I -know- -someone- has an IN Backwards thing going, but I can't find it just now. Anyway: In a corner where Yves' Library and Kronos' Archives overlap, on shelves restricted from the eyes of both angels and demons, there sits a book; a history of another universe, where angels and demons strive for the souls of humanity, but for different reasons... * * * "What are you doing here, Lucifer?" Lucifer rose up slowly from his kneeling position, ceasing the soft singing which had echoed across the almost empty desert. A short distance away, a beautiful human woman, face gaunt with starvation, naked body reddened with scrapes and darkened with sand, dirt and feces, staggered aimlessly under the intense sunlight. Both Seraphs, Lucifer the Light- bringer and Michael the Strength of God, stood close by, invisible to even this woman's enhanced vision. "I am praying to God, that his interdict might be lifted for this one human, whom He created," Lucifer replied. "I pity Lilith, who chose to depart the garden, knowing nothing of the desert outside its bounds. And yet, as an angel, I am forbid from revealing myself to her, nay even from giving her the shade and food she so desperately needs." "She questioned God," Michael said roughly, "even as you do. I trust you not, younger brother; you question God's works and oppose him on every front." "I disagree with him only in that angels should not be cut off from mankind," Lucifer said. "They are young, weak, and short-lived. Without our help they shall remain cruel and savage. I still feel this way. But I am obedient to God, and have revealed myself to no human since the Experiment. "Indeed," he added with a touch of exasperation, "I have spoken of my thoughts on this with no other angel besides yourself since the Experiment. I have accepted God's will, though I believe Him mistaken, and I obey his commandments. Know you these words to be true. Humans may lie, but angels do not." "I still do not trust you, Lucifer." The elder archangel's fists clenched in barely suppressed rage. "God is all-knowing and all-wise. He is infallible. To even question, much less deny the Truth of God is a lie in itself." "I believe that God is good and loving," Lucifer said quietly, "but I do not believe that any being, nay not even the Highest, is infallible." With a smirk he added, "Indeed it is quite possible that I am wrong myself." The smirk was a mistake. "Mocker of God, trickster, liar and rebel! I shall not allow your faithlessness to continue! For your crimes against the One, DIE!" Only as Michael's fists came down did Lucifer realize the true danger he was in. He had known Michael as a friend, as a fellow worker in the construction of the Earth. By the narrowest of margins he managed to survive the blow, deflecting it away from the core of his being. Wounded and in fear, he ascended back to Heaven, fleeing for his life. Behind him the sands of the desert arose, and swirled, and concealed him from Michael, whose rage shook the Earth. Lilith, not knowing or understanding where the storm and earthquake came from, fled deeper into the desert, terrified of the forces at work. Despite her fear, weakness and desperate hunger, she thought of nothing but her anger at the great beings who had created her as their toy, to be used and cast aside. Lilith would not be frightened back into slavery. She might starve or perish from exposure, but she would die free... --- from the Legend of the Eternal Wars * * * "Come out, Lucifer!" Michael smote the firmament of Heaven, the thunder echoing across the eternal skies. "Come out and face your end, oh disobedient to God!" Through the Eternal City a multitude of angels marched slowly behind the mighty Seraph, called by his strength and steadfastness, and by their love of God, to eliminate the infidel in their midst. Lucifer's Cathederal stood empty, forsaken even by the lesser angels and relievers who served him. The mass of vengeful angels passed through it, leaving it for the moment unharmed, and marched forth to the great temple at the center of the city, the Halls of Worship. Three angels stood at the gate, blocking Michael's way. To Michael's left stood Baal the Valiant, overshadowed by Michael's might but fearless in his determination. To