The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars

by Donovan Neal

  Gabriel had come.

  ********************

  Lucifer stepped into the Kiln, and he could hear the siren songs that the stones sang to him.

  Soon the very power of creation will be mine to command, and I will make a new Heaven and a new Earth.

  Lucifer looked to the center of the Kiln, and standing before the Prime Stone with a sword bathed in blue flame was Michael.

  Lucifer smiled. “Brother, so you have supplanted me as the Chief Prince, yet it is of no consequence. Bow down and worship me; pledge to me thy fealty, and even now offense shall be forgiven, and all shall be thine.”

  Michael answered and said unto him, “We have not spoken since the Lord’s supper, and after all this, your first words are of your station, but naught for the destruction you have caused. I would know why.”

  Lucifer looked upon his brother in anger. “You query me? Me? Am I a dog that I must give answer now? Hast thou risen to prominence that I should be questioned?” Lucifer guffawed. “Very well then, know that I oppose the enslavement of our people, and I will be a slave no longer. I would have what El would deny me. Yet it is not seemly that I should take your life, Heaven cannot afford the loss of so great a servant to her cause.”

  Lucifer moved closer to Michael, his hands folded behind his back watching him.

  “Even now, you threaten to take my stone?" Michael replied. “I have in vain held back the truth of your treason. I have told myself there must be just cause for your deeds. That what Raphael and Iofiel said about you were amiss, but out of thine own mouth, you stand condemned. I have loved you, yet you would seek to destroy me to achieve thine own ends, and there is a part of me Lucifer — that would let you.”

  “So brother,” said Lucifer. “Then my words fall on deaf ears, for thou hast eyes yet cannot see, and ears yet will not hear. I had sworn that I would never leave thee nor forsake thee, yet now my own brother lifts up his hand against me. Am I hated thus?”

  Michael lowered his gaze, frowned, grabbed the hilt of his sword, pointed its blue blade at Lucifer, and looked him squarely in the eye. “I do not hate you brother.” Tears fell from Michael’s eyes. “I hate what I have become because of you.”

  Lucifer stopped his walk and closed his eyes, a tear ran from his eye, and he spoke. “What is done is done. It is too late for returning; too much has transpired. To see freedom, there must be a new God. This has grown beyond you and me.” Lucifer scowled, his voice changed to a heavy base, and the sound pounded with the force of a drum.

  “Move aside. My accession to the Godhead has been delayed for too long, for despite El, I will be God.”

  Michael stood his ground, his sword locked and pointed at Lucifer.

  “I will not allow you to take the God Stones. I will see dissolution before you assume the throne.”

  Lucifer stood mute for a second, his face stoic and grim. He looked at his brother, studied him, and then slowly nodded. “So be it.”

  Lucifer opened the pores of his flesh and immediately detonated in light: the colors of the rainbow were as a thing alive and wrapped themselves around Michael blinding him. Lucifer inhaled and belted out a roar that sent Michael reeling and he was thrown back, and crashed into the great cavern wall with a thud.

  Lucifer walked confidently towards the Prime Stone and spoke.

  “Thou art a fool to withstand me. You cannot hope to best me in combat. Bow down and worship me, and even now I will spare thee.”

  Michael lifted himself from the floor and held his abdomen now sore. In a voice low and deliberate, he gave the command. “Ouranos, destroy!”

  Like a dog unleashed, the giant golem broke from its embedded slumber and raced to charge into Lucifer.

  Lucifer looked at the gargantuan Elohim that ran towards him, and again confidently opened the pores of his flesh. Light lifted from him as the surf upon the ocean and crashed in all directions.

  The waves of multicolored force bathed itself over Ouranos, but the golem continued his charge unabated. He lumbered as only a giant could and raised his hands to smite Lucifer.

  Lucifer backed away and opened his mouth to speak. He shouted to the creature to stop, and the echo of his mighty voice reverberated in the Kiln, causing the mountain to shake from within, so that even those outside felt the bass of Lucifer’s voice vibrate their chests.

  But Michael knew his brother, and El had prepared him. Ouranos was unmoved and slipped through the sound boom as through water; he came for the Chief Prince with hands lifted to strike. Lucifer grew pale as he looked at the behemoth.

