The Works of Julius St. Clair - 2017 Edition (Includes 3 full novels and more)

by Julius St. Clair

  “Again?” I asked him. Had Vergil run into Lucifer before I met him at the brown dwarf star? What could they have possibly talked about? Why wouldn’t he have mentioned this earlier?

  “It was when I observed your team for the first time. Don’t you recall?”

  “Right. You were in the back.”

  “I saw how powerful he was. How easily he subdued you all…I have to see him again.”

  “Is that the only reason you’re excited to meet him?”

  “No, of course not. What really excites me is the fact that we’re going to be a part of his number! Don’t you get it? It doesn’t matter if we never get a mission from God. In the end, we made it into the group that praises God like no other! Isn’t that exciting?”

  I got it all right, and I was getting more suspicious by the second. Arthur’s poem was eerie, and though I couldn’t articulate all that was wrong about it, that strangeness was undeniably there. He had mentioned God, but that was basically all there was to it. A simple shout-out, as if he had injected God into the poem because he was obligated to. The rest of it, the heart of the poem, was all about Lucifer and how great he was in Heaven. And I wasn’t sure if that was proper, regardless of God’s absence.

  But Vergil…it was the first time I had seen him really excited about anything, and just like when Alessa had spoken on God’s behalf, saying it was okay for Vergil to fight Marcus – I was plagued by an unnerving thought. A thought that could turn Vergil’s only real friend in the group against him. I had no idea whether I should tell Cadence about my suspicion, but whether I did or not, the assumption would always remain until I was able to clear my thoughts.

  Did Vergil…join our group, simply to be with Lucifer?

  Did he decide to join our group specifically because we passed Lucifer’s test? Was that the only reason he had held his peace, avoided confrontation, and kept silent throughout his time with us? So he wouldn’t be kicked out? So we wouldn’t request a change? So we wouldn’t get to the point that we shunned him or told Lucifer he was not to be included in our victory? The truth of the matter was that he hadn’t contributed to our win. Sure, he could have beaten Rufus with minimal effort, but would Lucifer had accepted our group if Vergil had interfered? There was no way of knowing if all my suspicions were true, and I did not dare accuse Vergil for fear of what it would do to his psyche - but every angel in Heaven would probably agree...that he was in a wonderful position.

  I hoped it was paranoia - that Vergil had truly wanted to be with us because of our teamwork, our unity and infallible bond. That none of his desires stemmed from a secret greed he had to keep hidden until the right opportunity. This was Heaven – surely such things didn’t exist.

  But yet I could not stop myself, reaching out to the Throne Room door and placing a hand onto its exterior. Bowing my head, I prayed that God’s will be done. If Vergil had been deceiving us all along, I prayed that it would be revealed, and finally, that God would protect us from the conflict I felt in my very being was going to occur. Please Lord, let us brace the storm. Give us shelter. Please Lord, keep us safe…

  CHAPTER 9: Solo Ballad

  Arthur turned down Vergil’s eager invitation to leave his post and join us for the concert. He wanted to go, but stressed that when Lucifer gave you a directive, you listened and obeyed. I wondered why Lucifer had so much authority. Maybe Lucifer was a Glory and received orders directly from God? No...he was an Archangel. Did Archangels also receive orders directly from God? No, that couldn’t be it either. Vergil was an Archangel, and he definitely wasn’t in touch with God - he wouldn’t be so lonely if he were. Unless the loneliness was an act…

  “Ugh,” I groaned, rubbing my forehead. There was just no time to think anymore. It was like someone was uploading large quantities of data into my head without giving me time to filter it. My reasoning was starting to get cloudy and Vergil wasn’t helping. As soon as Arthur declined Vergil’s offer, Vergil grabbed my wrist tightly and whisked me away toward the Symphony Hall.

  But I was not prepared for whatever lay for me at Lucifer’s concert. I had to talk to Cadence, if for nothing else but to alleviate my doubts. He would have the answers.

