The Unforgiven Sin

by R. Twine

  ‘You, my unfailing Sat, know my true plan better than anybody. I conceal my true intentions, and so does the Archangel. Even in my own Kingdom, I cannot trust anyone but you!’ said the Prince, turning to the cat and to Elle, his pet snake who was lying curled up at his feet.

  ‘Don’t rush things, now the smartest action is inaction,’ Elle hissed.

  The black cobra often remained invisible to others, but she always stayed near her master and enjoyed advising him.

  ‘Nothing can hide from the all-seeing snake eye, neither in The Dark Kingdom nor on Earth,’ she used to say.

  Elle was capable of assuming any form, or even becoming completely invisible. She was unparalleled in the art of mimicry. Elle commanded all reptiles on Earth; this army of hers played a significant role in Satanail’s Kingdom and she enjoyed almost unlimited powers. Snakes are smart, powerful and agile; they are capable of slipping into any space, they are entitled to absolute power over all living beings!

  ‘Oh, My Lord! I know exactly what you are wary of. What happens in the future will depend on you and the way you treat the first-ever woman,’ Elle continued in a quiet voice, which sounded like a murmuring stream.

  On her flat head there was a beautiful golden crown bedecked with shining black diamonds. The cobra was crawling gracefully around the throne, her scales gleaming. By making slow movements with her body, she was trying to take the emotional strain off her master, to whom she was devoted and whom she valued very much. Lulled by her hypnotic voice, Sat fell asleep right in Satanail’s lap.

  ‘We have to move intelligently, Satanail. We have to act through those capable of attracting Miriam’s sensual attention in order to obtain future offspring, through her womb.’ hissed Elle, suavely. ‘What you need is Miriam’s trust and you’ll be able to gain it if you show her the path towards the truth. And this path will lead you to success.’

  Satanail came up to a big goblet which was standing on an engraved golden pedestal. He put his right hand into it, and began making circular movements in the dark liquid while saying some mysterious words. Soon, the image of Miriam and Samuel materialized over the goblet: they were walking hand in hand on the beach. They were chatting and smiling, and Satanail saw by their faces that they were happy being together. He stared at this idyllic scene as if trying to fathom something.

  ‘Do I have to sacrifice some part of me for her sake?’ he asked the snake, who was crawling beside him. ‘How much longer will I continue to torment myself because of this woman?’

  ‘You suffer from self-imposed misery. If you hadn’t seduced her, your life would have been much different now. You led mankind into sin, and the punishment for that is eternal,’ Elle hissed quietly, staring at Satanail with her yellow eyes. ‘But you still have an alternative: to leave humans to their own devices, and to simply observe them without interfering in their affairs. If you do this, the impending chaos on Earth will be unstoppable. Even the Heavenly Forces will be unable to cope with it. In time, there will be no more water, the Earth will become infertile, and the air will become unfit for breathing. You’ll have to wait until mankind perishes completely and it’s only then that you’ll be able to create a new and powerful civilization out of the mixture you already have. Then, you’ll convince The Heavenly Father that you’re the most perfect of all his creatures and He will have nothing else to do but to admit you’re a genius!’

  ‘You are the smartest creature, Elle,’ Satanail said.

  ‘All my wisdom is completely at your service,’ My Lord!

  ‘I have no regrets whatsoever. I came to know the human soul, I experienced the passionate love I awakened in people through the first-ever woman,’ said Satanail in a low voice, as he watched Miriam and Samuel.

  ‘Samuel, invisible eyes are watching us. I can’t see them but I can feel them anyway,’ I said after sensing somebody staring at us.

  ‘Miriam, if you mean the paparazzi, there’s nothing to be afraid of because it’s not a secret anymore that we’re together,’ Samuel replied carelessly.

  ‘I don’t mean the paparazzi. I just have the feeling of being watched,’ I repeated.

  I closed my eyes and looked around with my mind’s eye, trying to detect where the strange sensation was coming from. Pausing for a moment, I was able to detect a slight vibration, so I immediately turned towards it – towards sunset.

