LITMIR.BIZ

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questions about creation, but this one weighed heavily on his mind. Where did the cosmos come from? Why was it there? Where did it truly start and where did it end? Why didn’t God tell the angels about it? Lucifer always went to the cosmos to challenge his own understanding. The more he was in the midst of something he could not explain, the more he burned to know about it and everything else that didn’t have an immediate answer. It helped him prepare himself to approach God for the answers he didn’t have. Truthfully he hated having to ask God, but he pretended to enjoy the open discussions and to be gracious of God’s willingness to answer every single question. Now he wouldn’t have to. He would be God’s equal. He would know everything.

      After a few hours of thought and flight through the infinite space, he noticed something very tiny but light in the far distance. His powerful senses allowed him to perceive it, but before he could get to it, there was a tremendous explosion. It was not like some of the heavenly displays of fire put on by the thrones in celebration and worship of God. No, this was an explosion within itself. It seemed impossible, but it shook the very emptiness of its surroundings. Lucifer had never seen anything like it.

      He stared, frozen. The massive explosion seemed so far away. If he hadn’t seen it with his own two eyes, he would have never believed it. In mere seconds, the sound of the thunderous blast assaulted his ears and thrust him backward with an unreal force. He was shocked by what was happening and awestruck at the newly formed objects flying around. One of them smashed into him hard enough to be broken by his body like butter parted by a hot knife. The mass broke off into many pieces, but Lucifer was injured. Though his shoulders took the main brunt of the blow, his left side was extremely bruised. Still, he would heal quickly. Not even this could spoil the news of his promotion.

      Lucifer quickly realized he was in harm’s way. He rushed back along the pathway he had come, through the water, up the waterfalls, and over to the Great Forest of Harmony, just south of the falls, where he crashed to the ground. He was confused, amazed, and completely exhilarated. He stopped under a large apple tree to try to figure out what had happened. He went over the event in his head and attempted to make sense out of it with logic and mathematics.

      He had a firm grasp on how energy and matter worked together, so he tried hard to figure out a way they could have related to each other in order to cause such a tremendous explosion. He started to weigh all possible explanations without factoring in any divine intervention. He was sure he was the only angel who ever considered the nature of things first. He picked a large golden apple from the tree above him and bit into its juicy flesh. Could God have caused this explosion?

      He sat under the tree for hours trying to figure it out, but he could not. It frustrated him, and he couldn’t let it go. He got up and paced back and forth. He would figure it out no matter what. He was determined not to ask God for this answer.

      Lucifer headed just a bit north of the forest to a transparent bridge made of exorbitant golden boulders that floated on the air and stretched for miles across the river. Although the bridge was unnecessary for crossing because the angels could simply fly, it actually received much use because of the views it offered and its comfortability. He could nurse his injuries there. When he sat on the golden bridge in one place for more than ten seconds, it slowly loosened and formed to his backside and even his wings. He lay on it with his wings fully expanded, for it was rejuvenating his joints. He decided to stay there until he came up with the answer he was seeking about the cosmos or God came calling to announce his promotion.

      “I can’t believe it. A Son is coming soon!”

      Lucifer opened his eyes to see three angels huddled together on a boulder a hundred yards away.

      “He will be as glorious as our Father.”

      “I wonder what he will look like. I’m sure he will look like the great Lucifer.”

      Lucifer smiled, closed his eyes, and sank into his boulder to stay hidden. Of course, he would look like Lucifer. He was the one being promoted.

      “No, I heard he is even greater than Lucifer in every way. I heard he is like the Father Himself and we will be able to look upon Him! His name is Jesus.”

      Lucifer’s eyes shot open. He struggled to get up from his boulder, but the sudden movement didn’t allow the gold to expand. He was trapped. The motion sent a sharp pain through his entire left side, and in an instant his injuries were back.

      “When will we be able to gaze upon him?”

      “It was announced by the cherubim that the Son of God will be arriving in Heaven soon!”

      Lucifer gasped, and the perfect air turned thick and traveled through his chest like a viscous liquid. His head tingled and his vision blurred as a sudden blackness consumed him. How could God have betrayed him? Was his performance at the Ludus Paradisus anything less than worthy of a promotion? What other angel could have done everything he had? How could He do this to Lucifer? How could He look past him? This couldn’t be true.

      He would ask God himself. He deserved answers now. As Lucifer started back up to the Great Mountain, he began mentally preparing himself to go before God without revealing his thoughts or emotions. This would be quite a feat, but he had done it before. At least he thought he had. Maybe he wasn’t actually able to hide things from God and God just let him think he could. He shook off that thought and started refocusing. As he was approaching the gates that surrounded the heavenly city, he could feel his chest about to burst through the tiny chains of his armor.

      “Open, Barterus.”

      The dominion quickly opened the gate to the inner city. He bowed as Lucifer approached, and his helmet fell to the ground and stuck in the soft dirt. Lucifer did not alter course and stepped on it, driving the helmet deeper into the ground. It felt good. He stopped, picked it up, and handed it to the dominion. “My apologies.”

      “No, Lucifer, I am sorry it fell in your way. Is everything all right, sir?”

      “No, Barterus, it is not.”

      Lucifer walked to the transparent golden ramp but did not look down. He was wrought with frustration. He crossed the seraphim bridge and it didn’t seem quite as beautiful anymore. Lucifer didn’t feel small beneath the statues this time. In fact, he had never felt bigger than in this moment. He needed to feel big since God was trying to make him small.

      He crossed the courtyard. At the fountain, he washed his hands and splashed water over his hot face. He took a deep breath as he realized what was about to happen. He could do this, he assured himself. He had to. Lucifer walked up to the first step of the staircase and knew there was no turning back. He would never turn back.

      He had always looked forward to the awesome feeling of euphoria on the golden staircase to the upper tiers, but this time it was wholly absent. When he noticed the difference, he stopped. He was a little disappointed but knew this was a confirmation that he was onto something. He was on a mission, so he shook it off and began his walk again toward his supposed creator. God had better not have a Son.

      There was no darkness in Heaven because of the very light Lucifer was climbing the stairs to confront. A day consisted of a twenty-four hour period, based on God’s unique time. Lately Lucifer had been noticing that time seemed to matter to him. Now there was none left. He was inherently talented at keeping track of time, which was considered insignificant by every other angel with the exception of the record-keepers of the powers. Maybe there was a reason Lucifer was good at it. He wasn’t sure.

      He looked down over the heavenly city, taking note of how the angels were always so productive. They simply enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment that came with hard work. They just wanted to please God. Consistency and routine had always been a part of everyday existence. But for what? He felt emptied out. He was a rind with no fruit.

      Lucifer arrived at the thrones’ platform. The decadence the velvet bestowed seemed absurd this time. What a ridiculous group of angels. He didn’t have time for them and raced upward, ignoring their bows, greetings, and questions. He had

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