  “Vergil,” I said sheepishly, as if I were afraid he would discover my suspicions, “I’ll meet you at the hall. I’m going to get the rest of the group to come with us.”

  “Why?” he asked. “I don’t think they’ll want to come.”

  “They will. We all passed Lucifer’s test.”

  “You did. I didn’t,” he stated matter-of-factly as we flew. I wrenched my wrist from his grip and halted my flight, concerned that I had let him hold it for so long. Vergil frowned and turned back to confront me.

  “What does that matter?” I asked him. “Even if you became a member right now, you would get in.”

  “What if I go to the hall and Lucifer asks who I am?”

  “Tell him you’re a part of the team.”

  “He’s not going to believe me if none of you are there. I’ll be a nobody to him.”

  “Then come with me to the Fellowship Hall first and we’ll get the others. No one said you have to go alone.”

  Vergil’s wings were twitching impatiently, his jaw clenched as he tried to keep his irritation from manifesting.

  “You’re right, Lysander. We have to stick together.”

  He followed me to the Fellowship Hall, deliberately going at a slow pace behind me in case I changed my mind. I could see Vergil constantly looking over his shoulder, wondering if we were going to miss the concert - if we would be able to get in once it began.

  “Did you enjoy Arthur’s poem?” Vergil asked, catching up to me in front of the entrance.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “You never gave a straight answer earlier, and you’ve been acting weird ever since he recited it.”

  “How so?”

  “You’re not as warm. It’s like you’ve gotten cold and calculating again.”

  “Cold and calculating?” I laughed. “Since when has that been my personality?”

  “It hasn’t. So when you changed, I noticed right away. Is there something on your mind? Accusations you want to get off your chest?”

  Vergil’s aura was emitting a strange warm glow. On the exterior he was stone-faced and calm, but on the inside he was struggling to hide his smoldering.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “But you can with Cadence, right?”

  “Vergil, where is this coming from?”

  “You want to talk to Cadence.”

  “I do, but we have to get everyone-”

  “You don’t think I belong in your group.”

  “Vergil, I-”

  “You think I should be excluded when Lucifer invites you in.”

  “No, that’s not-”

  “I’ll be at Symphony Hall, Lysander,” he stated flatly, his last words colder than the rest. “See you there.”

  “I thought you needed us to-”

  But he was gone before I could speak and my head was spinning. Was Vergil so unstable and socially awkward that he could flip-flop emotionally without notice, or was he just playing into my emotions, making me feel worse for not personally connecting with him earlier – a guilt trip to secure his place in our number, and in Lucifer’s company. I could have chased after him, but I decided to go with my gut instinct and talk to Cadence about it first. If Vergil really was that emotional, then I would have plenty of opportunities to mend his feelings. And if he had been tricking us all along, well, there would be time for dealing with that too.

  Entering the Fellowship Hall, I fluttered next to the first angel I spotted and tapped his shoulder. He seemed to recognize me instantly.

  “Hey! You’re Lysander,” he said, rushing to face me. His wings did a weird shudder when he turned and stayed half-closed as he flew, but I didn’t think much of it. I was taken aback by all the fame coming my way.

  “Yes. It’s me,” I said in a stupor. I h
ad no clue how to react to his greeting.

  “You’re friends with Marcus, aren’t you?”

  “Yes! Do you know where he is?”

  “Not here, I’m afraid. Though I have to tell you I’ve never seen an angel clear out a table like he can. I’ve seen Godhands eat before, and obviously their appetites are huge, but this guy? He’s a bottomless pit.”

  “So he’s not eating anymore?”

  “Not by choice. His feeding frenzy was getting out of hand, so they called in Michael, one of the Archangels, to apprehend him. Michael just swooped in and whisked him away.”

  “Is he in trouble?”

  “No, but I heard a couple angels saying he was needed for faith training. God’s orders. Before he was taken, Marcus said he was staying at the Fellowship Hall because he was waiting for you and another Archangel to get back. Asked us to tell you what happened to him.”

  “But you recognized me as soon I came through the door. Did he tell you who I was?”

