Daystar

by Darcy Town

  He was born in this star, this explosion. He smiled and went back to creating smaller stars, forms pulled together from the resources around him. He had no thoughts, nothing to interrupt the sound of creation. He let the notes fill him.

  He hummed, a hum turned into a song, his voice sure and strong. He stared with blue eyes as his voice affected the light around him; forms took shape, creations in the light, mirrors of him. Darkness moved between them, interrupting the light.

  He closed his mouth and the song went silent. The pre-angelic forms faded, but the darkness remained. It flitted and fluttered getting closer until the moth found him. Coal black it landed on his finger and looked up at him.

  He bought the creature up to his face and stared. Its red eyes drew him in, called to him. The moth flew away. He could not help but follow the dark spot in the light around him. He did not know why he was compelled, but this thing, this creature; he had to be near to it.

  He soared quickly, silently. No song joined him. He concentrated on the moth. He flew through the light until it thinned; he began to see other things through the light. He saw other beings that looked like him. They laughed and flew together. He cocked his head. The moth disappeared as he emerged into empty space.

  Paimon, Furcas, Berith, and Andy gaped. Berith grinned. “Lucifer!”

  He held his head. That name. He stared at his light. “Lucifer?”

  The memories came back in a rush, working from the most recent back. He remembered his friends, his Dahlia, the time on Earth, his children, Ladriam, his time in Heaven. The memories expanded still until he witnessed his creation, then the time before, when he was another, an equal. He looked back on a time when he was a god. He realized what he had lost, what he had gained. He realized what he was, who he was.

  Lucifer erupted into flame. “That fucking, shit-eating, jealous, insecure, conniving, motherfucking bastard! I will rend his soul to pieces! I will burn the pieces to ash! The ash I will leave in a black hole! I will obliterate him from the memory of all things for all time!”

  As one, the Archangels moved back. Azrael jumped forward all smiles. Berith enveloped his brother in a hug and pulled him away. They watched Lucifer warily.

  Lucifer eyed the new sun. “What the fuck is that for?”

  “Uh…” Paimon cleared his throat. “I have to make a new sun so that Dahlia can spit Earth out of Hell.”

  “She is there?” Lucifer’s eye ticked. “She is in Hell?”

  “Yes.” Furcas nodded. “She waits on the sun.”

  Lucifer eyed the star. He gestured and it moved away from them. He glared at it and it returned to its previous size and position in the sky. He swept his arm and dispersed the remnants of the supernova. He stared at the stunned angels and they burst into lights.

  Paimon looked sad. “I was going to succeed on my own too.”

  Furcas hugged him. “Make one later.”

  Lucifer flew with barely controlled rage. “DAHLIA, YOUR SUN IS DONE!”

  ***

  Friday

  Dahlia heard Lucifer return. She felt him as the small fraction of her consciousness that searched him out returned to her. She held back her emotions, giving no indication to Heaven of the difference. Dahlia focused and opened a portal into space. She pushed the planet out. She pushed Selaphiel out and all of the decorations Raphael had made with him. She focused until Hell was empty except for the souls of the dead that had become woven into its fabric.

  Dahlia addressed the golden flame through the throne, “I am coming for you soon.”

  He looked through the portal and saw Hell empty. YOU HAVE CONSUMED THEM THEN. IT WAS INEVITABLE.

  “I come for you.”

  YOU CANNOT WHILE HELION AND WHITNEY REMAIN SEPARATE FROM YOU.

  “Nevertheless, I come.”

  ***

  Lucifer watched as the planet was expelled along with any angels, which had been with it. He waved his hand, destroying the remnants.

  Belial and Apple joined the others. They smiled at Lucifer.

  Furcas kissed Paimon goodbye. “I will check on Bean.”

  Paimon nodded and watched him go. He turned to Lucifer. “What now?”

  Lucifer’s eyes searched the sky. “Where is she? Where is Dahlia? Where?” He spun. “Where!”

  A black flame took form before him, sending the others back. Dahlia peered out of it. “Lucifer.”

  Lucifer calmed in her presence. “Dahlia, why do you remain as this flame?”

  “To do otherwise would give him notice of us.”

