A Gluttony Of Faith

by Steven Lindsay

  And until he was no longer mortal she would only view him as an asset. Still it was good that Hera approved of Kyle. He was turning out to be remarkably useful.

  “But I am curious as to how he found out about the Angels.”

  “Brigid told you because Lucifer was under Sariel’s care. It seems likely his source must be within the highest ranks of Brigid’s circles. Curious that he has such a source.”

  “Indeed. I would like you to discover his source, perhaps we can utilise it. I want you to go to New Orleans tomorrow when the storms start.”

  Chapter 3

  Someone was holding his hand. And they were using magic on him. His temper raged to the surface but fizzled out. They were attempting to heal him. Who was foolish enough to try and heal a Divine? Who in their right mind would enter his rooms and hold his hand while he was still asleep? He had an unearned reputation, but that should have scared away all interlopers.

  “I can tell that you are awake, Lucifer.”

  Sariel. Of course, it was Sariel. Samael had mentioned that Sariel was incredibly naïve about the world of the Divine. He opened up his eyes and looked over his shoulder at her. Sure enough, she was sitting holding his hand in her lap. It glowed with Chaos and flares of green and violet.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to heal you. Your mind still bears huge scars over your time in Hell. These are preventing your mind settling and healing. Add to that your influx of Hell powers and your magical control and equilibrium have been thrown out, which further impedes your healing and development.”

  “Sariel, it doesn’t work like that.”

  “No, for some reason it doesn’t. Even my Chaos isn’t proving beneficial. There are scars, and yet I cannot heal them.”

  “Well, for starters, you cannot heal the Divine.”

  “I healed Hera.”

  Now that was a story he would have to get out of her another time. “Well, that is strange in itself however the mind is not the body. In the normal sense of things, scars take time to heal and on mortals many of them never disappear. With magic, however, physical scars can be healed but mental scars are not the same. The only way to heal those is to remove the memories.”

  “Which is no healing at all.” She shook her head.

  “Your intentions are well placed, Sariel, but healing takes time. You survived Hell, but the rest of us were changed from it.”

  “I was changed from it.”

  “Yes, you were, but you cannot understand our suffering. You cannot comprehend what we suffered.” He realised he had said the wrong thing when she dropped his hand.

  “Oh, I understand your suffering very well Lucifer. I too was betrayed by our siblings. I traversed all of Hell by myself and was exposed to horrors I could never have comprehended beforehand. I was attacked by Demon after Demon, and each one I battled I had to magically subdue. In the process of stripping their Curse, I was exposed to their memories, to your memories. I have seen all that you endured, and all that the other Greater Demons endured.” She fell silent and stood up “yet for all I saw, and in turn felt, I have not suffered as you have. Or any of the others. I have seen what you all endured and while I too suffered, it was not the same. In theory, I understand, but I did not experience.”

  “I’m sorry, Sariel, I didn’t realise just how much you saw of our memories. Forgive me for my thoughtfulness.” He came to stand behind her, a pillar of strength that she didn’t quite realise she still relied on.

  “So there is nothing I can do to ease your pain?”

  “You have done far more than anyone. You have given me freedom and for that, I will always be thankful. There is nothing more you can do to heal my mind.”

  “But there is something else I can do?” She turned around to face him.

  He hesitated “I’m not sure if it is appropriate to ask.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “May I hold you? I feel the need for physical contact.”

  She watched him with amused eyes, a smile tugging at her lips “You may, Lucifer.”

  He wrapped his arms around her in a loose embrace. She felt him relax as she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her face against his neck. He closed his eyes and pulled her tighter. She didn’t know it, but he needed to be near her. When she was around, he was calmer and lucid, when she wasn’t he felt vulnerable and on edge. He didn’t like weakness, and he hated this new dependency. He had been an Arch Angel. At least she was kind and without guile. She would not use this against him.

  “Where do I go from here?”