  “No, but everyone in Heaven knows about the ragtag team of young ones who managed to pass Lucifer’s test. I tried it once, but I failed miserably. You’re a strong team.”

  “Everyone knows?”

  “Everyone. It’s been a long time since anyone’s made it, so news spread fast.”

  “Oh…well, what about my other friends then? Do you-”

  “-HEY! It’s Lysander!” an angel called from across the room. The general murmuring was beginning to subside and eyes were becoming fixated on me.

  “Shhh!” the angel I was talking to whispered. “John, calm down. I’m talking to the celebrity here.”

  “Sorry, Boris!” he yelled back. “Let me know when you’re done!”

  “I apologize for that,” Boris said. “So what were you saying?”

  “Do you know where my friends are, besides Marcus?”

  “Farah, the little Faithful, decided to go with him because she thought it was hilarious he needed training in faith. Cadence and Alessa were taken by a Messenger. Supposedly, they were selected to be part of a team overseeing Earth’s construction.”

  “Earth? Planet Earth? It’s happening?”

  The second most important place in an angel’s mental database. It was finally becoming a reality…would this be our next destination? Our next home?

  “I know!” Boris exclaimed, his eyes lit up. “It was nothing more than a possibility before, but now it’s happening for real! Isn’t that exciting?”

  I scanned my database for clues as to what the future held for Vergil and “Team Six”, but nothing came up. My database had basic facts and concepts about pretty much everything, even names and places that did not yet exist, but nothing regarding the intricate details of a person’s or angel’s life – an encyclopedia with missing volumes. In the premonition department, we were as clueless as the next, and only God could boast such ability.

  “If Earth is being created, then human beings will be there at some point,” I said excitedly, “and that must mean we’re going to be given duties to perform soon!”

  “That’s the general consensus. Seems God heard our prayers after all. There was no reason to doubt.”

  “God’s creating Earth right now?”

  “Yes, that’s what we were told.”

  “Then I’ll have to go to Lucifer’s concert alone.”

  “That’s where you’re headed? The concert?”

  “Why? Is something wrong?”

  “It’s just…um.” Boris was at a loss for words and I couldn’t stay long. Vergil was waiting for me. I noticed that a few angels who had been noticeably eavesdropping on our conversation were starting to look a little queasy.

  “What is it?”

  “I hear things about Lucifer…I don’t know if they’re true, but there’s a rumor that Lucifer is making a move against God.”

  “What kind of move? Last I heard, his company praises God greater than any of us.”

  “The details are hazy, but the Glory are saying that his concert is actually a rally for all of his followers. They say God doesn’t want this to happen.”

  “Can’t God stop it whenever He wants?”

  “He’s trying to keep a balance, and He doesn’t want to interfere with our free will.”

  “This can’t be true. Did anyone check out the concert? Confirm the rumor’s legitimacy?”

  “I trust my friend,” he said, pointing over to a purple-haired, skinny angel. “He’s a Glory, and he’s spoken with God on a consistent basis. Those in Lucifer’s camp would have you believe that He’s nowhere to be found, but that can’t be true if we have a number of angels in communication with Him at all times. If He had deserted us, the line would have been severed.”

  “Even so, we should check out Lucifer – get enough evidence before we jump to a conclusion that could hurt us collectively.”

  “Lysander, we’re already divided. Look around you. The Fellowship Hall lost a fair amount of its visitors due to the concert.”

  “That doesn’t prove Lucifer is about to commit treason. I need facts. I’m sorry, but if we’re lacking sufficient information, we should give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  “Are you going there now?” he asked, concerned with the direction our conversation was heading.

  “Vergil’s waiting for me,” I said. “I have to go.”

  “I’m serious, young one. Be careful. If we’ve heard of you, then so has Lucifer. He’ll demand your allegiance.”

  “That was originally part of the plan, but I’ll check it out for myself.”

