Grace Even In Darkness

Grace Even In Darkness- Chapter One

One

    Word had spread of what has happened in the mortal world. Of Balthazar’s redemption. How miraculous it was. How the hearts of many started to lift. How others had sunk. To know it was true to gain forgiveness for falling from grace. To earn it back.

    Lucifer paced back and forth in his bedchamber. His heart filled with untold happiness. He knew if anyone could find a way it would be Balt. His most honorable of all those who fell.

    After a while, Lucifer sat down with a heavy sigh. His head falling into his hands. “Everyone can be forgiven. But...” He looked to the hearth in his chambers. The one with a fire burning green and purple. “All but me. I was the one to insight the rebellion. This is my eternal punishment.”

    “You really think that?”

    Lucifer jumped out of his seat startled. “Balt?!”

    Standing before his with glorious wings was the one and only Balthazar. Balt smiled at Lucifer and leaned his shoulder against the door frame with his arms crossed lazily across his chest.

    It took Lucifer sometime before his brain could process what was going on. “But... You... Here...”

    Balt laughed at seeing Lucifer stutter and having a hard time to compose even one sentence. “I’m a redeemed. I can pass into any of the realms now. Be it Heaven, Hell, or the in between.”

    Lucifer’s legs gave out underneath of him. His rear collided so informally with the stone seat that he knew it would be sore for a while, but that didn’t faze him at the moment. This new information and seeing Balt was zapping some strength from him.

    Balt walked over to the table next to Lucifer and poured the shaken leader a strong drink. “Here.” Lucifer took the drink absentmindedly and swallowed it all in one gulp. He hissed at the burn the liquid created in its wake.

    Balt took a seat opposite Lucifer and cupped his cheek with one hand while he rested his elbow on the armrest. The stone was so cold here, but Balt had been used to it for quite a while. Eons.

    Lucifer’s eyes caught sight of the shimmering gold tips of Balt’s wings. A slow smile stretched over his lips. “You’re whole again.”

    Balt smiled too as his wing wrapped around him and he stroked the gold tips. “More than one way.” Balt’s expression became serious as he looked at Lucifer. “You too can become whole again. But we need your help in the process.”

    Lucifer looked down at the cup in his hands. “There’s no way for me to redeem myself. No matter how guilty I feel.”

    Balt leaned over and placed his hand over the cup making Lucifer look up at him. “But there is. HE has told me so.” Balt watched as Lucifer swallowed visibly. He felt how uncertain and scared Lucifer was. “You just need to see what you’re missing too as I have.”

    Lucifer’s head hung. “But I don’t know what that is. How can I regain my grace if I’m blind to what I’m missing?”

    Balt smiled knowingly. “I was the same way. I didn’t think there was anything out there that could redeem me.” His eyes turned to glitter with something Lucifer had no description for. “That was till I met her and she opened my eyes to the true me.”

    Lucifer felt his shoulders drop even more. “But I can’t be that lucky. I’m here in the worst possible place unable to have any of that.” His heart was breaking even more as he spoke. Just as it had every time a new suicide came in. Those were the hardest to help. They were beyond lost.