Exile of Lucifer (24 page)

184           CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile             of Lucifer
Even Gabriel, who flew above it all and shouted for the angels to
calm down, seemed unable to stop the uproar.
"This has been a long time in coming," said Lucifer to Kara.
"Our side is passionate and willing to fight if they must! This bodes
well."
"Lucifer, we must put a stop to this!" said Kara. "This is the end!"
"No, it's the beginning," said Lucifer, intoxicated by what he
saw. "Angels in disorder--this, Kara, is exactly what the Lord will
do anything to prevent. And this is only on a small scale! Picture
such chaos Kingdom-wide. The Lord will not abide such a display
of His inability to maintain control in general. Should it come to
this He will compromise." Kara had stopped listening to Lucifer
and was trying to arrest two angels who were starting to grapple
with one another.
On stage Pellecus and Crispin were seated, silently watching
the disarray. Crispin was horrified at the scene. He finally shouted
to Pellecus, "This is what your teaching begets, Pellecus! Angel
against angel!"
"Wrong, Crispin! You are witnessing the unleashing of free-
dom!" yelled Pellecus.
"Freedom!" Crispin said. "If this is the freedom you advocate
let me remain a slave!" He walked off the stage and exited out a
rear doorway.
Everywhere angels were involved in conflict. Polias was com-
pletely panicked. Some angels were arguing passionately while
others were actually sparring. Some were in the aisles while others
had taken flight and were battling in the air above the crowd.
Gabriel was holding two wisdom angels apart. Kara found himself
in the middle of the room helpless. And Lucifer drank it all in with
satisfaction. He approached Pellecus.
"You see, Pellecus, how base angels are," he said. "They are so
easily agitated. This will prove to our advantage should it be nec-
essary to display force! Well done!"
"Thank you, lord, but I am not sure I made my point today,"
said Pellecus.

"This nonsense has gone far enough, Lucifer!"              185
"Perhaps not, dear Pellecus," answered Lucifer, surveying the
chaotic room. "But you made mine!"
Suddenly the doors burst open and a great shaft of greenish-
blue light filled the room, casting its color on every face. In the light
a silhouette could be made out. Whispers of "Michael" could be
heard as the room quickly quieted down. Lucifer watched as
Michael entered the room, envious of the respect this one angel
commanded. Angels cleared a path as the archangel walked to the
center of the room. All knew that the only time Michael's aura
shone was when he was extremely provoked. Lucifer was curious
as to how he would handle this.
Lucifer walked over to Michael and began to speak. "I was
just about to put an end to this, Michael," he said. "It seems the dis-
cussion was a little more heated than we anticipated."
Michael either ignored or didn't hear Lucifer. He simply stood
and looked at the angels around him, his aura slowly ebbing.
Gabriel joined him and did not say a word. Finally Michael spoke
loudly:
"Such a display! What has happened to us? Never before have
I seen such an ugly and brutal side of this Host! You should all be
utterly ashamed...."
As he spoke a thunderous noise filled the room followed by a
crimson aura. Many angels were knocked aside as the reddish light
streaked into the room and surrounded Lucifer. From out of this
shell of light (which quickly disappeared) stepped three angels. It
was Rugio and his two closest warriors, swords drawn. The three
warriors pushed the angels closest to Lucifer away from him and
set up a parameter around him. Michael was disturbed by this
intrusion and looked hard into Rugio's eyes. Rugio returned the
stare defiantly, holding onto his sword.
"Ah, thank you, Rugio," Lucifer said calmly, "but as you can
see all is well here. The archangel, as always, has things in hand."
"You have trained him well," said Michael, still staring into
Rugio's proud eyes. "However, Rugio, in the future you will remem-
ber that you are under my authority and not Lucifer's. You should
have been here to keep the peace when this nonsense started."

186          CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile          of Lucifer
"I'm sorry, lord Michael, " said Rugio, urged on by Lucifer
from behind. "I came to assist you if need be. And here I am."
"Hmmm. Very well." Michael turned to the room and shout-
ed, "These proceedings are closed. Now go...and repent of this
ugly episode. Go!"
The angels filed out of the hall and soon the room was empty
except for Michael, Gabriel, Lucifer, Kara, Pellecus and Rugio and
his two warriors. Polias was also in the room waiting his turn to
speak with the archangel. Michael walked past Gabriel directly to
Lucifer and began speaking.
"How did this happen, Lucifer?" he asked calmly.
"Well, Michael, it appears that angels are willing to fight for
what they believe," answered a rather smug Lucifer. He looked into
Michael's eyes and said, "I am not responsible for this."
"I'm afraid that I am the culprit," said Pellecus, "or rather
Crispin and myself. "You see, Michael, the discussion got a little
involved and, well, soon the whole room was participating in
the...discussion."
"I see. And you, Kara--a respected Elder!" Michael recalled
his prior conversation with Serus that had revealed Kara's definite
sympathies for Lucifer. "Why didn't you attempt to stop this?"
"Don't accuse me, Archangel!" said Kara. "I jumped in the
middle of the brawl. Why not quiz your fellow archangel--he was
as ineffective as any of us."
Gabriel remained silent.
"Perhaps this illustrates in a small way how a group of deter-
mined angels can upset the balance of things," said Lucifer. "A dis-
turbing thought really, Michael. Something we should take up
officially one day--you being responsible for order in the Kingdom
and all."
"Do you realize what has occurred?" said Michael, upset once
more. "A division among the Host! This nonsense has gone far
enough, Lucifer. It stops now!"
"I have no arguments in Heaven," said Lucifer. "As far as the
division of the Host, however, I believe it runs far more deep and
wide than you realize. And I believe it has existed for a very long