  I left the Fellowship Hall unsure of my next step. Vergil was sure to be waiting for me at Symphony Hall. What could I possibly tell him about what I had just heard? That he had to put his feelings aside and attend the concert with an objective eye, because supposedly it was a secret movement driven to hurt, not praise God? And the only evidence I had was a sinking sensation in my spirit and statements from a third party? Vergil had been so bewitched by Arthur’s poem, I doubted he would forget the concert altogether if I asked him to. He would go in, no matter what I had to say. And I couldn’t just let Vergil go in without me, in case Lucifer did have a secret agenda - Vergil was so enthusiastic he would be easily indoctrinated without even realizing it.

  The only course of action was to attend the concert, but I wouldn’t have any back-up. It didn’t matter if I had the most influence over Vergil. If he decided to tune me out, I wouldn’t have Marcus or one of the others there to drag him out…

  I could hear the ear-pounding noise coming from the concert the moment I stepped out of the Fellowship Hall, and this was just the opening ceremonies. Cheers and worship were being lifted up and I could hear various instruments being elegantly played, from the bold trumpet to the lovely, delicate harp. In the midst of the harmony, was a voice – a soothing, liquid voice that somehow reached inside of you, grabbed your soul, and pulled you toward it like a siren. It was uncomfortably beautiful, each resonant note and mesmerizing trill echoing off the heavens and ricocheting back to the Symphony Hall’s amphitheater, creating a vacuum of music and praise. I now understood why those wary of Lucifer’s power stayed inside the Fellowship Hall. His singing was strangely inviting, and the music spoke to me in a way words never could. Logic nourished the mind and emotion caressed the heart, but music? It fed the soul.

  When I arrived at Symphony Hall, there were seven angels on the stairs leading to its entrance. I didn’t see the point, since there was no domed ceiling to keep angels inside the building...or out. Besides the ringed wall that stood before me, there was no foreseeable ceiling. I could see angels hovering top to bottom from where I floated, all of them fully attentive to Lucifer. On a high mountain above the stadium floor, he stood, singing to the best of his ability, giving off his natural light like a beacon for all to see. From outside the hall he was invisible, for the round silver exterior was miles above the mountain on which he stood. But his Archangel light had the intensity of a small star and even from the stre
et, you could discern a breath-taking preview of what you were missing. I would be a liar if I said it wasn’t appealing to behold.

  I tried to go over the entrance and right into the hall but one of the angels guarding the stairs, a Godhand, noticed me immediately and shot up from his post to block me.

  “No trespassing without an invitation,” he stated in a gruff, deep baritone, staring past me as he relayed the memorized message.

  “I’m here to talk to Lucifer, and see about my friend, Vergil.”

  “So you must be Lysander.”

  “You’ve heard of me?”

  “From your friend Vergil. He’s down below with my squad. He attempted to break into the service. He was denied. After due belligerence, we inquired Lucifer personally about his ties to him, but the prince claims he has never heard of your friend and instructed him to return with your group, if he truly is a part of it. No escort. No entry.”

  “So, now that I’m here, will we be able to get in?”

  “Lucifer has granted you access, and he’s already given permission to Vergil to accompany you if you are indeed members of the same team, so yes, if you are willing.”

  “Thank you, I’ll talk to Vergil. Let your squad know we’re going in.”

  “Will do.”

  I descended to the stairs where two Godhands were watching over my friend, sitting on a step with his head in his palms, staring off into space. As soon as I landed, he strode my way angrily.

  “What took you so long?” he roared.

  “And what gives you the right to talk to me like that?” I replied, the words streaming out of my mouth. He toned down his attitude. The outburst had caught me off guard. Was Vergil wearing on my patience?

  “Sorry,” he said solemnly. “I’m angry because I was here at the very beginning and I wasn’t allowed to go in.”

  “That Godhand filled me in, but don’t worry, we can enter now.”

  “You still want to go?”

  “Not really,” I shrugged my shoulders. “I can hear the music fine from here and honestly, based on a few things I heard about Lucifer, I would rather keep my distance and investigate a little further…but I know how much this means to you.”