Heaven and Hell

THIRTEEN

T H E D E S C E N T

FOR A LAND of peace, Heaven had never seemed so chaotic. Huts were ablaze, scorching a heat through the cool of the night as angels screamed. While some worked to provide order, others attempted to tame the inferno by creating rain clouds. However, no matter how much water the angels threw at the flames, the firestorm was still greater than their efforts.

"We need to stop Lucifer before this is too late!" Adelia declared, pulling at Lucius's sleeves in the direction of Heavens Falls. "His plans stated that he wanted to bring down a portion of angels with him to this new domain. The only way for him to do that will be to—"

"Strip away their wings," Lucius concluded for her.

Adelia nodded, her lips pursed. "All the angels that are under him will fall if we do not do something about it. Once they go past damnation, they will be past the point of no return. That includes us."

"Then what are you waiting for? Let us go and put an end to this!" Leaving no room for argument, Lucius soared through the skies.

He was careful to dodge the fumes in which the flames had created, cautiously maneuvering himself in the direction of the commotion. Through the flight, Lucius had not turned back once to check if Adelia was following him. Deep in his heart, he prayed that she was not. If he had any say in it, he wanted Adelia to be as far away from the battle as physically possible.

It was such a selfish thought for him to have but Lucius wanted nothing more than her to be safe. If it meant that he had to put himself in the path of danger and accomplish everything by his own two hands, then so be it. He was ready for the challenge.

Before he even saw the edge of Heaven, Lucius first heard the roar of the waterfall. There came a clash of weapons, steel colliding against steel in powerful blows as the angels fought. A rumble came from the ground beneath Lucius, shaking violently before fragments of the earth collapsed and mixed with the roaring waterfall.

"You are all blind!" Lucius could hear Lucifer's voice crystal clear, echoing through the night before the former even saw him. "Blind to the possibilities of what could happen. Blind to the ways in which our world could be!"

Then, Lucius spotted Lucifer in all his glory.

The latter already had a wound sported across his face, his lip busted and tainted with the golden blood of angels as he hastily wiped it away with his sleeve. In his hand was a sword, its metal glinting harshly under the silver moonlight before he swiped carelessly at an angel that had gone after him.

For a fairly silent plotter, Lucifer seemed to have the support of the majority of his angels. A good portion of angels were all tutored under him, and out of all his pupils, at least seventy percent of them stood at his side. From the chaos, Lucius spotted the angels that guarded the North Garden fighting valiantly against the rebel force, slicing at them unforgivingly.

"You will regret betraying Heaven, Lucifer," Wilhelm spat. He headed the battle, his hair even brighter than the fires that burned the rest of Heaven. While Lucifer was the one to fight against those loyal to the Almighty, Wilhelm led Heaven's forces as their general, shouting orders to angels and standing at the very front of it all. "The Almighty will punish you for your crimes against peace."

"Fool! I am creating peace. I am fighting for what I believe prosperity to be and anyone who stands in my way will fall!" Ignoring Wilhelm's words, Lucifer was quick to take down those who dared to oppose him. In quick succession, he drenched the grounds of Heaven with gold, leaving the dead bodies of his soldiers in his wake.