  Lucifer drew his sword, but it was too late. He felt the crush of Ouranos’ fist slam his head into the ground, the weight of the creature was such that the Kiln floor yielded and cracked as Lucifer’s body crumpled underneath the creature's hands.

  Lucifer, however, was the First of Angels, and he lifted his wings to cover his face. His scales retracted into his body to reveal the diamond armor surrounding him. His legs and arms grew muscular, and with the revealing of his talons, he completed the transformation into the warrior angel necessary to survive the environment of the thing El had called space. He lifted the great titan from off of him, swung his sword at the creature, slicing into its chest.

  Stunned from the blow, Ouranos fell to the ground. Lucifer retracted once again the armor from his body and opened his mouth to blast the creature with the power of his voice.

  Michael now recovered; flew to assault his brother, and with sword in hand; struck Lucifer across his neck, and sliced his esophagus. Blood spewed into the air as a mist. Michael landed to the floor and turned to attack his brother once more. Lucifer’s eyes grew wide as he gurgled on his own blood and for a moment staggered, and fell to bended knee. Ouranos stood to launch himself at the Chief Prince again. Michael also turned and leaped into the air to bring dissolution to his brother.

  Lucifer grinned and stretched his hand to touch the Prime Stone. With vocal cords embedded in his forearms and ears, he spoke over it. “Ehyeh asher ehyeh,” Which means in Elohim, ‘I will be what I will be.’

  Immediately both Michael and Ouranos were repelled, flung hard by an invisible hand against the cavern wall.

  When Lucifer spoke, the god stones quieted, stopped their singing, and rose from the cavern floor. “Ehyeh asher ehyeh,” he spoke again.

  With each chant, every stone changed its song and sounded like the voice of Lucifer, so that when he spoke, all stones spoke, and the disparate songs of many became the unified song of one. Each gemstone then moved towards him and attached itself to his skin.

  Lucifer opened his arms wide to receive them as each stone slowly melded into him. He began to gleam as the brightest star and changed before Michael’s eyes. The power of God resident within the stones poured into Lucifer and the gash across Lucifer’s throat healed itself.

  The elements of all creation danced around him, and he changed in appearance with the addition of each stone: his head became as fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, his belly and thighs of bronze, his legs of iron, his feet part iron and clay, and all stones sang the song of Lucifer.

  Lucifer basked in the power that flowed through him, shimmered and became opaque. For in that moment he was in the Kiln but was not, and on Earth, but was not. Present in Heaven, but was not.

  The power of El to be everywhere coursed through him, and the host of Heaven saw Lucifer’s image in all places. Many wondered at the sight, for only El ever displayed such power, and Lucifer relished in the sensation of omnipresence. El’s power crackled and sizzled and the ground shook as the universe witnessed the ascension of Lucifer to the Godhead.

  The Kiln erupted in even more flame, and Michael and the juggernaut drew back from the heat and lightning that sparked across the chamber.

  Lucifer then grew in stature, and his body convulsed and changed. Legs like that of the reptilian earthen creatures sprang from him. His twelve wings merged to become two wings of leather. His body elongated, and his should
ers cracked and budded heads like unto serpents. Lucifer fell to the ground and writhed, as he became a beast with seven heads and upon each head were ten horns. His translucent skin turned dark crimson, and he arose from the Kiln floor as a great dragon and spoke. “Behold the First of Angels my brother! Behold thy new God!”

  Lucifer’s voice modulated all things within the Kiln, and the sound was as thousands speaking at once.

  The fire that raged in the room swirled in vortices. Lucifer inhaled the flames: swallowed them into himself, reared his head back, and spewed at Michael living fire. Michael, sweltering under the heated blaze, raised his sword and wings to cover and anchor himself into the floor, and watched as Ouranos slowly turned to slag.

  Michael turned his eyes to the boiling stones he had planted in the ceiling above him. Stones that sung not the song of Lucifer nor joined themselves to the Usurper. Stones that sang the song he had given them, stones needed to complete Lucifer’s transformation. Michael watched as his brother exulted in triumph, and waited for his opportunity to attack.

