Paradox

Chapter 22: Cursed part 2 -- The Fall

And a vision softly creeping, left its seed while I was sleeping...

He ran his hand through his hair. His chest felt tight again so he took a labored breath trying to get as much air into his lungs as possible.

Linda immediately rose and brought him a bottle of spring water. "Just breathe and take as long as you need to." She decided to stay beside him on the sofa. Lucifer was far from being an average patient and she didn't treat him as such.

After drinking some water, he closed his eyes and focused only on breathing. "Is it really necessary to talk about this?" his tone was defensive.

"It was a rather defining moment in your life from what you revealed. Have you ever talked to anyone about it? Maze? Chloe? Your brother?" she asked her dark eyes intense behind her black-rimmed glasses.

He looked pained, ran his hand over his jaw, and after a moment responded, "No."

She could see his body grow tense, his muscles rigid, his jaw set. He sighed deeply trying to release some of the tension then stared at her with resignation.

"After what happened with my mum, I was furious with my father on so many levels. I rebelled against him and everything he stood for. I believed in free will and choice and accountability..." he paused for a moment before adding, "just like my mum did. As you no doubt know I tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit -- an apple for crying out loud -- he was furious with me. When more and more humans came to be I challenged him and told him his creations had gotten out of hand. He never should have created humans without giving them consequences. This whole confess your sins and be forgiven crap is ridiculous but humans are his favorite pets. They can do just about anything - confess and still be forgiven by him. They can commit murder and still be forgiven if they ask for it. Your politicians can lie and wage wars leading to countless mass deaths and still ask for forgiveness. I reamed him out for all of it and for creating all these beings while being a negligent father to his children."

And the vision that was planted in my brain remains within the sound of silence...

He was getting agitated, his breathing rapidly, his eyes narrowing and furious as he got to his feet and paced around the room. The anger from long-ago conflicts creates a fire in his veins. The temperature in the room rose.

Linda gave him a few minutes to calm himself before asking, "It makes sense that you lashed out after what your mom did. What happened next?"

He looked at her with an eyebrow raised in indignation. "You know what happened next - the greatest fall followed by eons of punishment. He told me what a disappointment I was and how I was his favorite son to take over for him one day but my actions for basically building what he construed as an army against him ruined it all. I never built an army! We were just several like-minded angels who were trying to create change. He told me I was going to fulfill a need related to my concerns. He needed a place to punish the truly evil, those that did not repent or ask for forgiveness. He created hell and I was to be its eternal ruler since I craved accountability so much."

His voice had become tight. He cleared his throat as the memories of the last conversation with his father felt like a vice around his chest.

Outside the weather suddenly changed and lightning flashed, Linda scrambled to her feet and lit some candles. This was almost a repeat of the intense session they had had a while ago she secretly wondered if Lucifer's emotional state somehow influenced these violent storms.

"I'm sorry Luce. Did you try to dissuade him from this course?" Linda probed softly.

But my words like silent raindrops fell...