  Lucifer leaned into the fire and let it caress him. “I know now what I am, but I do not know how to fix what he did to me.”

  The black flame washed his skin. “Half of your battle was knowledge and that half you have won. Power is not the true battle, Lucifer. You must use what makes you different from him. Being the same will only allow him to consume you, this is what he seeks. You need to distinguish yourself, validate your right over his. Prove that you have the right to be and you will win.”

  Lucifer nodded. “I remember. I know what he fears, how he thinks, but without power I cannot defeat him.”

  The flame swirled. “Power you will get as a matter of course. Go and call him out, Lucifer. He has brought this duel upon himself.”

  “How can I force him to fight me?”

  “He cannot ignore you, his twin, and his equal. He, over all others, cannot destroy you; he cannot make you no more. He can only join with you. He can erase your memories and make you his own, but he must fight you for this right, for you will not do that willingly. He is not god, Lucifer. He is not all-powerful. Call him by his name and he must face you.”

  Lucifer frowned. “His name I do not remember.”

  “He never shared it with you. His name is Lucifel.”

  A pulse rocked space and Hell. Dahlia grinned from within the fire. “He knows now, Lucifer. He knows I have said it.”

  Lucifer grinned. “Good.” He brushed his hand through the flame. “I will come back to you.”

  “I know, I love you, remember that and yourself. I will be watching, but I cannot help you there.”

  “I love you too.” Lucifer closed his eyes and disappeared in a rush of heat and light.

  ***

  Heaven stilled.

  Helion, Whitney, and Michael felt the change. They looked to the throne. The golden flame twitched and pulsed. Behind it, the black flame watched on from Hell, Dahlia remained.

  Helion looked to Michael. “Will you interfere?”

  Michael set his jaw. “This is a battle of brothers.”

  Helion nodded. “Then once again I ask, will you interfere?”

  Michael stared into his eyes. He looked from Helion to Whitney. “I do not know.”

  MICHAEL, COME TO ME BEFORE HE ARRIVES. YOU ARE AS MUCH MY BROTHER AS YOU ARE HIS. COME TO ME.

  Michael closed his eyes. “No.”

  DO NOT DISOBEY ME!

  “Why? You will try and kill me again?”

  I DID NOT TRY, MICHAEL. I HAVE NOT BEGUN TO TRY!

  Michael turned and walked away. “You live based on lies. You are not the truth or the light.” He closed his eyes.

  Whitney and Helion stood by him, ready to block an attack from either side. Helion wrapped an arm around Whitney. “Whatever happens, you will be fine.”

  Whitney touched his cheek. “I do not want to exist if no one else does, Helion. Do not trap me into some split-off existence if everything else fades.”

  Helion nodded. “We will go together then, if that is our fate.”

  Lucifer appeared in a flash of light. He fixed his eyes on the throne, gazing at both the black and the gold flame; he had eyes for no other. Lucifer breathed in and flames licked his skin, his hair glowed blue. “Lucifel, come, greet me as a brother!”

  The flame around Lucifel was torn away and he was thrown out a man. He snarled and stood on two feet. Whitney and Helion gasped. He looked exactly like Lucifer. The same jaw line, the same
features, save where Lucifer was blue, Lucifel was gold. Lucifel sneered. “What can you do, weak one? I am still far stronger than you.”

  Lucifer set his jaw. “Then you will not back down from passing blows.”

  Lucifel grinned. “Oh, definitely not.” He threw himself at Lucifer, landing a punch to his throat.

  Lucifer caught his arm and twisted, knocking him back. He swallowed against the pain. Lucifel came around and shot him with flame. Lucifer threw up his arms, but was blasted back.

  Lucifel sighed and readied another volley. “What is the point of this? Did she send you, so that you could die while she watched on? She has regained her power, regained herself, and she has no use for you anymore.”

  Lucifer dove and slashed at Lucifel’s face. “All you are is lies!”

  Lucifel laughed and shook off the blow. He punched Lucifer in the jaw and threw him to the ground. He dropped over him and put his hands around Lucifer’s neck. “She wants to consume everything! She wants to make us a part of her!”

  Lucifer kicked him in the ribs, but it was as if he kicked the air for the damage it did. “Die!”

