Michael rolled his ‘inferior’ eyes. “Okay, but how do you?—”
A sound split the air, stunning Michael into stillness. It was like a sudden burst from a cannon, followed by a slurping, sucking sound akin to walking through mud.
“Sorry, it’s been a while,” Luce stroked the doorframe. “Hard to open it once I used all my stragglers. Normally it’s much quieter.”
“What did you use them for? Was that when you tried to change the past? To undo your banishment?”
The door began to shimmer and spread, the strange substance becoming almost liquid as it shifted in the frame. A dull outline of white light spread rapidly from the doorway across the surface towards the center.
“Among other things,” Luce said, averting his gaze. “It was much easier to relay our stories to the devout by showing them. And it allowed them to fully commit to their beliefs.”
“You…youcreated the first of the Praeceptors. That’s how Lucio-Arcanism grew alongside Judo-Christolicism.”
“Well, I knew I couldn’t rely on my brother to tell the truth of us, and I’m sure you’ve read his ‘Bible’. If I’d left it to him, I’d be cast as an even darker villain than I am now. No, it was much better to show them everything and allow free will to decide their interpretation.”
“So you’ve revisited this scene before.”
“No. I…” Luce trailed off as he continued to stroke the doorframe absently, as if seeking comfort. “I couldn’t bear it. I kept most of our failings to myself…which could be why they seem to have an inflated idea of us, in retrospect.”
The light winked out suddenly, a black void filling the space and leaving grey specks dancing in his vision. Michael blinked. “Is it supposed to do that?”
“Uh…” Luce frowned. “Well, no. Actually-”
As if they had triggered it, the door began to wail. Michael leaned back in alarm as the sound rose towards earsplitting levels. “Is it supposed to dothat?!”
“Definitely not!” He waved his hands quickly through the air, and the sound cut out. Ears ringing, Michael cut his eyes to Luce, who sighed. “This is embarrassing, I am woefully out of practice.”
“Performance issues?”
Luce flushed, whirling on him. “You shut your whore mouth!”
`“Oh, certainly. At once, your highness.”
“I feel like this sarcasm is the reason we had issues communicating.” Luce narrowed his eyes at the angel.
Michael arched a sardonic eyebrow. “I personally think it was your need for secrecy and inability to compromise, but to each his own.”
“Alright, alright! Enough!” Luce swatted the air as if batting away the criticism. “Come through this door and you’ll see for yourself.”
“Is it even safe? It just blacked out and then screamed at us.”
“I’m…sure it’s fine.”
Michael gave him a droll look and shook his head but said nothing. As if refuting his criticism, the doorway began to glow once again, a softer, warmer light than before.
“Ah! You see!” Luce grinned. “Perfectly fine!”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “I have no faith in your judgement.”
“…I’ll go first?” Luce offered, and Michael nodded firmly. “Right. I’ll just…give it a bit of a test.”
He stepped forward and pressed both hands to the space that should have housed the door, but instead of hitting any surface, they passed through and vanished in the wash of amber light.
“Ooh,” he chuckled. “Bit of a tingle; I forgot to mention. Refreshing, in a way.”
Luce took another measured step, immersing himself up to the elbows. Nothing horrible happened, and he drew his hands back, examining them carefully. Eventually, he turned to smile reassuringly at Michael. “Alright. Everything seems to be in order, so just…step in after me.”
Then he walked backwards into the portal, disappearing into the wash of golden light with a cheeky wave. Michael couldn’t help the smile that tugged his own lips, and he shook his head in exasperation. Some things never changed. Then his smile fell away.