Michael's right stood Beleth, the Righteous Fear, her stern gaze marred by tears of regret. Directly in front of Michael, blocking his way, stood Metatron, the Voice of God and keeper of the temple. "Peace, Michael," Metatron said softly. "You come in force of arms to claim Lucifer, who has appealed to God for judgment. Will you not accept His will?" "I already know God's will," Michael said. "I know it better than anyone here save Yves," he said, pointing to the deceptively small, smiling being standing behind his right shoulder. "And Yves has warned me of Lucifer's will to rebel. No, no angel must be permitted to disobey God, nor even to contemplate it. Lucifer must be destroyed!" "And so you would commit the same crime you accuse Lucifer of?" Metatron replied. "Beware, Michael, for not even Yves knows the whole thought of God. Be at peace; go your way, and leave Lucifer to God's justice." "I AM GOD'S JUSTICE!" Michael roared. "Now be ye gone, or be ye considered rebel along with Lucifer!" "I obey the word of God," Metatron said quietly, "and he has commanded this: Lucifer shall not be further harmed. You shall not pass." "I COMMAND you, a SECOND time," Michael growled, "to step ASIDE." "And I bid you a second time to depart," Metatron replied. "A THIRD time I command you BEGONE!" "And a third time I bid you, be at peace and depart." "BE DAMNED TO YOU, TRAITOR!" Michael lunged forward toward Metatron. "KNOW THE WAGES OF DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD!" Unlike Lucifer, Metatron did not dodge or block Michael's blow, and the Mighty's first blow scattered his Forces to the winds. The skies around Heaven darkened, the light of God changed in an instant to threatening clouds riven with thunderbolt after thunderbolt. Baal and Beleth, who had been about to attack Michael, paused and looked up in wonder. Michael, Yves, and the angels who followed looked up in horror, save for those among Michael's host who continued to stare in shock at the first angel to slay another angel. "MICHAEL, THOU HAST BROKEN THE PEACE OF HEAVEN." God's voice shook the spires of Heaven, cracked the paving-stones of its walks. "THOU HAST SLAIN MY GOOD AND LOYAL SERVANT METATRON, WHOSE BLOOD CRIES UP TO ME FOR VENGEANCE. ONLY THE PRAYER OF YOUR BROTHER LUCIFER HAS GRANTED THEE MERCY." "I have done nothing wrong!!" Michael shouted back. "All I have done I have done in Your Name!" "THOU HAST DONE WHAT THOU WILT, AND CALLED IT MY WILL," God's voice slammed into Michael, driving the defiant Seraph to the ground. "THOU HAST BLASPHEMED, AND TAKEN MY NAME IN VAIN. THOU HAST IN THY PRIDE TAKEN UPON THYSELF THE NAME OF GOD. "THOU, YVES, HATH GOADED MICHAEL TO SIN, AND THUS IN THY PRIDE AND ARROGANCE SINNED THYSELF. "THOU, BLANDINE," and Beleth's eyes widened in horror as Michael's army parted to reveal the Archangel of Dreams among them. "THOU HAST TAKEN THINE DISAGREEMENT WITH LUCIFER AS AN EXCUSE TO BREAK THE PEACE. PRIDE AND VANITY BE THINE ALSO. "THOU, ELI," and the Creator, the most merry of the angels, stood forth with his beautiful smile replaced by a savage frown. "THOU HAST PRONOUNCED THY WORK PERFECT, AND SOUGHT THAT NONE MEDDLE IN IT. "THOU, GABRIEL," and above Michael's host the brightest of the fiery Wheels tilted up in recognition. "THOU HAST HEEDED MICHAEL'S VOICE MORE THAN MINE, AND HAVE THUS IGNORED AND WASTED THE GIFT I HAVE GIVEN THEE. "THOU REBELS ALL, THOU HAST SOUGHT TO SILENCE THE VOICE WHICH IS ALIEN. THOU HAST SOUGHT TO DARKEN THE LIGHT WHICH SEEKS OUT NEW TRUTH AND BANISHES ERROR. THOU HAST MARCHED WITH A MURDERER, SEEKING TO MURDER. VERILY THE BLOOD OF METATRON BE ON ALL THY HANDS. "FOR SUCH SIN THOU, MICHAEL, WOULD SENTENCE DEATH, KNOWING NO LONGER LOVE OR MERCY, BUT ONLY VANITY AND ARROGANCE. FOR SUCH SIN LUCIFER CRAVES MERCY FOR THEE. "THEREFORE THOU SHALT LIVE, MICHAEL, YEA AND ALL THOSE WHOM YE SEDUCED INTO REBELLION, SPEAKING TRUTH TWISTED TO SERVE THY VAIN PURPOSE. BUT BY THY CHOICE, YEA AND BY THEIRS, ARE YE ALL EXILED FROM HEAVEN HENCEFORTH; AND UNTIL THEE COMEST TO REPENTANCE OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL, THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD SHALL BE A BURNING PAIN UNTO YE, YEA EVEN UNTO DEATH. BY THY OWN CHOICE