"This nonsense has gone far enough, Lucifer!"             187
time. The fault does not lie with me. I suggest you search in much
loftier places in Heaven for your answers."
Michael ignored Lucifer's snide comment. "If a breech has
occurred in the Host, then we in authority must do what we can to
mend the breech," said Michael. "A divided Host cannot possibly
serve the Most High or honor Him."
Michael looked at Rugio once more. "Rugio, never again draw
your sword in my presence, for on that day I will see you cast
down!" Michael turned and left, followed by Gabriel and a stam-
mering, apologetic Polias.
"I will see him cast down one day," said Rugio, replacing his
sword. The other warriors attending him did the same.
"One day you will have that opportunity, Rugio," said
Lucifer. "One day we will all witness the collapse of Michael and
his righteous troop! But it will not be on his terms--it will be on
ours. Such arrogance these angels display! Kara, you must talk
with them and discover whatever Gabriel was doing at the Temple
complex. Go now!"
Kara hesitated. "That might not be wise," he said. "Michael is
rather put out with me. I believe he suspects something that might
prove an imposition to me."
"If we don't discover what he knows it will be an imposition
for all of us," said Lucifer, whose tone had a terminal ring to it. "All
of us."
Kara said nothing, but acknowledged Lucifer's serious assess-
ment. He nodded in agreement and disappeared, taking flight after
Michael and Gabriel.
"Michael is correct about one thing," said Pellecus. "The
house is divided. Two distinct camps are emerging."
"As it should be," said Lucifer. "The prophecy foretold it. How-
ever, we will have to have a credible show of support to succeed--
particularly if the Most High needs added convincing. The fact that
holy angels were actually fighting means we have cut a deep swath
in the Host. I find these independent rumblings encouraging."
"And the fact that so many exalted angels were unable to con-
tain the fighting is also encouraging," added Pellecus. "Only Michael
was able to stop the nonsense--and that by his mere presence."

188          CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile           of Lucifer
"Yes," said Lucifer. "I saw that, of course. His presence swept
the room like incense sweeping through the Temple." He turned to
Rugio. "It would be to our advantage that when the day of true bat-
tle occurs, Michael is not present."
"I understand, " said Rugio, patting his sword. "I will see to it
personally!"

189
Chapter 13
"Was it really from this position
all of Heaven was to quake?"
Michael and Gabriel stood near a cascading brook under a
large flowering tree not far from the Academy. They said little as
the throng of angels leaving the disastrous debate continued walk-
ing by. When it was evident they were quite alone Michael looked
at Gabriel and spoke.
"Quite an academic exercise, hmm?"
Gabriel looked at him and smiled. "You mean an academic
battlefield," he said. "That was not a discourse but a deliberate test-
ing of the Host by Lucifer--and we actually abetted him in this.
Shameful!"
"Even more shameful that we were unable to do anything
about it," came a voice from the pathway. It was Kara.
"Yes," said Michael, nodding in greeting to Kara. "That was
disturbing. The Host should have responded to your or Gabriel's
authority--perhaps they would have listened to Lucifer had he
attempted to quell them." Michael decided to be cautious with
Kara, but was curious as to where the conversation might lead. He
decided to venture a provocative thought. "Something is quite

