A Gluttony Of Faith

by Steven Lindsay

  “What is it?”

  “You didn’t tell us we had a cousin! She says Lilith isn’t dead.”

  She felt as though she had been slapped in the face. “What?”

  Sariel looked at her with a touch of humour on her lips but compassion in her eyes. When was the last time she saw compassion in a Divine’s eyes? When Lilith helped her give birth, but before that she had no idea.

  “Eisheth, Lilith isn’t dead.”

  “Sariel, I felt her passing. And I have heard of the destruction wrought on Amsterdam. Nothing could have survived that Chaos Storm.”

  “Except a conduit of the Chaos Goddess.”

  “Why on Earth would the Chaos Goddess allow Lilith to be her conduit?”

  “I would do a great deal for my mother, and to save her life I did make her my conduit.”

  She laughed “Sariel even the Gods barely have any Chaos and the Angels none, you expect me to believe you have gifts that only the Primordials have?”

  “Hecate has a great deal more Chaos powers than most Primordials.”

  “But Angels do not-“ she fell quiet as cold fear raced through her and she felt her children cower into her. Why was there Chaos in her palace? She looked up into Sariel’s eyes which were no longer violet but that brown starburst of every colour imaginable. Chaos danced in little eddies across her skin, feathers and hair.

  “I am the Chaos Goddess Eisheth, and I made Lilith my conduit to save her life. She is suffering from Chaos poisoning, but she is alive.”

  She placed Azar on the ground and pushed Pyrrhus off of her leg as she walked forward to Sariel. She got very close but not did not touch. Her red eyes analysed every aspect of Sariel. “My sister truly lives?”

  “She does.”

  “Thank the Heavens, or should I say thank you Sariel. I cannot express what it means to know that she is alive.”

  Sariel watched her with eyes that turned back to their natural violet, but she could see speckles of Chaos brown within them. As soon as the Chaos had disappeared from her skin, she swept her niece up into a hug. Moments later two little bodies ploughed into them both, eager to join the hug.

  She stepped back holding her niece at arm’s length “Would you like to stay for dinner? I would like to hear the whole story and Azar and Pyrrhus seem quite taken with you.” Azar had jumped up into Sariel’s arms. “You will also get to meet my mate.”

  Sariel smiled a genuine smile. Who was this Divine to be so genuine? “I would love to.”

  “Come let me show you the palace. It is nothing on Heaven, but I am making it a place of beauty.” She picked up Pyrrhus as she led the little group out onto the terrace.

  “You seem very happy Sariel” Brigid smiled at her Protégé.

  “That is because I am. I just spent the afternoon getting to know my aunt and cousins. It was such a lovely afternoon. Crete is quite gorgeous and will be even more so once the Lifestream flows strongly through it again.”

  “How is Eisheth?”

  “Very happy to hear that Lilith still lives.”

  “Ah, is that why you were there? How is your mother?”

  “Yes, mother asked me to let her sisters know that she is alive but unable to visit them. She is recovering well and is most adamant in regaining control. She drinks my blood regularly and practices magic as often as she can with me. She is recovering remarkably well. Far faster than Lucifer appears to be.”

  Brigid rolled her eyes “that is because Lucifer is a git. But I really must visit Lilith. Still that brings me to another matter. Have you seen all your mother’s sisters?”

  “Not yet. I have only seen Agrat and Eisheth. Why?”

  “Because it turns out that Naamah is living in Thailand. When James informed the country of its planned annexation into the Empire, he felt her presence. Now they have informed the Empire that they will surrender so long as their Angelic protector is included in the deal.”

  “You want me to go to Thailand under imperial colours to deal with Naamah?”

  “I would like you to go with James to provide some protection. Despite his recent Ascension, he is no match for her. If she is willing to accept my terms, then I am happy to make her the Divine Governor of Thailand.”

  She nodded “I can do that. When, though?”

  “Three days hence.”

  “Excellent that gives me time to visit Ereshkigal.”