  “Where ever you like, Lucifer. Brigid has no expectations of you, though, that may change if you wish to stay with her empire. I’m sure Samael would love to have your company in South Africa, and Hecate would probably enjoy your company as well. There are no constraints on you, but the Angels of Heaven will return soon. Alone you are vulnerable, but you do have your own realm to retreat to now.”

  “How did it come to this? I don’t know what to do with a realm.”

  “And I don’t know how to be the Goddess of Chaos. Yet somehow every thinks I’m doing it perfectly. Perhaps you just have to make being the High Lord of Hell your own and everyone will accept it.”

  “Make it my own?” he seemed surprised, the notion was apparently foreign to him.

  “Yes, but I might suggest seeking out Hades, Erebus and Nyx’s help.”

  “Why those three?”

  “Well, Nyx is the Primordial Goddess of Night, and Erebus is the Primordial Darkness. You are now the Prince of Darkness, which is completely new to you. They may be able to teach you. As for Hades, well, he too rules an Underworld realm. You could learn a lot from him.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you are brilliant?” he leaned back to look at her. She opened her violet eyes to look at him.

  “Actually no.”

  “Then I am very much surprised because you, Sariel, are the single most incredible person I have ever had the honour of meeting.”

  If she could blush, she would be crimson. It wasn’t the first time she was thankful for her Divine blood.

  “Thank you.”

  “You know you are very unlike the rest of the Divine.”

  “So everyone keeps telling me. I’m not sure if it is a good thing.”

  “Believe me, it is.”

  She smiled brightly and once again he was entrapped with it.

  “So tell me, how is it that we are in an Atlantean city in Avalon?”

  “That is a long story, I’ll show you around while I tell you.”

  She led him out by the hand smiling, and he had a feeling that something else was occurring.

  Hera stood on the top the Golden Gate Bridge looking out over the Pacific Ocean. She breathed in the salty air thick with fog. Most of the bridge was hidden and so was the bay by the thick fog that was a regular fixture of San Francisco. As of yet she had applied no magic to it, it was simply a return to regular weather patterns that had been lost over the last few decades. It was a mark of the city’s pride to be one of the few cities in what had been America to have returned to full health. It was her reward for the sheer loyalty of San Francisco and the number of mages it had given her.

  So far she had two cities with such unquestionable loyalties, the only other was her capital, New York. Its loyalty was assured by the Forsaken killing any Angel loyalists and the flocking of the Daemon races to her banner. Several other capital cities in her territories were approaching such loyalty but had yet to get there. There was also New Orleans with its unquestionable loyalty assured by Kyle and the extremely high Daemon presence there. However, it currently was deep within enemy territory, cut off from the rest of her broken empire. That would need to change, but unfortunately, the UCSA had pooled their resources together and were managing a decent defence against her Army of Nightmares.

  They were however concentrated at the edges of her territory, it was the Mormon Corridor that had grown beyond a thorn in her side
. It had actively been expanding its territory into the unclaimed territories next to it, and it even had the audacity to try and expand into her own territories. There had been infringements into Nevada for months now but trying to infringe upon California was an insult too far. She would not accept this.

  She had specifically set time aside to deal with this issue which had become most pressing with the Angels imminent return. She would not face a battle on two fronts, she knew her strategy well, and unfortunately, her empire was pockmarked with the Angels’ followers. The Forsaken still had far to go in their hunt throughout her empire. The only salve for the sting was that the there were many pockets of her followers within the UCSA and that New Orleans had turned back any assaults.

  She had not realised that while the Angels’ followers lacked their own magic they were protected by brilliant Angel Weaves. Magical assaults had begun to backfire against her armies. She had to admire the shrewd intelligence of the Arch Angels. Their religions imbued their followers with defences that other mortals were not granted, but they required a great deal of death to start initiating. But they couldn’t stand up to the full might of a Goddess.