190          CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile          of Lucifer
wrong, Kara--it's as if darkness is taking over the sensibilities of
the angels. I feel I am losing some of them."
"Nonsense, Archangel!" said Kara. "You will find that the
Host stands with their Chief Commander as always!"
"Yes," said Gabriel, "but who is their chief commander?" He
looked up at the two angels, amused at their startled looks. "I'm
only saying that the lack of respect for established authority causes
me to question whose authority they are under."
"Speaking as an Elder I must admit that recent events have
become intolerable and I shall take them up with the Council to be
sure," Kara responded. "Perhaps we should discuss this with an
even higher authority..."
Michael and Gabriel exchanged discreet glances. Gabriel read
in Michael a cautionary expression.
"After all," Kara continued, "the Most High did create certain
chains of authority and resource for us to access. Perhaps we
should make this a Temple matter now. But of course..." He looked
at Gabriel as if recalling something. "Gabriel! You were recently at
the Temple and without summons. Was it possibly in connection
with any of this?"
"What are you suggesting, Kara?" asked Gabriel, wondering
what Kara might or might not know about his recent visit to the Zoa.
"I simply am suggesting that you were seen at the Temple on
your own authority," answered Kara, "and if it was in connection
with our little dilemma then I must congratulate your wisdom and
your discretion--even if you did supercede official decorum by
skirting established authority."
Gabriel wasn't sure how to answer Kara. "As a matter of fact
I did visit the Temple, Kara, but the business is of such an urgent
nature that I am not at liberty to discuss it except with the appro-
priate parties."
"I see," said Kara, trying to contain the offense welling up
inside of him. "Ah, Kingdom business. One never knows where it
will take an angel, hmm? I suppose then that in visiting the Temple
you spoke with the Zoa?"

"Was it really from this position all of Heaven was to quake?"   191
"Yes, Kara," said Gabriel, "as you know it is one of my func-
tions periodically as Messenger to have an audience with them."
"Quite," said Kara, perturbed at Gabriel's pointed discretion.
"Nevertheless, as you went unannounced and uninvited my pre-
sumption is that this was our business rather than theirs. And if
ours, then perhaps it would not break your trust to share what was
discussed. I am after all an Elder of the Kingdom, second in rank in
Council."
"I respect that of course," said Gabriel, "but..."
"Kara, we cannot expect Gabriel to violate this confidence,"
said Michael in a subdued manner. He did not want Gabriel to
reveal any intelligence to Kara until they had determined Kara's
allegiance. He also determined not to allow Kara to know that he
was aware of Kara's alleged alliance with Lucifer. "I was wanting
him to tell me as well but realized that this too was as inappropri-
ate request."
"Hmm. I admire your integrity, Gabriel. It speaks well of
you," Kara finally responded. "As long as you realize that some-
times it is in the best interest of the Kingdom to know where dis-
cretion ends and wisdom begins."
"Thank you, Kara," said Gabriel. "I will remember that."
Kara looked at the two angels, knowing he was finished here.
"Well, I must be off to Council. Please make me aware of any
developments. I'm sure we will take up the behavior of the Host at
the debate. Should prove interesting. Farewell!"
Michael and Gabriel watched as Kara's wings suddenly burst
forth and he took flight. They watched him disappear toward the
center of the City.
"How did he know you were at the Temple?" Michael asked.
"There are no secrets in Heaven these days, it seems," Gabriel
responded. "I'm not sure who to trust now. But why would Kara be
keeping watch on us? Isn't he with us in this matter?" He looked at
Michael. "Or is he?"
"Let's go to a more private place," said Michael, looking
around. "As you said, there are many eyes around Heaven these

192           CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile               of Lucifer
days. And there is much to tell about my visit with Serus. He
proved quite revealing."
"Yes," said Gabriel. "So did the Zoa."
----------------
"Well that disaster could only have been encouraging to
Lucifer," Crispin said with disappointment as the group was dis-
cussing the debate. "Not that I did poorly. I believe I rendered a fair
and accurate presentation of the viewpoint of the Academy--but
the outcome was an embarrassment."
Michael, Gabriel and Sangius looked with sympathy at their
teacher as he sat behind his large table in his office deep within the
heart of the Academy of the Host. They had gathered to discuss the
visits with Serus and the Zoa, as well as the outbreak of conflict at
the Academy between the two emerging factions.
"You're right about it encouraging Lucifer," said Sangius.
"But he must be equally disturbed by the fact that Michael so easi-
ly stopped the brawl."
"Perhaps," agreed Michael. "But that was a complete surprise.
If it ever comes to a real contest he will be ready. Still, I was gratified."
"Yes, and I'm sure he is preparing for it even now," agreed
Crispin. "But as to a future contest, I believe that we will know very
soon the outcome of this entire episode--what with the Day Six
upon us."
"Day Six. How many more days until the Most High con-
cludes this Creation?" asked Sangius. "Surely He must be nearing
the end!"
"Never underestimate our Lord's ability to create," said
Crispin. "If He so desired I suppose He could create indefinitely.
However, I believe you are essentially correct. The order of Cre-
ation has progressed to a point of complexity wherein the final and
crowning achievement must soon occur." He leaned back dreamily.
"Day Six is proving itself most interesting. The Lord has designed
the most wonderful beasts and other animals to inhabit the land."
Crispin looked at Gabriel. "Only one creature remains--the great-
est of all. The Zoa referred to it as man?"