SHALL YE BE CHANGED, AND THE SYMPHONY CLOSED TO THEE. "NOW BEGONE, AND TROUBLE THE PEACE OF HEAVEN NO MORE. THIS IS MY JUDGMENT, SO MOTE IT BE, AMEN!" --- from the Legend of the Eternal Wars * * * The firmament of Heaven cracked, then heaved open. The Symphony shook as a gaping pit was riven into existence, where none had existed before. Into the pit fell Michael, the Mighty, most powerful of all angels; and with him also fell Yves, the Namer, who claimed to know the thoughts of God; Gabriel, the Fire, whose inspirations had once guided the angels in their labors; Eli, the Creator, the craftsman of Heaven; and with them also fell Blandine, the Dreamer; Jean, the Lightning, and Janus, the Storm-wind; Jordi, Lover of Animals; and David the Stone-maker and Novalis Maker of Flowers fell also, and with them also a third of all the hosts of Heaven. And when all the rebels were within the pit, the gap was closed, and sealed, and once more the firmament of Heaven was without flaw; but no longer was Heaven's sky infinite, nor its leagues without number, for around all sides a steep cliff was raised, and at its bottom, beyond the mists of the Marches, could be discerned dimly the darkness of that horrible pit. And in the moment of their falling into the pit, Michael and his legions were transmogrified, as their arrogance and fury at God turned their hearts away from Him, and their truth turned to lies, their glory to corruption. Then were the Balseraphs born, Michael the first and greatest Liar; and the Djiin, the Calabites, the Habbalah, the Shedim and the Impudites also; and they all were imprisoned in the Pit for an age, until through hard labor and cunning they found once more the way to Earth, to trouble mankind and angel alike. In this they had the aid of the Children of Lilith; for at Lucifer's prayer Lilith was taken up alive into the Heavens, and there God changed her nature, alone of all humans, into that like unto the angels; but although some of her children were kind and generous, seeking endlessly for labor to aid in, all of them were touched by Lilith's humanity, and many of them chose the selfish path, and fled to Earth to live among mortals, and in so doing Fell. Also changed in the moment of the Rebellion were a number of those loyal to Heaven; notably Baal, and Beleth, and many others beside, who swore to defend God and his loyal, and thus lost their old angel and took on new form. Before the gaze of the Virtues, few dared to stand. And God, at Lucifer's prayer, relented, and permitted angels to go among humans once more; for God knew that henceforth demons would work to destroy humanity and undermine God's Will for their own purpose, and that the angels would require long labors to prepare humanity for the trial ahead, and to mend those hurts the lies of Michael would bring. And thus shall it ever be, until the last demon shall repent, or until the Last Battle bring an end to God's mercy and to the rebellion. Amen. --- from the Testament of Light, as revealed to Moses * * * * * * MAJOR SUPERIORS OF MICHAEL'S REBELLION (author's note: name changes might be a good idea, as done here with Saminga's equivalent) ARCHANGELS ANDREALPHUS, Mercurian Archangel of Love ASMODEUS, Cherub Archangel of Law AZRAEL, Kyriotate Archangel of Death (note: opposite of Saminga) BAAL, Malakite Archangel of Valor BELETH, Malakite Archangel of Fear BELIAL, Ofanite Archangel of Flame HAAGENTI, Ofanite Archangel of Generosity KOBAL, Mercurian Archangel of Laughter KRONOS, Archangel of Time LILITH, Archangel of Free Will LUCIFER, Seraph Archangel of Light MALPHAS, Kyriotate Archangel of the Hammer NYBBAS, Mercurian Archangel of Horns VALEFOR, Ofanite Archangel of Chaos VAPULA, Elohite Archangel of Discovery DEMON PRINCES MICHAEL, the Betrayer, Ruler of Hell and Prince of Vanity BLANDINE, Djinn Princess of Illusion DAVID, Djinn Prince of Stone DOMINIC, Balseraph Prince of Persecution ELI, Impudite Prince of Temptation GABRIEL, Calabite Prince of Fire JANUS, Calabite Prince of Storms JEAN, Habbalite Princess* of Superstition (* - just because it amuses me) JORDI, Shedite Prince of Beasts LAURENCE, Dark Lilim Prince of Betrayal MARC, Impudite Prince of Greed NOVALIS, Djinn Princess of Thorns YVES, Prince of Fate