  ‘Satanail, I sense that you’re somewhere nearby,’ I said quietly. ‘If this is the case, please let me know. I don’t want you to play hide and seek with me. I prefer open and fair play. You must behave as one of the most powerful angels!’

  Satanail, staring at Miriam, moved his hand to create a small sandstorm, taking up the challenge.

  ‘She’s the only one who has a special hold on me. This woman deserves respect; she’s not to be underestimated,’ Satanail said to the snake.

  A small sand twister rose up in front of me, separating me from Samuel. In the center of the spiraling dark mass I saw Satanail’s solemn face.

  ‘Miriam, trust me. I never did you any harm,’ he said quietly, and disappeared.

  Satanail put his hands into the dark liquid again and mumbled something; Miriam’s image went back into the goblet, and he immediately put a heavy lid on it. Suddenly Satanail bellowed wildly, and the horrible sound shook everything around him.

  ‘Relax, Satanail, leave her alone for a while,’ suggested Elle, while curling up.

  The Fallen Angel changed his human appearance into a bestial form, spread his wings and left the basement.

  ‘Are you okay, Miriam?’ asked Samuel.

  ‘We’d better go back home,’ I replied.

  Samuel went to spend a couple of days with his sister. I was completely alone for the first time in several weeks. Late one evening, I made up my mind to go back to the place where I last saw Satanail. I was walking along the waterfront, breathing in the slightly salty air. The splashing of waves was a pleasant sound. There was a low stand-alone tower on the beach; I went right up to it and stopped by its stone wall. There was no one around, only seagulls were hovering over the blue water.

  Suddenly my feet became so heavy that I couldn’t move. In fact, I didn’t want to, for I knew that the Prince of Darkness was looking for me.

  Again a whirlwind appeared in front of me: the twister’s funnel cloud was rising up to the sky where gray thunderheads were brewing. Rays of light, barely capable of penetrating the heavy lead-like shroud, were constantly changing their paths and falling on the ground in the form of bright spots.

  Suddenly, the rumbling of thunder came from nearby, and I felt somebody’s heavy hand resting on my shoulder.

  ‘Hello, Miriam,’ I heard the familiar voice and turned round.

  It was Satanail: strands of black hair framed his pale face; there were pain and sadness in his eyes. He was dressed in a black suit, and he seemed aloof. He looked terrific.

  ‘Don’t regret your expulsion from Eden because of humans, Satanail. Don’t regret you were compelled to live on Earth. Don’t regret that you came to know mankind the way it is: with its merits and flaws,’ I said, looking him straight in the eyes. ‘Because it was we who made you the way you are now. Without us, your existence would be so dull that every day of your life would be awfully boring and lacking in momentous events. Besides, our lives, without your tricks, would be almost senseless. If you didn’t exist, whom would we be blaming for our numerous troubles and problems?’ I said with a slight smile. ‘You invent various machinations while we have to find ways to deftly get around them – isn’t that so? We, human beings, are your nourishment, your enjoyment, and your life. If you get rid of us, you’ll only suffer more! I’m sure you only seduced The Foremother because living among your fallen angels had become boring for you. And you surely knew well in advance that I would take your cunning bait.’

  ‘I’m clever and dangerous, Miriam. Hasn’t the Archangel told you about this? You mustn’t have any ties with me whatsoever,’ said Satanail, smiling. �
��I think you’re becoming aware of my true calling. True, I’ve broken our pact with the Archangel but I can give you the explanation for why I did it.’

  ‘I’ve always been the toy in your hands, and each of you pursues his own goals. But if you want to get something from me by deception, I have to disappoint you: no way. You’ll have to persuade me that you are right, and then I’ll willingly give you what you need,’ I said. ‘And I hope you understand that you’ll have to do it with your deeds and actions, not your words.’