  “Be careful. She is far more powerful than Lilith’s other sisters, she is also far more dangerous. Her mind and motives are not so easy to deduce as Lilith’s maternal sisters.”

  “I will be. I am well aware that all my aunts are very dangerous.”

  “Good, they are very dangerous.” She gave Sariel a hug “sorry I must go back to Africa. With Samael and Hecate taking time out to look after your mother I find that I have even less time. I will see you in Hades in several days. Make sure you visit Victoria while you are here, she would love to see you.”

  With that, she was gone and seconds later so was Sariel.

  Ereshkigal waved away her guards and attendants as the Angel appeared within her throne room. She was of no doubt who it was, what other Angel could look so much like Lilith but with her father’s colouring? Who else would feel so strong of Chaos?

  “Sariel, this is a pleasant surprise.”

  “It is a pleasure to be here Ereshkigal.” Sariel quickly studied her mother’s most powerful sister. They looked almost nothing alike, but their facial features hinted at their common parent. People were unlikely to realise they were sisters unless it was pointed out. Ereshkigal held a very dark, haunted beauty. She had hair as black as midnight and very dark purple eyes, almost black, the very same shade her nails were. Her olive skin held a tint of black and purple to it, but in the way of the Divine it looked beautiful. She was slender and tall, even for a God. Her features were surprisingly soft, but those eyes told all that needed to be told. She was very dangerous. Her dark purple lips around that predatory smile were an extra unneeded clue. Only a complete fool would think her delicate.

  Her long black dress was quite modest by Divine standards, covering both her breasts and her legs. Her shoulders were bare, but she had long wing-like sleeves that hung down to the floor. She wore no crown or diadem as was popular with Underworld Goddesses but looking at her it was clear she didn’t need one. She wore power and authority as her crown.

  Her throne was also quite simple, carved from sandstone but considering it sat on a dais behind an Underworld Gate it didn’t need to be decorative. The rest of the room was beautifully decorated, and the open ceiling gave a stunning view of the sky above. She reckoned that with the fires lit at night would be when it would be most stunning.

  She saw a lot of her mother in Ereshkigal. Something she doubted either of them was aware of. Looks wise they bore little resemblance but in power and bearing Sariel could clearly see the strong resemblance.

  “And to what do I owe the pleasure? If you have come to inform me of Lilith’s passing, I am already aware. I feel your loss.”

  “Actually, I have come to inform you otherwise. Lilith is not dead.”

  Ereshkigal studied her with those ancient eyes “I had wondered, but how did she survive the Chaos Storm?”

  “We are not entirely sure, I believe it is because she was the conduit for Chaos’ powers she was shielded from the killing force.”

  “But she was harmed.”

  “She is suffering from Chaos poisoning.”

  “Hence, why she has not made contact herself. Where is Lilith?”

  “In Hades.”

  “You took her there for your family to protect.”

  This aunt was exceptionally perceptive. “Yes, I did.”

  “Which is why Samael had disappeared. Is she recovering well?”

  “Slowly but she is determined to get better.”

  “That sounds like her. Nothing gets her down for long. I imagine you are using your powers to facilitate the process. Such remarkable powers you
have Sariel. Incredible that you are the Chaos Goddess. The Fates only know how that happened, then again perhaps Gaia might.”

  “You are incredibly perceptive.”

  “As opposed to Lilith’s other sisters? I should hope so, I am a powerful Goddess with thousands of years on them. It would be a sad day for me if they beat me at anything.” Though saying that they appeared to be doing as good as she was at reviving the land which was to say not very much.

  “You don’t think much of them do you?”

  “Not particularly, no, though Inanna did occasionally have positive things to say about them. In our eyes, Lilith is without a doubt the best of the bunch. She is our sister and carries the blood of our honoured father.”

  “You are very fond of her?”

  “Inanna and I both are. She is the only lover we have ever shared, and the only one worthy of us both. We were not particularly close sisters, our powers so different but Lilith was the bridge between us. She allowed us to grow closer and to understand each other.”

