After-Life

Chapter 36. The Words of a Humbled Father

"Mabel Marionnette Weaver and Kristoph Greyson, hear me now.

Every story in life has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Does that make it a good story though? What about those that start at the middle and end at the beginning? What about those tales that are never-ending, that seem to traverse through the ages, picked up by a different voice and tweaked to accommodate a new lease of life, a new beginning?

Mabel Weaver, you were born from the rib of Adam and granted the name, Eve. Even your name hinted toward the imminence of an end. The eventide of a story that I was too blind with pride to consider, as being the downfall to all I loved and held dear. Eve.
As Eve, you broke the norm. The norm that was to obey and not question. The norm that was to allay temptation and protect Adam at all costs. As Eve, you were designed to bring about the birth of new life. I was too blind to consider what that new life would look like, I knew of it, I chose to ignore it.
Because why? Why would I have reason to believe that the creatures I had created would stray so far from my rules?

The tree of knowledge - do not eat from it. Why were you so easily swayed? Of course, I ask the question with the knowledge I had then because it is in your human design to er. It is the perfection of human beings, to be imperfect. I created you in my image and yet what you created was in your own images and was harboured by the cruelties of the world around you, but also the beauty. You bore two sons. One a shepherd, one a farmer; both deserving of my affections. Yet, jealousy and anger tainted the first born, resulting in the murder of his younger sibling. Again, I knew this would happen, I could have stopped it. I chose not to intervene, for I knew that Cain would one day see the folly of his ways. I knew one day, I would create a son who would repent for the sins of all of the mankind that you, Eve, had helped to sire.

I see all. I know all. I am omnipotent. The Almighty. Yet I am guilty too, of pride.

What I once created out of love and care, I harboured jealously. I fell victim to my own vices. It is human to have faults, but what is it to be almighty? I cannot afford to make such luxuries as an error. I make an error; I am cast out of someone's life. My mere existence is questioned. As a result, I feel my form chipped away. But where one might question their faith in me, millions more will fill in those chips, rebuild me, help me back up again. Such is the majesty of human belief.

So, Eve, mother of human sin, how is it that the love you had with Adam never ended? How is it the love you had from Cain never wavered, even after his death? How is it that the creator of all sin, is surrounded by love, care, and affection – while the father of all creation, has lost the love of his own kin and his sired son?

Dear Eve, I hurt, I ache. My heart feels torn. My son turns his back to me, while yours waits in Purgatory, ever hopeful to be reunited with you. My son's mother cowers and bows to my needs, yet there is no love, for she believes her purpose in life was to bear him, her love goes to another, Joseph. I kept you and Adam apart, all those years. I knew one day you would reunite, and the eons of time apart would mean naught, with the desire and love that you once had for each other burning through the range of lifetimes.

Now, I look down and I see the folly I created. My affections, my efforts, my time was invested in creating life and abundance. I called upon Lilith for clarity and reason, both of which I already had, I just could not accept to hear it from myself. I needed to hear it from her, as while she condemned herself to Hell, she speaks on behalf of you, Eve. She speaks on behalf of all women, of all men, of all my children. She loved all, I would have kept her safe in Eden; were it not for the words of my own kin, poisoning her core. I offered her an alternative realm, but she chose pain and suffering, she told me that someone needed to be there for those who felt rejected by me.
I knew this would happen. I knew she felt this way. I knew the consequences of her actions. My pride, however, prevented me from accepting it and in turn, preventing it.

Right now, my son charges in to battle, in a world of make-believe and conjuring. He too, is blinded by his own ambition and greed. He is united with Nemesis, and she has turned on her own brother, Charon, Thet. Once again, I see siblings fighting to the death. I see my own creation falling foul of sin. I see perfection tainted and I question, is history always doomed to repeat itself?
There is a difference in what I see now, though. The suffering sibling does not have my name on his lips, it's yours. My son charges into conflict full of justification and bliss, he is far from repentant or filled with rage. I see Lucifer and his brethren, racing on the backs of human men, fighting for the existence of humans. None of this, did I perceive as ever happening. I had faith in my son, now I question it.

Eve, you bore human sin to this world, yet you bore something else. Something so powerful and strong that time and distance cannot touch it. You bore human love. This is something I cannot comprehend. I am the Almighty one, I love as a father to all living, breathing creatures. I have not known the intricacies of the love humans bestow on each other. I separated you and Adam as punishment, not daring to see my creations die; however, I ensured that you would both live on endlessly. I see now that the love of humans is greater in strength, than my own punishment's brutality.

I see you now Mabel, as the battle draws near, resting in state. Kristoph rests peacefully, by your side. Your friends gallop into battle blindly, unknowing of their fate, but united in their belief in you. You are surrounded by the ghosts of children, failed by my kin and me. Those infants are in turn defended by those deemed heathens, who chose to follow a different path. Those brave men are joined at the hip by their mortal foes, who vowed to defend my honour to the death. My kin, my sired son, and I - we have failed them all. We have failed you and Kristoph, Adam and Eve. I see all those figures who chose to leave their state in Limbo and populate the imagined world of Thet, rallying on Lucifer; all strong in their belief that the side of my once greatest enemy, is the one that will see ensure that they are greeted warmly at the gates to my halls. They are right to think so, Eve. They will be greeted with open arms. I see those lingering in Limbo still, uncertain, scared, anxious – I might not have foreseen all these current events, but I do know that you will help them.

Mabel Marionnette Weaver, you are stronger and greater than even I. Both you and Kristoph have done things in the space of a few brief moons, that I could not in the space of millions of years. Allow me to grant you and your partner a gift. I grant to you life, unending. To be united, until the ends of time. Allow me, to apologise for my past ignorance; and for all the pain and suffering I have caused you in my blind fury and hurt pride. I bless you both for your past repentance and I grant you immunity from the sting of any blade or weapon that would harm you. In turn, I ask you to do the impossible. Please, return my son to me. Let me have the chance to apologise to him in much the same way as I have apologised to you.

As a final offering, as I watch Lilith fall and cry out in agony from a blade that would have pierced her son's heart, by her own daughter; I grant you and Kristoph, with the power to conjure and wield a power of your own design. Know that this power will be with you until you choose to relinquish its hold when you eventually choose to submit to that everlasting sleep and meet me, like an old friend. Farewell for now, Mabel and Kristoph, I know we will meet again in Paradise, one day.

Praise be with you, both.