  Lucifel grinned. “Join with me! Together we will be stronger than she will be, we can defeat her. Give me your power!”

  Lucifer rolled, knocking him off. He turned to kick Lucifel, but Lucifel was no longer there.

  Lucifel grabbed a wing and threw Lucifer end over end towards the throne. “You have one of two fates, my brother! Join with me willingly or lose yourself unwillingly. Either way I get your energy! Are those simple enough terms for you to understand?”

  Lucifer held his head. “You need my energy to stave her off.”

  Lucifel nodded and walked towards him. “She is stronger than me alone, but not us both together and with Helion we can bleed her consciousness away. She will stay locked in that dark place for eternity, never knowing any better. It would be merciful, I would not kill her.”

  Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. “You seek to place her in the dark again? You seek to imprison her again!”

  “She seeks to destroy us! This action I propose would see us three alive. She is dangerous, Lucifer. Her existence threatens ours.” Lucifel shook his head. “Perhaps I should have told you this before, but I was so afraid of what she would do to you, to me. She is nothing but a threat to us.”

  “I love her!”

  Lucifel sneered. “Such an emotional fool! Why do you care? Make yourself a new girl; make two, or a boy. I can make you a doll that looks like her, an angel without her powers; you can have as many as you want. They will be as beautiful as she was, she will live on through them.”

  “I want Dahlia.”

  Lucifel sighed. “It is a poison, what she does. She has infected you. She infected you when you joined at creation and you traded energy, mingled. You have this sick desire to be like her, to join. Do you not understand it? She wants to kill you, Lucifer! Her sole purpose is to end us! It is what she wants!”

  “She does not! When we joined, she did not suck my life away as you assumed she would! She gave me life and we made life together!”

  Lucifel took a step closer, ignoring his words. “We are brothers, Lucifer, twins, and we should stand together. We are the guardians of Heaven; we are the pair that stands in the light. Join with me and allow me to block her entirely.”

  Lucifer made his hands into fists. “Why could you not join me? Why are you the dominant one?”

  “Be honest with yourself, you do not have the spirit for it. You would falter in the face of locking her away. I will do it in your stead so that it does not pain you.”

  Lucifer dropped into a crouch. “No.”

  Lucifel’s golden eyes shined bright. “No?”

  “I will not submit to you, never again.”

  Lucifel nodded. “I did not think you would.” He bent his wings and light cut through the air. Lucifer dodged. Lucifel grabbed the light and shaped it into white spears. He hurled them in a blur. One struck Lucifer in the shoulder, knocking him off his feet. Lucifel took his time to aim. He threw another, piercing Lucifer straight through the stomach. The spear lodged in the firmament, trapping Lucifer in place.

  Lucifer pulled himself up the spear in his stomach.

  Lucifel walked over and pushed a third spear through Lucifer’s sternum, forcing him to kneel. He frowned at his brother’s pain. “You wondered why I never killed you myself.”

  Lucifer struggled to speak. “Yes.”

  Lucifel dropped to his knees, pressing all three of the spears in gently. “You are my brother.” He reached out to touch Lucifer’s jaw. “Regardless of what has passed I still felt something for you, but I see now that those feelings have prevented me from doing what I always should have.” He covered Lucifer’s mouth. “Perhaps I will make you anew when I am done taking her apart.”

  Lucifel rammed his arm into Lucifer’s chest, their bodies of light mingled. Lucifel smiled as Lucifer gasped and tried to stand. “Do you not like the feeling of joining anymore?” Lucifel wrenched his arm. “You cannot hold me off.” He pushed him back to his knees. He placed his other palm on Lucifer’s throat. “Close your eyes and it will be done. You will be a memory only.” Lucifel pressed into him.

  The two lit up in a pillar of light.

  Within it, Lucifel and Lucifer began to lose their shape and form. Lucifel pressed his will into Lucifer, forcing him to submit.

  Lucifer struggled to keep his consciousness whole. “I am Lucifer!”

  “You are nothing but an extension of me!” Lucifel spoke close to his ear, “You were never anything intelligent, a force to create only. You were made to be my tool. I was given the ability to think, to plan, while you only acted thoughtlessly. You obviously were made to be mine! My Primangel! My voice, my mirror, my song! You reflect me! You made yourself to look like me!” He screamed into Lucifer’s face, “You are mine! Relent to me!”

