Exile of Lucifer (13 page)

"We know that you are an angel who can be trusted."         97
mine, my friend. It's ours. Yours, and mine and others who have
been loyal during these trying times." Lucifer thought a moment
and added, "And the Lord's, of course. Though I doubt He shall
take any real interest in it after He has turned it over to me." He
smiled at Kara and poured him a drink from a purplish crystal and
gold decanter on the table.
"So when do they make the request?" asked Lucifer.
"Well, it isn't official," said Kara, taking the drink. "But it
will be soon. After the Creation is near completion. To do so
beforehand would be imprudent. It will have to be taken up offi-
cially, of course. But with my guidance I think we should have no
problems."
A thunderous sound rocked Heaven. The balcony trembled
with the noise and a great cheer could be heard in the distance.
Kara quickly finished his drink and prepared to leave. "Will you
join me with the Elders?" he asked Lucifer. "It might serve you
well to be seen with us."
"No, not yet. Perhaps later."
"Well then, blessings upon you, governor." Kara's wings
unfurled and carried him upwards. "This is certainly a time of his-
tory making! The creation of a new kingdom...or should I say two
new kingdoms? Farewell!" He disappeared into the blue Heavenly
sky, filled with angels awaiting the spectacle.
"Yes, my friend, this is an unique occasion," Lucifer said to
himself. He set his glass down and went inside the house, closing
the balcony doors behind him. Walking over to his writing desk, he
unlocked a cabinet drawer and took out a gold-bound book that
was entitled Prophecies of the Morning Star. The book had a golden
lock built onto it. He took a crystal key from the desk and turned
the lock. Opening the book, he began to write.
The Prophecies was the book of Lucifer's own recorded wis-
dom, personal prophecies and significant revelations he believed
held special meaning for him in the future. He had been encouraged
by Pellecus to record all these important thoughts for the archives
as well as to lay a foundation of future spiritual authority--just as

98           CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile           of Lucifer
the Lord had recorded His own wisdom and used His writings for
purposes of authority in Heaven.
A second thunderous noise, this time of trumpets, shook the
room as he set the book down. This was followed by the voice of
the Lord:
"Glory to the Lamb of God who was slain
before the foundation of the world!"
Lucifer recalled these words, which had greeted all of the
angels when they were first created, and wondered what they
meant. "The Lamb of God?" he muttered to himself. "Again?" He
stepped back out onto the balcony in time to see a dazzling light
going forth from the north and penetrating deeply into the Heav-
enly sky. He watched as the single shaft shot forth, disappearing
into the blackness of the deep. I didn't expect it would begin so soon,
he thought.
He watched as a magnificent chandelier of crystal and light
swayed gently back and forth, still moving from the tremors caused
by the tumult. Such immense power, he thought to himself, feeling a
surge of respect for the awesome nature of the Almighty. Still he
wondered if such power is truly inherent or may be somehow
acquired.
Another general cheer went up from outside. Lucifer decided
that he had better join the Elders. He quickly put on one of his offi-
cial cloaks and looked at himself in the long mirror. Behind him in
the reflection lay the book he had written in, still open. He smiled
as he read what he had just written:
Two kingdoms are born today;
two thrones shall rise;
one to greater glory,
the other to despise;
The Old Throne births the New;
The Greater births the Least.
To One a day of famine,
To one a glorious feast
So it is, O Morning Star

"We know that you are an angel who can be trusted."              99
This prophecy foretold;
The Greater now gives way to thee,
Thy wonders to behold.
----------------
The Chronicles of the Host
Creation!
The Lord Almighty had designed a vast, inky canvas called the
universe onto which he was going to paint the Heavens and
the earth. The excited angels sat on the very edges of this new
physical realm, engaging for the first time a dimension about
which they previously had only been able to speculate. They
touched this multidimensional world timidly, ran their hands
through it, and some of the bolder angels actually penetrated
it, moving in and out of it with ease.
All eyes, however, were cast to the north from which came the
thunderous voice of the Lord. Suddenly, the shroud of darkness
was pulled back by the Spirit, whose presence enveloped a
black, watery lump, the shape of which was imperfect and
changing. Above and around the formless mass, the Spirit of
God seemed restless and brooding, waiting upon the word to
be spoken by the Father, in accord with the Son. He need only
give the word...
Then God said:
"Light!"
As quickly as the Lord spoke the word all of Heaven shook to
its very core. The angels were buffeted violently by the mighty
resonance of the spoken word. Light streamed forth from the
very presence of the Most High, bursting into the darkness
and scattering it. (This was the light that Lucifer had wit-
nessed from his house.) Angels who had situated themselves