  She had not known that her mother had been lovers with both her sisters, but then Lilith had only recently learned that they were her sisters. She certainly had a great deal of incest in her family. The thought of her and Michael or her parents made her shudder.

  “Then will you come visit her?”

  “I cannot leave my empire unguarded. The Angels would invade in moments.”

  “Do you not have a second in command?”

  “Lilith was my second in command. No other has the power to defend my empire.”

  “What if I were to find you one?” her powers had already spread far and wide, and she had a suspicion that an old acquaintance might be of use.

  “So that they might take control of my empire while I was away?”

  “What if I could guarantee that they would not have any design on your empire?”

  “I would be surprised” she steepled her fingers under her chin as she leant back “but now I am most curious. Present your option then we shall see.”

  Sariel nodded and disappeared.

  Chapter 31

  Sariel appeared within a darkened cave mouth. Behind her, she could feel the hot, dry winds of the desert and in front of her, she felt something that worried her. Why could she strongly feel the presence of the Ziz? She had freed Simurgh from her curse, why was she trapped in it again?

  She walked forward over small hills of dead flowers. Her magic told her that not so long ago they had been brimming with life. Simurgh was a very strong Primordial Mother Goddess, the Lifestream flowed past strongly, she had pulled it up this far then apparently dropped her control of it all.

  It was all so very wrong.

  She walked through a forbidding portcullis into a Hellscape. Hellfire flickered through the air and licked up the cave walls. Darkness lurked in every corner smothering its way slowly across the floor and walls.

  And lurking at the very back, watching her with red burning eyes was a creature she had thought forever gone. The Ziz was alive in all its terrifying power.

  She dominated the back of the cave, her black wings raised high as her back arched in anger. She shrieked painfully loud, even for Divine ears. Darkness danced and raged all across her like a separate entity that was cocooning her.

  She lunged forward to attack her, smacking into her impenetrable shields. There was nothing on Earth that could get through her Chaos shields. She shrieked in pain and fury as she lunged forward again, using her entire weight to smash into her shields and channelling her power to try and shatter these shields.

  “Simurgh stop” she yelled at the Ziz, but it was heedless to her. Mad rage burned through her mind leaving little room for anything else.

  Simurgh stop!

  The entire cavern shook with the ferocity of her power. She was still coming to terms with the strength of her powers. But it had done the trick, she felt a small sliver of lucidity trickle into the Ziz’s mind, enough that she could disseminate what was wrong.

  Simurgh, come back to me. You know me Simurgh, follow my voice back to yourself.

  She hadn’t realised that Simurgh had been so vulnerable. Did this mean that Tiamat and Bahamut were this vulnerable? What about Jörmungandr and Python? What about the other Greater Demons? Could this happen to them all under such stress? Is that what would have happened to her mother if she had not made Lilith her conduit?

  Darkness flitted violently around the Ziz as light started to shine within. She walked towards the creature, her hands out in front, showing her lack of weapons. Silly really for the Divine, their greatest weapon was their magic, not swords.

  She shifted uncomfortably as Sariel advanced screeching as she tried to shuffle backwards but she was up against the wall. She had nowhere to go. And the fears set back in again.

  Sariel sighed as the shadows intensified driving away even the smallest glimmer of light and lucidity. She was going to have to do this the hard way. She summoned up bright light, the light of the sun, strong magic that ran in her veins. Light flooded the cave, chasing away the darkness smothering the whole cavern and the Ziz. She screeched in fear and fury as the darkness started to burn off of her.

  Sariel catapulted forward, her magic surging through into the creature as soon as her hands connected to it. Bright emerald green magic flared into brilliant life as the Lifestream surged up into the cavern and was whipped up into a frenzy.

  The shriek became a song, mournful at first then hauntingly before joy started to creep in. Rainbows shimmered through the cavern as the Ziz’s wings were stripped of their darkness to reveal Simurgh’s beautiful rainbow wings. The Hellfires were extinguished by the intensity of the Lifestream and all the flowers bursting into bloom again. The whole cavern became green with abundant life.