  ********************

  Jerahmeel hung for dear life to a cropping of rock as the swirling abyss of the bottomless pit awaited him below. The henchman and he struggled to climb up to the edge of the cliffs and out of reach of the Zoa that somehow also had escaped destruction. Its teeth snapped at them and tentacled appendages sought to capture them.

  Lucifer’s guardian of the waypoint kicked at Jerahmeel, and Jerahmeel slipped. The Zoa’s tentacled arms reached to grab him by his ankle and drag him into its jaws. Jerahmeel kicked at the creature below while the guard kicked at Jerahmeel from above. Nevertheless, Jerahmeel held fast and pummeled the creature. Struggling for release, he tugged at the heel of the struggling angel, pulled from his robes a dagger, and plunged it into the guard’s calf.

  The angel screamed, slipped, and then fell plunging past Jerahmeel into the waiting mouth of the Zoa. The Zoa’s teeth clamped deep into the angels abdomen and would not let go, and Lucifer’s henchmen screamed in agony.

  Jerahmeel grabbed a tentacle, and with it jumped and swung from it to another portion of the cliff; his momentum caused the creature to slip, then fall, as Lucifer’s guard screamed as he and the Zoa fell, grappling one another into the swirling Maelstrom of the bottomless pit, and disappeared into the blackness.

  Jerahmeel pulled himself upward, his muscles ached, and his tendons strained to sustain his weight. Determination and survival fueled him, and with hand over fist, he climbed to pull himself up to the firm ground of the Cliffs of Argoth. Turning over on his back, he caught his breath, and while upside down, he noticed the waypoint was still sealed.

  He lifted himself to his feet and ran to turn the lever that deflected all Ladders away from the area. As the seal fell back, it crackled with energy and the buzzing sound of a Ladder could be heard. Suddenly, a vortex of light and fire opened and then another, and instantly angel after teeming angel fell from the sky and the cliffs became full of the angelic host. Jerahmeel allowed himself to let out a sigh of relief as Iofiel and others across the realms Laddered into the waypoint. Chronos, the keeper of Time in the second heaven, approached his prince, extended his hand to raise Jerahmeel from the ground, and asked, “Why hast Heaven been barred from us?”

  Iofiel rushed to Jerahmeel and spoke, “Forgive me, my Lord, but I inquire of Prince Michael? Is he safe?”

  Jerahmeel looked at him. “Aye, he travels to the Kiln.”

  Iofiel let out a sigh of relief.

  Breathless, Jerahmeel pointed towards the heavenly city. “Alas, we are at war, for the Chief Prince has sought to overthrow El and has conspired to prevent all opposition. Go to and open the way to Heaven, and smite them that would oppose El.”

  The legion, stood speechless and in shock at the smoke and flames in the distance.

  Chronos was unique as an Arelim, for as Lucifer’s body was filled with tabrets and pipes, Chronos' was replete with hourglasses and instruments to measure all units of time.

  “To arms,” he yelled. “Let us secure the gates so Heaven will never be sealed again!”

  The chronometer within the forehead of Chronos quickened, and energy flashed about him and enveloped those on the rostrum of the cliffs. In seconds, they were all gone and immediately reappeared at the next waypoint. One angel guarded the gate and kept it shut. When he saw the multitude teleport from nowhere: all hovered and stood with arms raised, he trembled in fear.

  Chronos spoke authoritatively as he stood behind Jerahmeel. “Stand aside or know dissolution.”

  Jerahmeel just smiled and said, “I think he means it.”

  The angel bowed and moved away from the lever, and Jerahmeel released the locks and the shield that deflected all Ladders. The shield was drawn back, and the Northern gate suddenly filled with Ladders as angels poured in with questions; angered that they could not come home. Some became incensed that Lucifer would strand them in the realms without means to return. Soon the legion became legions: and Chronos transported the horde to each of the remaining waypoints until all were secured.

  When the last of Lucifer’s lackeys was shackled in chains, Jerahmeel turned to the mass of Elohim, which were like the stars, for they were too numerous to count, and asked Chronos, “Can you hasten the multitude to speed us to the city?”