100           CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile                of Lucifer
within the newly formed physical universe were blinded by the
brilliance and tossed about like so many leaves in the wind.
The newly formed light was a type and form of illuminance
that they had never before witnessed. Some of the angels actu-
ally touched the light streaming forth from Heaven and found
it warm, and consisting of tiny particles which they could
sense moving through them, completely unlike the pure,
immaterial glory that radiated from the Lord's Person.
They observed as the light coursed through the universe, cre-
ating what many angels described as a tunnel, until its beam
collided with the earth, allowing the angels for the first time to
fully see the new world in its unformed state. The Spirit
remained vigilant, hovering over the ball of water which was
now lit up for all of Heaven to see. The angels shouted for joy
that day as the Lord decreed that henceforth the darkness in
the universe shall be known as "night" and the light in the
universe shall be called "day." And suddenly the first creative
act was over...
And there was evening and morning,
the first day.
----------------
Most of the angels stood around in complete awe of the event,
talking excitedly about what they had seen. Scribes sought to record
every detail, interviewing witnesses and compiling notes that
would later be entered into the Chronicles of the Kingdom. Scholar-
ly angels such as Crispin explored the new dimension and found
that they could move in and out of this physical universe with great
ease, traveling from the Kingdom to the outer edges of the
immense, dark expanse as quickly as they thought about doing so.
Other angels approached the earth itself, the obvious future
focus of God's intentions, which was bathed in the light of Heaven.
They wondered what the Lord would achieve with this misshapen
piece of physical matter. What were the angels to do in such a

"We know that you are an angel who can be trusted."       101
world? The Host anxiously debated questions that would be
answered in the Lord's timing as the Creation progressed.
----------------
One angel in particular wondered what all this meant for his
own future. Serus slowly made his way back toward Lucifer's
house. He watched as the other angels walked by in groups, laugh-
ing and talking, genuinely enjoying each other's fellowship. Serus
had long ago resigned himself that to serve with Lucifer meant sac-
rificing some aspects of one's communal life. After all, it was
Lucifer who took him in after his poor showing at the Academy
and gave him a position of real prestige. So what if he didn't do
well? Let others like Michael and Gabriel be adored. Serus shined
in service to Lucifer--the greatest angel in Heaven.
This was the reasoning that Serus had been entertaining late-
ly. And still sometimes he missed the company of others, particu-
larly in joyous seasons such as this one. He now wondered what
this new season would bring to him. He looked up at the imposing
house in the distance--Lucifer's palace--and could see the magnif-
icent gardens in front and his master standing on the balcony. No
doubt he would be in a foul mood about something. This was the
angel in whom Serus had placed his trust and his future. He had
long given up the idea of serving in the House of the Lord, as the
greatest positions had been assumed.
He decided that the greater angels would not welcome him as
he wasn't gifted musically, wasn't wise enough to be a scribe, and
didn't have the ability of a warrior. And so he served in the shad-
ow of one greater, hoping some day to cast a shadow of his own.
----------------
Kara looked uncomfortable as he sat across from Michael and
the others in the room. He had never been invited to Michael's
home before, and now, in the presence of Gabriel, Crispin and
Sangius, he could not help but be suspicious as to their intentions.
As an elder who sat upon the Council it was not unusual to have an
audience with other angels, but usually the circumstances were

102          CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile           of Lucifer
much more official, much more public. This invitation came quiet-
ly and begged discretion until the meeting was over.
"Quite a remarkable demonstration of our Lord's plans for Cre-
ation," said Crispin to nobody in particular, trying to break the awk-
ward tension that hung in the room. Everyone agreed generally.
"Lucifer 's music was outstanding," added Gabriel. "As
always." Kara was dispassionate at the mention of Lucifer, only
nodding in agreement with the statement.
"Yes," chimed in Sangius. "It was a brilliant stroke of the
Council to recommend that the Creation be accompanied by his
music. That was your idea, wasn't it, Kara?"
"Oh, I think several of us came to the conclusion than an
angelic influence was in order," said Kara.
"After all, it is we who will serve the Lord in the new world,
is it not?" asked Crispin.
"I have no idea what the Lord's ultimate intentions are for the
new world," answered Kara. "Far wiser angels have been speculat-
ing that one ever since I can remember. But tell me, Michael, it was
not to discuss the Lord's plans, which none of us know anything
about, that you brought me here, was it?"
Michael looked around the group and started to speak, look-
ing rather uncomfortable.
"Well, not exactly," he said.
Kara studied the faces of the angels in the room. All of them
were respected and completely loyal, and represented the various
angelic ministries in the Kingdom. Had they heard about his meet-
ings with Lucifer?
"Kara," Gabriel began gently. "We know that you are an angel
who can be trusted. We asked you here because of all the angels on
the Council, you were the one whom we believe we can entrust with
some very important and volatile information. This is regarding mat-
ters which call for utmost discretion and confidence, but which we
felt proper to bring to a Council Elder before going further with it."
"I'm delighted and honored that you would select me for such
a role," Kara answered, relieved that they only had some Kingdom
matters to discuss. This was turning out to be much more ordinary

