Revelations [malexmale]

Prologue

As if the premonition alone was not bad enough, to have heard it from the trio of gods who called themselves the Fates. And yet, Lucifer had seen it with his own eyes, heard it with his own ears, watched the future possibilities unfold before him in a spiral of madness he was still reeling from.

He could have stayed silent, sure. He could be silent and watch as everything his Father had ever loved collapsed in on itself and crumbled before him. He could watch as his Father once more locked Himself away in grievance and suffering, as he often did in the early years of their creation. He could stay above the realms and watch as everything was burned alive from the inside out. He could stay safe in his home in Heaven, surrounded by glory and light and wonders, but what kind of angel would he be if he did not speak up in hopes of preventing the bloodied future that was predicted for them?

"I come not as an enemy, brother," Lucifer whispered, watching the anger and betrayal darken Michael's eyes, and he swallowed thickly as pain assailed him. Michael was so much more than a brother to him. They shared a creation day together. They were the only angels who bore the same wing patterns, the same faces, the same eyes, lips, and ears, the same cheekbones. They'd often play jokes on the others to see if anyone could tell them apart. They'd spent hours playing pretend and fighting evil together with nothing more than sticks and flowers.

But all that childishness, all that innocence, was dead in the sapphire eyes that glared across the room at him.

"What I speak is truth," Lucifer tried again, wetting his lips, "Dear brothers, sister, please, heed my words. The human race our Great Father hast created this night, their terror will bring a new kind of evil to the realm of mortals. The innocent children below will crumble before their wrath, believe me, I have seen this with mine own eyes."

"Blasphemy," Ariel barked immediately, swinging his arm out, his long silver cape gliding across the marble to flash the scabbard of his sword, "What you speak of is poison! How dare you accuse our Great Father of creating evil!"

"To take the words of three women," Chamuel agreed with the curl of his lip, "They are not, but witches, dear brother, can you not see the spell they cast upon you? They shed the blood of infants, are you not blind? You have seen what comes of the words from their lips!"

"You saw what they did to the Atlanteans," Azarel said softly, "What they've done unto the Greeks. The Egyptians. And all those who have come before them. Tragedy and misery and woe befalls those who heed their words of trickery."

"Be they women or not," Jophiel added, cutting Chamuel a glare that made him roll his eyes, "They speak truth, dear brother, they are not to be trusted, yet here you stand before us, believing their lies over the Truth of our Great Father. How could you lose faith in the One True God?"

"I lose not my faith in our Great Father," Lucifer snapped, offended at the suggestion, and this earned a flagrant snort from Chamuel, only furthering Lucifer's anger, "How dare you question my loyalty! I have done aught for our Great Father! I have bore witness to the slaughter of innocents in the name of His Glory! I remained silent when He Banished the Eve and Adam of the Garden! I remained silent when the child Abel was murdered by his own brother! I said nothing when He ordered the deaths of the infants in Egypt! I have held my tongue and I shall hold it no more!"

"Heresy!" Ariel shouted, grabbing his sword and tearing it from its scabbard. Lucifer threw his cloak back so it settled to the floor, his wings flaring out wide, casting shadows and stirring magic in the air that made the very ground shudder.

"Stupidity," Lucifer barked back, then whirled on Michael, "You are no fool! None of you are! It is not treason to speak warning, to take precaution! I do this not to frighten or to offend our Great Father, you know this! I love Him! He is all that I am and all that I shall ever be! He is my God and my Father, my Creator, and my Life! My words are meant to protect Him!"