  The fog flared violet as she imbued it with her powers and her wrath. Mortals were learning to fear her for her powers, but so far it had been city by city. She was going to wipe clean a state.

  Magic poured down into the Pacific drawing up dark cloud banks that raced inland. The scenic beauty of San Francisco was lost beneath a developing maelstrom that turned the skies dark and boding. The very air was filled with the threat of violence.

  Hera disappeared from atop the Golden Gate Bridge and reappeared two states over on the roof of the Salt Lake City Temple. She looked about the still, scenic landscape which despite being a desert wasteland managed to capture some wild beauty. Yet it was a cold foreboding place just like the temple beneath her. Even with the harsh, summer sunlight blaring down there was a cold unrest to the city. There was a strong sense of Divine empowerment occurring, the Angels’ faith was strong and absolute here. There was no sense of hers, they had all heeded Ariadne’s warning.

  She called out to her power matrix in the west.

  Dark clouds raced in from the west, clogging the sky from horizon to horizon. All sunlight was choked by the ever-thickening clouds. She felt the people’s fear spiking, and she smiled. This was going to be most satisfying.

  The rolling thunder boomed, again and again, increasing in intensity until the noise itself shattered windows and cause buildings to shudder. Wild winds grew ever stronger, pouring in from the west, delivering a deluge of rain, the dry winds from the north, east and south were drawn into the maelstrom, splintering the winds into swirling columns. Above each and every town and city was born a tornado, their spouts reaching down to the ground where they exploded into terrible violence. Even as these thousands of tornadoes ripped their way around Utah, the whole maelstrom shuddered into a swirling hurricane of apocalyptic proportions. Roofs were ripped off, and people were plucked from the streets even as others were struck down by lightning. Explosions shook the cities as power plants, gas stations, and gas lines were struck by lightning. The screams of millions were obliterated by the shrieking winds, roaring thunder and constant explosions.

  The temple beneath her shattered into millions of pieces as she released an unholy cataclysm to rip the Angels’ Weave to shreds and obliterate all trace that the temple and the rest of Salt Lake City had ever existed.

  Xandelexis looked up as Sariel and Lucifer walked into his laboratory. She was full of her usual energy while he looked more than a little overwhelmed.

  “Xandelexis, how are you?” She beamed at him as she swept up to his equipment to look at what he was investigating.

  “Welcome, Sariel, I am well thank you. My experiments into the effects of Chaos upon cells is proving most interesting.” He indicated the incubator. Petri dishes and Li tubes filled with mortal and immortal cells sat on their shelves with small traces of Chaos present. The mortal cells exhibited little reaction though some had attained a slight glow in the brown light. The Divine cells in the Li tubes, on the other hand, were exhibiting all sorts of reactions. Many had died from their exposure, Chaos was extremely detrimental to Divine cells. But a few seemed to have successfully absorbed them and in response had mutated rapidly. They exhibited brilliant adaptation to their current environment, and their magical readings continued to rise.

  “Fascinating. So is this what is occurring within my cells?”

  “No, this is but the smallest indication of your cells. Remember Chaos flows through you undiluted, these cells are only adapting to small amounts. These are potentially comparable to Hecate’s cells, assuming of course if hers behave in this manner.” He turned his attention to Lucifer who was staring at the cells with little understanding “And how are you, Lucifer? Recovering well?”

  “I have to admit this is a great deal to take in.”

  Xandelexis smiled, “And Sariel despite her best intentions has overwhelmed your further.”

  He laughed a little as he nodded “Yes, being introduced to all of Sanctuary is, even more, to take in.”

  “And you are still standing? I am most impressed, Sariel’s energy outstrips many of the Divine, and she has a tendency to overwhelm everyone. Would you like some refreshments? Earthlaughter? Lightningsun?”

  “Lightningsun? You have Lightningsun?”

