Hellfire

Prologue

                "I'm tired of this argument Nathanial, it will not happen again. Or else..." He left his sentence hanging in the air. Nathanial should have been terrified, every angel was terrified to fall from heaven, but he had to know.

Nathanial grit his teeth as he walked side by side with Them. "I just don't understand." He said, it felt like he said it nearly every day, if not multiple times in a day.

"You have no right-"

"I can handle this, son." God put his hand on His son and he turned, walking away from them. "Why are you so curious?"

"You have us, your loyal angels."

"Not all were so loyal. Not all followed all the rules. You're only proving this point by continuously bringing up this topic."

"But why create these beings? They don't even follow your teachings! They have no faith in you."

"I have faith in them and they have faith in me. Besides, who is to say I'm the only God remaining? Some of theirs could still exist. Just because I haven't seen Zeus, Thor, Bellona, Shiva, and whomever else, I don't feel like dragging on the conversation, it doesn't mean they aren't still out there. I helped in creation, yes, but it was not all my doing."

"This is your Earth, though. This was yours, it was your turn."

"Nathanial, it is beyond your level of thinking. I'm sorry." God sighed and put his hand on Nathanial's shoulder. "I have an idea for you. Let me place you on this earth. Experience it through their eyes, from child to old man. It could be a grand learning experience from you. Keep me in the back of your mind, but learn their ways, learn their gods. Keep in mind that Mars, Apollo, Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, they all existed at one point and, therefore, you must respect their beliefs. It just happens to be a different god ruling this time around."

"I," Nathanial swallowed, this is what he wanted, right? "Would I lose my wings?" He thought that implied all he needed to know.

"While you're a human, yes. In the afterlife, you'll have them back." Nathanial clenched his jaw again, he was being very careful with his words, approaching everything too cautiously. "Keep in mind, son, there will be things you'll experience that I'm against. It is the nature of being human, though. I won't disown you for it. Take the offer right now or never."

"I, yes. I'll live out a full life."

"It is decided then. Are you prepared to begin your new life right now?"

"Yes, I'll start right now." Nathanial looked at everything he was leaving behind before daring to look God in the eyes. With a warm smile He placed His hand on Nathanial's shoulder and suddenly they were outside an old beaten down house. Nathanial's heart began to race, his wings, he wanted to keep his wings.

"Deep breaths, don't fear." A woman came out and dropped her basket, fear cast a shadow across her face. "Ma'am, come here, please." God held out His hand and she slowly crept over. "This is Nathanial, I'm asking that you take care of him for me. I know you've been praying for a child, I'm here to answer that prayer." Nathanial felt himself getting smaller, his memories becoming hazy, his thoughts becoming jumbled, and he lost control of his motor skills. "Raise him as if he was your own, please. I beg of you." She picked Nathanial up in her arms and held him close. He looked his new mother in the eyes and the fear was slowly giving way to love.

"I will, thank you so much. Thank you." She whispered, kissing Nathanial's forehead. "I will love you as long as I live." A man walked out of the house. "Honey, come here." She turned around and he looked at Nathanial as if he was inhuman.

"Where did you find that?"

"This is our new son, Nathanial."

"Where did you find it?"

"He is a beautiful baby boy. He's been gifted to us by the gods. By the God." Nathanial wondered how she knew, but God had probably allowed her to know more than most humans would ever find out. That was his last rational thought. His memories were filled with a loving mother and a cautious father. He cried until he had no more tears the day his mother died and the day they buried her. Nathanial couldn't remember shedding a single tear when his father left him, though. Jeremy took him under his arm and helped steer him the right direction; the father that Nathanial never had. He worked hard and got himself a job, fed himself, and thought about his mother every day. Some days he missed being in Heaven, missed his wings, but there were some days God didn't even cross his mind.