had ever before attempted, and the level of detail required was more than he had ever had to deal with. In a lucid moment, he found himself suddenly wishing Asmodai were there.

  This brought him back to memories of why Asmodai wasn't, and his concentration was almost broken by a sudden spasm of anger directed at Asmodai, Lucifer, Satan, and the rest.

  This, too, went into his creation.

  "Sith?" "Eh, what?"

  "I... something happened. I fell over." "Me, too. What was it?"

  "I don't know, I just felt dizzy, and... then I was down here."

  "I feel... drained."

  "Yes. Me, too."

  "Can you see what's going on up there?"

  "No. There are still some people standing in front of me."

  "Oh. Kyriel?"

  "Yes, Sith?"

  "Would you mind getting off me?"

  "What? Oh. Sorry."

  "Thanks."

  "I think I can get up now."

  "Good luck."

  "Thanks."

  "Well done. Can you help me now?"

  "I'll try. My legs feel weak."

  "Okay. Ah! There. Wait... good. Thank you."

  "You're welcome. Let's—Sith!"

  "Huh?"

  "Look!"

  "Where? Oh... by the flux! Now who is that?"

  He grew from nothing, and stood before Yaweh, tall, strong and powerful. He had a full black beard, a massive chest, and a large head full of black hair. His eyes were set deep, and of a piercing brown.

  He stood before them naked, his hands at his sides, the muscles of his chest and legs standing out prominently. He turned and looked fully at Yaweh. Then, before them all, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head, clasping his hands in front of him.

  Yaweh walked forward once more to the edge of the platform and he spoke, saying, "This day I have brought forth him whom I declare to be my son. He will be called Yeshuah, for he will save us from our suffering.

  "I give him to you, to lead you through the coming days when our hardships will increase tenfold, that our joy may increase a thousand-fold thereafter.

  "Yeshuah, created by love before you all, and no other, is rightful king of Heaven, and he who does not accept his law or disobeys him earns my wrath and shall be expelled from Heaven on that day. For this I can do—the Walls of Heaven are not such that they cannot be opened to permit me to return to the flux any who reject the law of Heaven as I declare it to be—for the good of us all. I have lived alone amid only cacoastrum—who among you could do this?"

  His eyes had taken on a burning aspect that those in the front could clearly see. Now they softened.

  "My people," he said, his voice low, "it grieves me to threaten, and to say you must do this, or you cannot do that. It hurts me. But it hurts me more to see you destroyed by the mindless enemy that lives outside. Destroyed by the hundreds and by the thousands. I will not permit it if I can stop it. Now, I can stop it. Now, no one will keep me from stopping it. And now, he who will lead us in this is here.

  "Now, all of you who have seen the birth of him who will save us, pay him homage. I am Yaweh, I have created Heaven and I am father to you all. As you love me, let Yeshuah, my son, begotten before you all, be my arm amongst you." He stepped back then and made a sign for Yeshuah to rise and stand by his side. Then all the hosts of Heaven before them fell to their knees and bowed their heads.

  Yaweh felt the waves of love and adoration directed at him and at his son, and he basked in them. He smiled. He looked out upon those tens of thousands of angels, and he saw that it was good.

  "Milord? What means this, what we have seen?"

  "I'm not sure, Beelzebub. I had no idea he could do that."

  "Do what, milord?"

  "W
hat he just did. You saw—he created a being himself, out of illiaster taken from the angels. I'm... amazed."

  "Aye, milord. Amazed, verily. But what of his speech. What signifies it?"

  "I'm not certain. It's obvious that he has some scheme of how to use this, but I don't even know what he wants anymore, much less how he plans to achieve it."

  "What he desires, milord? Certes 'tis clear—'tis all for the Plan that—hark!"

  "What is it?"

  "Can'st thou not hear, milord?"

  "Your ears are better than mine, Beelzebub. What is it?"

  "Conversation, milord. They speak in whispers, yet 'tis nigh."

  "Which way? I'd like to know who it is that also wants to hide. Where are they?"

  "This way, milord."

  Lucifer looked around quickly. "Did either of you hear something just now?"

  The others shook their heads. Lucifer shrugged.

  "Well," said Asmodai. "Now we know. What do you think?"

  "What do you think?" asked Lilith.

  "I," said Asmodai, "am disgusted. Look at them out there, groveling to that... that... thing."

  "I see what you mean," said Lucifer.

  "Don't you feel it?"

  "Yes," said Lucifer slowly, "I feel it. But I guess it's different for me."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Remember, I was with him from the beginning. I know what he was like before, and I see what he's become now. I don't know what he's going to be like in a hundred days—or ten. It's sad. You feel for those who are groveling, and that's good. But I feel for the one who is making them grovel. What's happened to him, Asmodai? You knew him. Did he ever seem to you someone who would fill his palace with angels, armed with swords to prevent anyone from seeing him? Who would tell such a lie as to say that he was responsible for us all? Who would make thousands of angels bow down to him? Is that the Yaweh you knew before?"

  "No," said Asmodai slowly, "it isn't."

  "So what has happened to him?"

  "I don't know."

  Lilith cleared her throat. They looked at her.

  "Yes, Lilith? What is it?"

  She shook her head. "No, I don't have an answer to your question. But I've seen enough. Let us leave, now."

  "And go where?"

  "Anywhere."