  Lucifer blinked against the pain. He shouted his own name, struggled to hold on to his memories, his thoughts, what he knew to be true. “I am Lucifer! I am Dahlia’s Morningstar!”

  Lucifel laughed. “Morning, not the true light, you but herald the coming of the sun. You herald me, the Daystar! I am the true king! Yield!”

  “No!” Lucifel’s power crushed him, but Lucifer struggled. “I remain myself! I am not you! I am Lucifer!”

  “You are nothing but me! You remember what you felt, when we joined, when you worshipped me. You felt complete when you gave yourself to me, because that was right. That was the way it should be. Let us go back to that, brother.”

  “I feel complete with Dahlia!”

  Lucifel sneered. “Do you hear yourself? You are only complete when you give yourself to a god. You are not a god yourself. You are weak. You are without power. You are not my equal. You cannot keep me back. See us now, Lucifer.” Lucifel looked at their merging forms. “You do not deserve to remain yourself in the face of what is greater. You have done nothing to deserve your own will.”

  Lucifer’s eyes slid closed.

  Lucifel raised his fist and formed it into a blade. He pointed it at Lucifer’s head. “I will make this as quick as possible.” He slammed his fist downwards.

  Lucifel was impaled. He stared in shock at his midsection. Two white shafts pierced his stomach, the two broken halves of the original spear. He wailed and jumped back, clutching at the wound.

  Michael dove for Lucifer. “Get up! You are not dead!”

  Lucifer opened his eyes. “Michael?” He grew angry. “Both brothers to kill me!” He swung a fist at Michael’s face, sending him tumbling away. Lucifer could not rise, too tired to stand. “Leave this to us, Michael!”

  Michael crawled back. He spoke quickly, unafraid, “In the sun, you asked me if I regretted my decision and I said yes. I want to know why you want to know. What is the point in you knowing?”

  Lucifer frowned. “In the sun?” His eyes widened. “That was no figment. You were there, you saved me.”

  Michael pull
ed the spears from Lucifer’s body. “I have to know, please. You said you would not end me. What then would you have done?”

  Lucifer looked at him with new eyes. “I would do what I did not then; I would try and convince you to join me. I would have said sentiments about brothers, but…” Lucifer looked to where Lucifel slowly pulled out the first spear shaft. “Apparently brothers are not so special, there is no special relationship. My arguments then would have failed. Love and friendship do not seem to matter.”

  Michael shuddered. “I was confused, afraid, but I always have loved you.” He punched at Lucifer weakly. “Why could you not give me more of an effort? Why did you not try harder to explain yourself then to me?! I did not know what to do!” Michael lost his years; he regressed to a youth, then to a boy. “Why did you do that to me?!”

  Lucifer gaped. “I—”

  Michael wept. “You were my best friend and you made me happy. I did not know any love besides yours. You were everything to me, yet you treated me as nothing! Why did you try to save everyone else, but you never tried to save me! You left me! You left me alone with him for an eternity! Why did you do that to me?”

  Lucifel stood. He glared at Michael. “What is this, pathetic. I knew you would crack eventually, you poor excuse of a child. I wish you had tried to kill him earlier, that would rid me of this vision, but I should have known. If the first tool is weak, the thing made from it will be weaker.” He threw a bolt of fire and blasted Michael back from Lucifer.

  Lucifer snarled and got to his feet. “Do not touch him!”

  Lucifel sneered. “Can I not play with our youngest brother? He always only wanted to play with you. He never had the time for me until you were gone!”

  Lucifer threw one of the spears of light. Lucifel ducked away. Lucifer ran to Michael and picked him up. He hefted another spear towards Lucifel, sending him back. He rocked Michael. “Wake up, now.”

  The boy blinked and opened his blue eyes, his burns healed. Michael gulped. “Are you going to kill me now?”

  “I withdraw my vow of your death.” He set Michael down on his feet and grabbed for another spear. “Go stand with Helion and Whitney, they can keep you safe.” He hurled the spear, catching Lucifel’s leg.