  Coppery fire raced across the last of the darkness, burning it away to show the copper fur and feathers beneath. Her cruel black beak faded into a coppery snout, she recalled her first form more strongly than last time.

  Thank you, Sariel. Her voice was very tired, she had suffered in her mind. Her fear had consumed her, and the Curse had taken its toll. Hell’s Curse might be broken but Hell still existed, and the Curse still existed within every denizen of Hell, especially its Greater Demons.

  She stepped forward lowering her head to Sariel, who reached up at patted the poor ancient soul. She really had suffered a great deal.

  I was so scared, I saw the Angels, the whole Heavenly Legion had me surrounded. I could not have stood up to them, but my anger filled me, and it brought with it power, great power, enough to save me. I surrendered to my powers and let it consume me. It saved me, I beat the Angels.

  But then I was trapped within the power. I couldn’t escape, it kept replaying my fear and anger over and over until all else faded away. I could think of nothing but my fear and anger until I forgot what I was even afraid of and angry at. I was just afraid and angry.

  “It would seem we still have much to learn of this Curse. As with so many of Gabriel’s things, there is an unknown twist.”

  She is talented that one in so many dangerous ways.

  That was true. Gabriel was very talented and very dangerous. She did not look forward to the next time they would meet. And she knew she would run into her sister-in-law eventually.

  “Why are you alone? You should be around other Divine for protection. These are dangerous days.”

  “I wanted to be alone, to readjust. Who would take me in Sariel? There is none of my pantheon left. Do I go begging at other Gods’ empires? I will not beg Sariel, these are my ancient lands, I have tended them since before Humans first came to them, I will not leave them.”

  “You may not have to and still have protection.”

  Simurgh studied her with her coppery eyes, there was much calculation in them.

  “I have a favour to ask of you, Simurgh.”

  Then I will ask a favour in return.

  Bloody Divine. A favour didn’t count unless it had been agreed upon beforeh
and, even saving them counted for little. You’d think after saving her twice she would just grant her the favour, but things were never so simple with the Divine, a fact she constantly forgot.

  “And what might that favour be? Saving you?”

  She could feel her annoyance through the link. I wish you to take me to either Behemoth or Leviathan.

  Well, that was easier than anticipated. “I can take you to Tiamat and Bahamut, who made up Behemoth. As for Leviathan? I do not know where Jörmungandr or Python are.”

  Tiamat and Bahamut will be fine. Now, what would you ask of me?

  “I want you to look after Great Babylon while Ereshkigal returns to the Underworld for a short time.”

  Why would you have any care for her empire or needs?

  “She is visiting my mother.”

  Where is Great Babylon?

  “Mesopotamia”

  You had best grab on. Sariel fluttered up to sit on her back as she strode forward with renewed purpose. She was eager to leave her lair for it had become her prison. Once she had completed her favour, then she could meet Behemoth and have so many of her questions answered.

  Ereshkigal looked up at the dawn sky. Something was coming opposite the rising of the sun. Something large enough and reflective enough to shine in the retreating darkness. Already she could hear the populace stopping and pointing. There were exclamations and shouting. But she was not concerned, she could feel Sariel’s approach.

  Instead, she used her magic to clear a large space at the top of her ziggurat, pushing many of the columns and seats backwards. By the looks of things, she would need quite some space. It was just as well the ziggurat had continued to grow with the city. As Ur got bigger so did its focal point, a reminder to all why their city was so prosperous.

  Out of the sky came the sound of beautiful birdsong, more beautiful than she had ever heard. It made nightingales seem tuneless and phoenixes to be but apprentices. And from the sun came the flashing of rainbows.

  A giant creature landed in the cleared space. She was a colossal being and a very powerful one. Her ancient, feminine magic flooded the throne room, and Ereshkigal knew that this being would be able to protect Great Babylon with her Primordial powers. She was also a truly stunning being, even by Divine standards. Feather and fur of burnished bronze ran the length of her underside, from her canine-like face down to her talons and back paws. Rainbow feathers graced her wings and tail, they also ran the length of her spine.