Free Fall of Lucifer by Wendy Alec Page A

comfort him.’
    Michael bowed in respect, kissed Jether on both cheeks, and strode though the bedchamber doors.
    Jether placed his wizened hand on the trembling Gabriel’s shoulder. ‘I too am a seer, Gabriel. I see in part what you have seen, my son.’
    Gabriel slowly raised his tear-stained face.
    ‘The risings and the fallings of worlds upon worlds,’ Jether continued softly. ‘The treasons . . . the blasphemies . . . the wars . . . the devastation.’
    ‘Desertion . . . ’ Gabriel whispered. ‘The race of men. Yehovah is deserted!’
    ‘Yes, desertion,’ Jether murmured. ‘You have seen truly, Gabriel. But that is not what haunts your dreams.’
    Gabriel eased his legs over the bed and rose, flinging his mantle over his unsteady limbs. He moved to the massive windows of his bedchamber, staring out at the amethyst waters lapping at the pearl sands. He lit a vast bowl of myrrh. ‘You read my soul, Jether. That is not what haunts my dreams.’ He turned to Jether. ‘I cannot speak of it.’ Great sobs wracked his frame. ‘He must be warned! He could not do such a thing.’
    Gabriel and Jether stared at each other for a long while in the darkness.
    ‘I will go to him,’ Gabriel said.
    ‘His love for you is very powerful.’ Jether looked at Gabriel, his face etched with grief. ‘It is second only to his love for Yehovah. Guard your mind. Guard your soul. My supplications will be with you.’
    Jether vanished.

Chapter Seven
    Man
    Follow me, Your Excellencies!’ Xacheriel’s deep voice boomed down the central portal corridors as he paced excitedly towards an enormous steel vault. Dimnah trailed behind him, attempting to hold Xacheriel’s train in his vain efforts to keep up with his tutor.
    Xacheriel stopped abruptly outside the vault and swung around to face Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer, his eyes lit with exhilaration. ‘Dimnah!’ he proclaimed. ‘You are dismissed!’
    Dimnah bowed deeply and scuttled away down the corridor as fast as his short legs could carry him.
    Jether walked towards them, tall and majestic, Charsoc following a step behind him. ‘My Chief Princes,’ Jether declared, ‘this is truly a sacred moment.’
    Xacheriel reached deep in his robe pockets and fumbled around in irritation. ‘Drat and bumble!’ he declared.
    Jether coughed politely. ‘Ahem.’
    Xacheriel glowered at him.
    ‘ Ahem .’ Jether’s cough become more meaningful.
    Xacheriel followed Jether’s gaze to the large vault key hanging around his neck. He blushed and spluttered and placed the key in the vault entrance.
    Slowly the heavy steel door opened.
    The three archangel brothers and the two Ancient Ones followed Xacheriel into the outer vault, then through a second door until they all stood in the centre of a smaller inner portal.
    All at once, there was a roaring above the portal atrium as the crystal cupola directly over the small assembly opened, and a vast, brilliant chamber of light began to descend. As the angels watched in awe, a figure swathed in brilliant, shimmering light became visible in the centre of the brilliance, suspended two full leagues above the ground.
    Charsoc stared as the light gradually settled, magnetized to the descending figure. ‘Man . . . ’ he whispered in awe.
    Gabriel stared at the figure, captivated. The prototype, now hovering just above the ground, appeared to be completely covered by a thin, incandescent clayish layer. Gabriel noticed that it was at least a cubit shorter than the angels and had no discernible wings. Its outer layers were created of matter and therefore appeared much duller than the translucent angelic bodies. He could not be sure, but it seemed that the atoms that continually radiated around the angelic host were missing. But it was beautiful. He stared, incredulous. With great difficulty he drew his gaze away to Michael. ‘Its features are flawless!’ His face shone. ‘As the angels . . . ’
    ‘It is not angelic!’ Lucifer