  We took off, dashed into the skies penetrating a dense veil, and then landed upon a dark cloud. It was incredibly beautiful there – the sight of the elements raging around us was mesmerizing. Satanail was holding a black staff in his hand, occasionally using it to wave off the lightning bolts flaring up dangerously close to us. The bolts sparkled, reflecting in a black diamond hanging on the Black Angel’s chest. The diamond on the Black Angel’s chest flickered mysteriously, changing in color from slate to ashen. Sometimes, ominous dark clouds parted slightly, and then, in the gaps momentarily forming between them I could see a night city immersed in a multicolored euphoria of lights.

  ‘Miriam, I’m going to be ultimately honest with you… The vial and its contents are a symbol of creation! The vial cannot be destroyed, and the crucial thing is that it already exists. No one but me is capable of making use of it; it’s only in my hands that it wields a real power; it’s only in my hands that it will be able to carry out its purpose. This is the true reason that the Archangel doesn’t want it to get into my hands.’ A solemn expression appeared on Satanail’s face, and he went on, ‘In life, only a small percentage of events can be attributed to chance. True geniuses were born on Earth in every passing century; their coming to Earth was predestined, and this predestination was being determined by us – The Heavenly Forces and me. Not one great man appeared without my consent. Now then, those people – like all the rest of humanity – had two sides given to them: the Light Side from Heaven and the Dark Side from me. Every one of the geniuses had secret vices he wasn’t able to cope with on his own. But those people had a rare gift which they used throughout their lives. They will not be forgotten even after many centuries. Their masterpieces and discoveries will always remain the legacy of all mankind. It was hard for these individuals to live among common people; everyone deemed them strange, withdrawn into themselves and mysterious. And however hard they were grappling with their personal flaws, the main drawback they had always manifested itself because it was the very mechanism which, throughout the life of a genius, was in command of their inspiration and deeds. Many of them, however hard they tried, were unable to get rid of the traits I had personally implanted into them. But those who did manage to cope with their flaws deserved every respect, even from me. Usually, the dark side prevails in humans, because you are on my territory, in my own house. And there’s one more reason: it was The Foremother who gave birth to my first-born. The first-born possessed my traits, which, in time, manifested in all humans. This is why the Archangel rarely interferes in mankind’s problems: many of your problems became mine. There were and always will be weak and strong, wealthy and poor, beautiful and ugly, clever and stupid; there have always been positive and negative aspects both on Earth and in Heaven. And I am the example, Miriam. By rebelling against The Heavenly Father, I proved that perfection does not exist. And neither does equality.’

  Satanail went silent, trying to see if I had grasped the meaning of his words. He was clever, very clever, indeed.

  ‘Think for yourself. What’s the use in me trying to destroy mankind?’ he asked. ‘There’s one thing you have already come to know very well: if mankind perishes, I will actually cease to exist, because without human beings, my life would become empty and dull. Every creature has two sides: the heavenly side and the earthly side, good and bad. It was Father himself who put this antagonism into all of the creatures he made, beginning with those that belong to the invisible world!’

  ‘Are you trying to tell me that the Heavens are not perfect either? And that there’s a hidden monster inside every human being?’ I asked.

  ‘Incidentally, what is perfection? Father created angels who rebelled against him, He created man who betrayed Him; He also created civilizations which jeopardized the entire universe! Only Father is perfect, only He is entitled to give and take back what He has given. Only He is capable of creating all living and non-living things! Almost every soul grapples with its vices; there aren’t any perfect souls on earth. However perfect a man can be, he will always have a flaw that overshadows all of his merits. There will always be those who are stronger than you, and there will always be the one who’s going to be your boss. True, many are unhappy with such a state of affairs, but this is the way the Universe was designed. When angels were ordered to serve man, I was the first to express my outrage for I didn’t want the likes of me serving these creatures. People enjoyed the special privileges Father had granted them from the very start. Almost all of His attention went to them; He always preferred them to us. Such uneven distribution of fatherly love made me unhappy so I started a rebellion in order to remove such inequality. For the first time in their lives, the once meek angels decided to stand up against the One who had created them. To stand up against the One who possessed unlimited power… To stand up against The Creator Himself! This rejection of the special love He had for humans caused unrest and protests amongst many of the angels! Father favored humans, and we got angry with him because we considered ourselves superior to them, not inferior. And in time, man turned out to be far less perfect than Father had originally thought, and He drove humans away and punished them by subjecting them to perpetual mundane trials!’ Satanail went silent.

