LITMIR.BIZ

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Her eyes were greener than the grass of the Provender.

      “You were wonderful, Lucifer. I am so proud of you, and so is our Father, I am sure.”

      He had better be. God would finally promote Lucifer to His level after a performance like that, he was certain. Lucifer would have a throne next to Him now. His hair straightened and filled in, turning from light brown to ash blonde. His eyes deepened from an orange amber to a transparent blue and his skin softened its hue.

      “I love it when you do that,” said Thyaterra.

      “When I do what?”

      A gruff voice said, “Your face just changed again.” It was Bretabian, a tall seraphim who followed awkwardly close behind Thyaterra.

      “I wasn’t speaking to you,” Lucifer snapped. His hair curled slightly in back.

      Bretabian uncovered two wings from his face, revealing a blinding light, while his other four continued flapping. “I apologize.”

      Lucifer could handle God’s glory, unlike other angels. He was close enough to God to have become as accustomed to His light as the seraphim. He ignored Bretabian and faced Thyaterra. “Thank you, Terra. I can never feel it when I change, but I am very happy right now to be with you.”

      Lucifer and his escorts tucked their wings in and landed smoothly. With Lucifer in the lead, they walked past the dominion Barterus at the entrance to the heavenly city. Barterus tipped his ornate helmet, which covered part of his face, and bowed to Lucifer. Dominions were very serious creatures. They guarded each of the pearl gate entrances and were in charge of enforcing the laws of the angels. Their wing feathers were fuller and fluffier than those of other angels, and they were typically the smallest angels in stature. Lucifer towered at least ten feet over Barterus as he passed. However, dominions were some of Heaven’s fiercest fighters and were the last of the orders to give ground in an argument.

      Barterus gripped a large golden sword with a spherical ball of light on the pommel. “It’s an honor to see you, highest of the cherubim. What a fine show.” He opened the gate for Lucifer.

      “Thank you, kind angel.” The other dominion raced over to sing his praises as well.

      Lucifer walked forward about a hundred yards and stepped onto a golden ramp that was transparent down to the bottom. It stretched up and over the many houses of the heavenly city. Beginning the journey up, Lucifer looked down through the ramp all the way to the center of the Great Mountain, where the twelve jeweled layers were exposed down to its heart. Beautiful yet hollow, he thought.

      The ramp was long and there were three others just like it starting from the center gates of the four walls of the city. They were held up by golden bricks, which were supported by massive arches and pillars. Some of the heavenly housing was actually situated underneath the arches and between the pillars. This pattern continued up the entire mountain.

      A comfortable silence overtook the group. Lucifer felt the euphoria gradually slip in and he knew the throne of God was getting closer. After their long ascension to the top of the ramp, the passage turned right over an ornate bridge with carvings of six-winged seraphim touching hands across it. Their hands made beams, and the entire masterpiece was made out of solid marble. The statues were ten times the size of Lucifer or any other angel. He always felt small beneath them.

      The bridge itself was constructed of slabs of colorful marble that exuded a light glow. The end of the bridge opened to a courtyard with a seven-tiered fountain of pure water. Pure, pure. Everything was always pure. The base of the fountain was solid white pearl.

      Surrounding the courtyard were hedges manicured into perfect cubes with multicolored flowers growing inside. Lucifer straightened a flower as he passed, twisting it into position. In one corner, the hedges formed an archway that led to a golden step, which was the beginning of a solid-gold staircase. The staircase glistened from an intense glow. It was long and led directly to the upper levels and eventually, God’s throne. Two intense dominion angels guarded the entrance to the hierarchical levels, and as Lucifer and the seraphs passed by, they lowered their heads but did not speak.

      Lucifer reached the first step and began to climb the stairs. The majority of the angels following them had made it to their homes on the lower level below. Each shiny, solid step brought him higher and closer to God, and with each step, a deeper feeling of euphoria took over.

      “I love this feeling every time,” said Thyaterra.

      Lucifer, who was no stranger to that staircase or that feeling, replied, “Me too,” and smiled at her.

      “Remember Competia and Tameus?” interjected Bretabian.

      “Young fools,” Lucifer said.

      Two young angels had once decided to fly within the walls of the city as they raced each other past the dominions and thrones to see God up close. Each wanted to be first. They flew as fast as they could up the stairs, but a sudden rush of euphoria made them lose control at the summit, and they crashed right into His throne and fell at His feet. Tameus was left staring straight up at Him while Competia quickly covered up and lay face down in reverent fear. It was too much, too quickly for Tameus, and she was blinded for nine solid months. The idiot. No other angel had tried it since.

      “I think we’ve all been tempted to rush to the top,” Terra said.

      “I haven’t,” said Bretabian. “I know the proper path.”

      “We don’t all lack your imagination, Bretabian.” Lucifer fixed his gaze directly on the seraph. “But Competia and Tameus learned their lesson. Most angels do.”

      “That’s the thing about free will—we can’t always control others, even when we want to,” he said.

      “Smart angels learn quickly from their mistakes. They give respect where it is due.”

      “Smart angels know their place.”

      “What are you saying?”

      “Oh nothing, cherub,” said Bretabian.

      “Bretabian!” said Thyaterra.

      I am the highest angel in Heaven, Lucifer thought. He held himself back from further conflict. Silence fell upon the group. After about an hour of ascending the golden staircase, they arrived at the first platform, where the order of the thrones resided. The buildings were detailed and elaborate, down to the tiniest piece of cloth. The décor was decadent—purple and red velvet trimmed in solid gold. The floor of the platform was also yellow gold and covered with rugs of fine silk. On the left and right sides were houses, each cut out of the finest gold. Behind them were other structures used for worship.

      Lucifer reached the second platform, where most of the cherubim resided. A great deal of housing existed on this level although not all of those angels stayed there permanently. The cherubim roamed much more freely than the thrones, and their homes were characterized by marble and stone rather than fine cloth and draperies. The buildings were taller, with pointed arches. Lucifer’s home was the largest and trimmed with the finest of Heaven’s jewels, but every time he went up there, he lamented the fact he did not have a throne. He should have one—this was clear to him—and it should be situated on the upper level next to God to signify his true role in Heaven.

      “I will see you tomorrow, Terra. I look forward to it every morning.” He hugged the six-winged beauty as the rest of the seraphim waited.

      “I look forward to seeing you every morning too. You did wonderful today. You are so blessed by God, and I thank Him every day for it,” she said.

      It’s not all Him, he thought. “Thank you.”

      “Goodbye, Lucifer,” said Bretabian briskly. He stood at a distance, obviously waiting for Thyaterra.

      “Bretabian.” Lucifer nodded, still looking at Thyaterra. He watched her shimmering silver dress float as elegantly as she did. She had the kindest eyes. Their hands separated, and she turned away. The moment was over.

      Lucifer pushed

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