“Ramel!” Shemhazai shouted as he and the rest of our army attempted to reclaim me.
I grabbed the closest wing to me and let my death magic flow. The Earth beneath me turned to rot, and angels continued to melt and crumble beneath my inky hands, but it was no use. For each angel that I turned to rot, another took its place. I realized that for the hundreds of years we had been thriving happily with Lilith, Yahweh had been busy creating soldiers.
Rafael appeared and struck me once with what appeared to be a golden scepter. I felt the very essence of my being rattle within my body. The pain was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I felt the sinews of my spirit snap as my soul jostled within its earthly vessel. With a sudden and horrifying certainty, I knew if he hit me too many times with that scepter, I would be unmade.
I had no choice. I needed to submit. I surrendered and allowed the angels to take me away.
“Don’t let her come for me!” I shouted to Shemhazai as my captors bound me. “Don’t let her leave Hell!”
Shem nodded, immediately understanding, and I let out a sigh of relief. They didn’t really wantme. I was no one. I was just an emissary. Yahweh had planned this. He wanted to use me to get to Lilith, for He knew she loved me and would not allow Him to keep me. Shem and I stared at each other as I was taken away. We shared a silent goodbye, and I knew he would do what was necessary to keep the love of both of our lives safe.
I had meant what I had said to Yahweh all those years ago. I didn’t care what He did to me. I only cared about Lilith and that she was happy and no longer lonely. Knowing that she still had Shemhazai and the rest of Hell to keep her company, I would accept what came to me.
Year: 2348 BC
“The more I study religions, the more I am convinced that man never worshiped anything but himself.”
—SIR RICHARD FRANCIS BURTON
Ihad forgotten how bright Heaven was. The light burned, and I fell blind for several long moments as the gates opened to admit us.
Rafael had a firm grip on me, and my hands had been bound behind my back with a golden noose. I was unable to use my magic while bound, and I knew that I would not be leaving Heaven again. At least not in this millennia.
Rafael threw me down next to Yahweh’s Sorter of Souls, and we waited. The churn and clink of the gears worked like a well-oiled timepiece deep in the pit of clouds beneath our feet.
The sounds made my fucking eye twitch.
Tirelessly, the pit-like mechanism sorted the endless slew of souls that Lilith had nearly worked herself to ruin over. I waited on my knees, surrounded by Yahweh’s messengers, and could do nothing but listen as the machine worked.
Clink, grind, whrrrlll.
Clink, grind, whrrrlll.
Clink, grind, whrrrlll.
Finally, Yahweh approached. I looked up into His ever-changing face as He came to stand before me, and I was reminded of the day I was made. When He had forced me to receive His ‘holy sacrament’and told me that it was a blessing.
I sneered at Him, and He smiled down at me, caressing my face as if I were a long-lost lover. I supposed, in a sense, I was.
“My child,” He said, His ancient voice patronizing and condescending. I had mistaken the tone for sage wisdom when I was young. Now, I saw it for what it was. Lilith was nearly as old as Yahweh, and she had never lost her child-like curiosity. She never pretended to have all the answers, and she enjoyed that she didn’t. She loved to learn and discover new things and challenge herself. This piece of shit would rather everyone think He was all-knowing, so He could manipulate them through their assumed ignorance.
I fucking hated Him.
“Hi,Dad,”I snapped. If He was going to force me to play a part in this perverted production, I was going to play it my fucking way.
His lip curled in disdain, and I relished in the uncomfortable shuffle of wings from the angels behind me.
“Rafael, hand me the scepter,” He said calmly, and I sighed.
Fuck.
I glared as Rafael handed Yahweh the golden scepter that had the power to unmake His immortal creations. He gently brushed a lock of my hair out of my eyes and smiled down at me. My hatred for Him was so strong that my death magic began to bleed out from my knees. He made a face, but unlike the first time, He did not panic as my rot tainted the lily-white clouds of Heaven. He seemed to have prepared Himself for this.
“Ramel. Despite what you may think, I do not wish to unmake you.”
I snorted but said nothing.
“Unmaking my creations is a waste of resources. I would much rather correct and forgive. If you are willing to confess and repent, your Lord and God will absolve your sins.”