  “Nay, for we are now too many. Even I have limits to my power. We are almost the whole of all Elohim.”

  Jerahmeel patted his young brother on the back, nodding, then moved to set himself so that he could be seen of the entire host and shouted to the multitudes before him, “Lucifer in his arrogance has sought to displace El, and make himself King over us! Our brother has become awash in his pride! I say that we show him that we are not traitors to the father!” Jerahmeel raised his bloodstained dagger into the air for all to see and roared, “I say we show him the error of his ways!”

  The mob thundered their approval and chanted, “El! El! El!”

  Jerahmeel shouted, “Let all who bear the mark of Lucifer Draco be brought low! Now, go to and let us see this end!”

  As one man, each used the various modes that were available to him - to run, fly, gallop, or teleport into the city of Jerusalem, fists and weapons raised: a legion of legions with but one purpose: to bring to naught every shred of rebellion that kept them from their home.

  ********************

  Sariel watched from afar, as Talus grappled with Abaddon for control of his sword. He studied him, for Abaddon had adjusted his attacks to combat Gabriel’s speed and tried to anticipate where Gabriel’s next attack would come from. Abaddon surrounded himself with his shield of locusts; they encased his form as an exoskeleton and gave him strength. Sariel watched as the sword of Abaddon sliced through angel after angel. Watched as Abaddon’s foes fell maimed, and crippled before him screaming in pain. Abaddon controlled the swarm as a thing alive. Using the insects like a living whip, he extended the swarm by his will and wrapped Talus and Gabriel in a tendril of stingers until each became immobilized in pain.

  Sariel noted their folly: for they did not attack him as one man; instead, each sought to take him down solely. None took the time to note that Abaddon adjusted in time to their strength and speed

  He considered that Abaddon was a mover of stars, thus one of the strongest of Elohim. Abaddon was not a mere angel; he was the Destroyer, for he was Charon-like in his ability to withstand blow after blow dealt to him. He could be slowed, even redirected, but he could not be stopped, not man-to-man. Sariel admired his strength. There was something hidden, regal about Abaddon. Sariel had never noted it before, but seeing Abaddon in combat, Sariel knew that El had originally more in store for this angel, but whatever purpose was his genesis, it now was lost, for now he had to be stopped.

  So Sariel studied him, and watched as gryphon riders fell upon him only to be cut down and slaughtered. Abaddon himself took up a rider’s trident, and with sword in one hand and trident in the other, he dismounted a rider and mounted his
gryphon and launched himself into the sky. He jousted with riders, who sought to fell him, and he speared them through to a man; all that tried to face him in battle were cut to the ground in blood.

  Sariel noted that whenever Abaddon extended himself, his broken stones glowed brighter. The swarm moved around him, and he grew stronger as they attached themselves to the very gryphon he rode. He animated the creature with an unholy power, making it even stronger as Abaddon’s own power coursed through the gryphon’s veins. Sariel watched the havoc around him. Those with the mark of Lucifer fought with those who had none, and all fought to stop Abaddon.

  The stench of blood permeated the air. It ran as rain into the drains of the golden streets, and splattered like graffiti on the walls of now burning and broken towers and buildings. The air was full with the sound of moans, screams, the clanking sound of steel, the thuds of bodies slammed to the ground, and the swift breeze of foes that bobbed, weaved, and sliced through the warm air. The sounds of anger and bitterness filled the air as brother-fought brother. The hatred towards El and Lucifer’s hubris were as the smell of charred rubble, a palpable odor that choked the lungs.

  In the epicenter of all the chaos was the rogue angel Abaddon, defiant, standing against attack after attack. Sariel stepped back to dodge a foe thrown across his path, slipped on blood, and fell backward. Suddenly, an angel hovered over him and Sariel beheld the mark of Lucifer burned into his attacker’s stone. The angel had a sword to smite Sariel but recognized him for who he was and paused.

  They looked into each other’s eyes. Sariel stood to his feet, and the glory of God still shown on him. Sariel saw his hesitation. For deep within the breast of his brother was shame. The angel lowered his eyes to the ground and bowed his head. He hobbled as he backed away from his prince, and dropped his sword to the ground.