  He typed in a command onto his liquid crystal screens and within minutes, a Satyr walked in carrying a tray with three crystal chalices on it. Within swirled the golden fluid prized by all Divine. Lucifer sighed in gratitude as he sank down into a chair drinking. As much as he appreciated Sariel’s help and the knowledge she had of the Atlanteans, he honestly just wanted to curl up and go to sleep again. He hated being this weak.

  Xandelexis studied him for a moment “Selarine has already seen you?”

  “Yes, she has.”

  “Interesting test results since you have awoken. She would have seen you about your results, but she is extremely busy overseeing the vaccination programs of Avalon, Australia, Canada and South Africa. It would appear that the Curse’s backlash has affected you and likely the other Angels at a fundamental level. You are weak because Sariel’s breaking of the Curse unleashed a great deal of Chaos, which was swept up in the backlash. You will recover slowly. However, time spent around Sariel will certainly accelerate your healing. She lives and breathes Chaos, so to speak, and it permeates the air around her. Constant exposure to it will actually accelerate your body and magic’s ability to process it.”

  “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “Lucifer you are experienced enough to know that magic is a law unto itself. It will ever do as it pleases. Chaos is even more unfathomable than the magic you have known all your life. However we can take comfort in the fact that Heaven’s Angels will likely be as weak as you are.”

  “Believe me, I’m delighted.”

  Xandelexis smiled, “Your sarcasm needs work, Lucifer.”

  “I’m not at my best.”

  “No, we are aware of that. However, it will be to your advantage to spend time with Sariel and actively use your magic around her. If she is willing, have her sit in on your lessons.”

  “Who says I am having lessons?”

  He simply looked at him “Lucifer, you were well noted before the War for your continual thirst for knowledge. Hell changed you irreversibly forever, Lucifer, you will have to master these changes, and fortunately, for you, there are Gods around with similar powers. I believe that Sariel can introduce you to them. However, it may come at a cost. If you want to regain your full strength quickly, this is the only option open to you.”

  Sariel turned back from the Petri dishes and Li tubes “My magic reached up to Heaven?”

  “Indeed Sariel, you are far more powerful than you realise, I personally believe you are far more powerful than any of us believe. But that is neither here nor there.”

  She fell silent
, far more powerful than any of them believed. The thought terrified her, she was already aware of the growing chasm between herself and the other Divine. If it was going to grow it would only get worse.

  “Brigid has a message for you.”

  “Oh, what is it?”

  “She wants you to go to London and wait for her there. She has some duties, but she will return to speak with both you and Victoria. She suggests for Lucifer to go with you.”

  “Oh, I haven’t seen Victoria in a while, it will be great to see her again” she turned to Lucifer “You’ll get to meet the Empress of the British Empire.”

  He wasn’t as impressed as she thought he would be, she shook her head in irritation. They spent the remainder of the day with Xandelexis before she teleported them both down to London.

  Tiamat raised her head from the green mists that permanently surrounded her to gaze upon the two goddesses who had come for an audience. Brigid, Hecate, this is a pleasant surprise.

  Hecate stared in wonder at the Primordial Goddess rising out of the mists saturated with the Lifestream. The power in the cavern amazed her, it was stronger than anything she had experienced in a very long time. She had never seen the Lifestream react or concentrate in such a way before. It was overwhelming.

  “Blessings of Gaia upon you, Tiamat, we came to ask your permission.” Brigid strode forward unconcerned about the mists. She was a Mother Earth Goddess, and she had been here before, this was not new to her. Hecate, on the other hand, was fascinated by the coils of mist wrapping itself around her. Amethyst magic flared across her skin as the Lifestream started to permeate into her.

  My permission for what, young Brigid?

  “The British Empire continues to expand, and the Canadian province has reached its maximum extent, though there is one more island it could claim. However Iceland is your nest, and we do not wish to anger you by invading your lands. If you have no intentions of subjugating the people, then we ask your permission to conquer the mortals on this island. We will take the utmost of care to ensure that you are not disturbed in any way.”