  The clouds grew denser as a thunderstorm began to brew. Satanail’s speech seemed very logical to me; it explained a lot of things. I was even beginning to doubt the Archangel’s words, and I started to forget about his warnings. I wanted to get to the bottom of the strange and complicated nuances of these mysteries totally on my own.

  ‘Human beings will always remind you about that expulsion, Satanail. By getting rid of humankind you will get rid of those who caused your suffering. Craving revenge is your motive behind your words and actions! I’m not going to deny the role you will eventually play in the lives of all human beings. By his essence, man became your next-of-kin, but, at the same time, he’s not too far away from the heavenly forces. It is you who distanced yourself from Heaven and created your own Kingdom of Darkness; meanwhile, man is much closer to the light than you think.’

  ‘The first kingdom is ruled by Father, the second one – by me,’ replied Satanail. ‘I’m more clever than man is, for I know the secrets of the Universe. And I’m capable of revealing them to people even during their earthly lives. But Father never wanted the others to learn what I had learnt.’

  The wind was howling; it was whirling around us, chilling me to the bone. It seemed that Mother Nature wanted to tell me something. The doubt in Satanail’s sincerity had begun creeping again into my soul.

  ‘Look,’ he said, pointing at some gray creatures in glistening, light cloaks that appeared from nowhere with a wave of his hand. ‘These are sylphs, the air spirits. Every second, they are engaged in cleaning up the polluted air on our planet. They are constantly at work so that our planet can breathe.’

  We descended smoothly from the cloud onto a rocky cliff. I heard the sound of waves splashing ominously.

  ‘Look over there!’ said Satanail, pointing at the luminescent mermaids in the raging ocean; they were barely visible in the white foam of the surf. ‘They are incessantly filtering ground water by passing sewage through themselves.’

  We left the cliff and descended to earth.

  ‘Have a look!’ he called on me again, this time directing my sights towards terracotta colored dwarves who were messing around in the brown mud. ‘They work night and day to remove dirt from the Earth’s surface. Do you know why they are doing all of this?’r />
  I was silent. What I saw was impressive.

  ‘You don’t want to answer me? Then I will give my own answer. I, the Prince of Darkness, rightful Lord of the planet mean to tell you that all of these creatures work hard, night and day, because they love their planet and want it to live on! They are helping me protect Earth from your civilization! These creatures, as well as millions of others, which are invisible to the human eye, are protecting the planet from you; they are trying to slow the process of extinction!’ Satanail froze me with his fiery eyes. ‘I hope that now you’ve come to understand why Father’s still keeping me alive! Come along, I’ll show you the Еarth you don’t know. I’ll show you the life you don’t have the slightest idea of. What you’re going to see is hidden from human eyes. I’ll show you salamanders, the fire spirits; without them, the world wouldn’t exist! And you will see why Father sent me right here,’ said Satanail, extending his hand to me. ‘Don’t be afraid, Miriam, come with me. And you’ll see how the flaming creatures are fighting to keep life going! If people make the four main spirits angry they’ll retaliate by turning the life of humans on Earth into sheer hell! I know what I’m saying, trust me. There’s not an iota of deception in what I’m saying.’

  His words made my head spin. I was keen to see all of this, to take a peek at the forbidden world and to find out something new about myself and life in general. I slighted the piece of advice the Archangel had given me. I was unwilling to wait until the Threads of Light would be woven into my body. Such an opportunity might never arise again, after all! So I took Satanail’s hand. I was not afraid. I was simply seeking the truth.