"We know that you are an angel who can be trusted."         103
than he thought. "If there is anything I can do to resolve an urgent
matter, I am certainly at your service. Now what exactly can I do
for you?"
Little by little the group began to divulge the story of their
collective discoveries; of whispered conversations and petty jeal-
ousies; of the impure doctrines finding their way into the Academy;
of the smugness of the Council of Worship and the nature of the
recent meetings; of Lucifer's change in attitude toward his former
friends; of whisperings of references to the Lord's inability to main-
tain the Kingdom; and of the possibility that hidden within this
morass was a systematic plan of some sort which threatened the
very peace of the Kingdom--all pointing to Lucifer as its source
and strength.
Kara sat back in his chair in a long silence. He looked gravely
at each angel who sat around him. He sat quietly for a few
moments and then spoke. "It was very wise of you to bring this to
my attention. There certainly seems to be something worthwhile
here to investigate further. Tell me, have you mentioned any of this
to any other angel?"
"Not one," said Michael. "We wanted to speak with you
before we brought anyone else in on this."
"Excellent! Well did the Most High proclaim you archangel,
Michael," said Kara. "You are certainly correct in not allowing this
to go any further than this room. More damage can be done with
information that is recklessly tossed about than when it is handled
discreetly. And this certainly calls for discretion."
"So what do you intend to do?" asked Crispin pointedly.
Everyone looked at Kara.
"To act," he responded. "But not in an obvious and public
manner. You all have done your duty. It is now up to me to take this
further. There are certain parties to whom I will give this informa-
tion. In fact I'm sure one party will be extremely interested. And
hopefully we can deal with all of this privately and perhaps even
redeem the situation. Naturally, I will pose an investigation of my
own as well."
"But what are we to do in the meantime?" asked Michael who
wanted to begin some sort of proceedings right away.

104          CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile           of Lucifer
"Nothing. I know it is much to ask of you, my friends. But as
you know, there is an authority structure within the Kingdom in
which we must operate. You have done your duty in bringing me
this information. Now it is up to me to carry it on to the next step.
I will of course keep you informed of my findings, as I am sure you
will update me as you gather any other information. But at this
point what I am asking you to do is to remain silent about this.
These reports must not go beyond this group. The time may come
when I will call upon you to act. But until then, you must refrain
from reacting."
The group sat silently for a moment or so after Kara left. Final-
ly Michael spoke up: "What does he mean, we must do nothing?
There is too much at stake to do nothing!"
"That is precisely the reason that Kara is asking for discre-
tion," said Crispin. "Excuse me for saying so, Michael, but your
strong-headedness is liable to make this whole affair much more
confusing and hurtful than it might have to be."
"Crispin's right, old friend," added Gabriel. "I'm afraid I
must agree with Kara at least for now. We have done what we
agreed to do. Now we must let it rest with him."
"I cannot believe any of this," fumed Michael. "We are just
supposed to walk away from this as if nothing is happening?"
"Just until Kara calls upon us for assistance," said Crispin.
"He probably will want us to testify someday. But like Kara we can
continue discreetly to investigate the matter. I believe he would
expect that much from us."
It was not Michael's nature to do nothing. He longed for a
fight--a showdown that would end the matter once and for all. But
he knew that he must honor the decision of the group. He looked
at them and dramatically said, "For now I'll go along with this. But
the day will come when we will have to fight Lucifer. And when
that happens..."
"You'll be leading the way," interrupted Gabriel, "with all of
Heaven behind you!"
Everyone began laughing at the image of Michael bearing the
Lord's standard with thousands of angels behind charging a