Of Heaven and Hell (Part 9) : The Path Before Us

What is the true face of darkness? How would the absolute incarnation of evil appear to virgin eyes? Would the essence of hatred contort and construe the features of the outer form to match the inner monstrosity? Would you even know when you are in the presence of such? What if wickedness wore the mask of beauty, shrouded in glory and magnificences, to tricking those around into a false sense of security? So many questions surround the likeness of evil. But what if rumor orbits a figure, and links a said being to a life of undeserved torment.

Much lore clouds the entity of darkness, but is not darkness apart of ever one of our lives. Does not shadow creep in every living creatures soul? To deny truth of which is a foolish lie of a hypocrite. Worse off,though, is that we welcome the darkness, that in great times of need, most people turn to themselves before any other. The broken-hearted wish harm on the conflictor, the fired employee wishing wrong on the superior, and the envious wishing for their neighbors possessions. We have all done it at least once. Sinning, its apart of the flesh, in every persons life. To be human is to have the Will to choose darkness or light, but can a person, who feels so angry, so depressed, or just so alone, make the choice to look to the light, or will one fall into the darkness. The decision is each of ours to make.

Choose wisely...

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Lucifer's voice echo throughout the main chamber of Hell, the sound of it was both razor sharp and beautiful. Everyone, demon, guilden, devil, was silent to the mere action. Lucifer rose from high stone throne and took two steps forward on the stage. With his left hand, he pointed at us, “That is quite enough of that. Fakr-ed-din, return to my son's side and leave my sight! Raziel Galizur, thank you but I do not foresee any more harm presuming our Dazengoth.”

With a grimacing look, Farked faded and vanished into the air, the insect guilden buzzed fearfully back down to the crowd, but Raziel refused to leave my side. I turned toward him and I saw kindness in his eyes, like that of a friend I have known for ages. “I will not leave you,” He spoke so bravely, “I gave Falycor my word that I would protect you.”
“Thank you, Onyx.” was all I could choke out. He smiled broadly,
“I knew you would figure it out.”
“If you are both finished!” The voice of Lucifer sliced to the bone. “I do believe I excused you Raziel...”
“Do not bother to call my name, a Fallen cannot hold power over the Divine, Brother!”
“Brother, you have thought me wrong, I have no intention of forcing you to leave. You interrupted me before I could finish. I understand you are only looking out for young Dazengoth. Please. Come to me.”

He then turned to the soldiers of Legion, “If anyone, Devil or demon so much as misplaces a hair on my guests' head, you will be cast into utter oblivion.” His voice held such malevolence, as it spoke softly and gentle, like poisonous honey. He waved away lord Beelzebub and Hecate, as they tried to argue his actions.
“Brother, I do not think it wise that you converse with that... 'khaf.'” Beelzebub stated, but the Price of Darkness simply glanced at his council lord and he nodded in comply. Angrily, Hecate vanished into a viscus green vapor, and Beelzebub climbed upon his gigantic pet spider beast.

Lucifer meet us at the entrance of the cavern that he was escorted from. The three of us began to walk down the darkened corridor. As like the majority of the caverns in hell, this one too held no light. It was pitch from just walking meters into it. I began to worry though, for after half an hour of walking down this cave, not a word was spoken, and not a flicker of light could be seen. Before I could say anything about it though, Raziel placed his arm on my shoulder. “What is this all about my dark brother?” he asked firmly.
“I want to talk to the Key myself, but I do gave you my solemn vow as brother and a son of heaven that I will not harm him.” He said it so genuinely, he bowed his head as he said it. His voice was so passionate, but yet so powerful, like a sword so sharp, piercing you, the cold of it froze my liquid fire, a first. “Dazengoth,” he said, “You are the one I have been waiting for, for such a long time.”
“Why, lord...”

“Do not call me that! That title was not made for me.” He pulled the hood from his face right as light began to pour back into the tunnel, the light from the end showed such a sight, and not only that, it showed tears. His face was the reflection of both beauty and magnificence, but yet it was stained with sorrow and misery. Yet, it was not until we had exited the cave, and entered the lighted room that the true appearance was seen. Yes, half his face was the incarnation of absolute beauty, but the other half was the sight of total terror. Like the scene of a horror movie, half of is face was burned and scorched raw, and his eye was that of a monstrous snake. A sight of utter fright, but the human side was crying. His right hand touched his human side, and wiped the tear away. “My punishment for my deeds and sins. The Father wanted me to forever now the beauty I gave up.

“Yes brother. I, as well as the other brothers have always wondered why?”
“I was stupid, I had the taste of power on my tongue, and a feeling of jealousy towards the Father's work on earth. But, alas, the past is just that, now its time to put an end our this purgatory.” He turned towards a table in the center of the room, it was stone and seemed to have been carved out of the very floor.
Silence again fell among us, Lucifer facing away from us, as Raziel and I glanced at each other. “Do you love him?” Lucifer blurted out. It took me a moment to realized that he was talking to me.
“Yes, I do.”
“Even if it was planned?”
“I'm... I'm sorry?”
“This was all planned, you were destined to meet him, to fall in love, and now...” He said turning slightly to glare at my torso. My stomach felt as though it did a gymnastic stunt, I bent over from the pain. “You have been poisoned, infected.” he almost whispered.
“What... What is going on?” I yelped through the agony.
“You took the seed. The seed of light, and your diabolic half is, in a way, at war with it. You are a Shadow Mage, so it will not kill you.”
“Stop, what are you talking about, What is going on?” Another surge of pain coursed through my body. I lurched forward and crossed my arms, holding my stomach.
“Ever wonder why your abilities are so rare?” Lucifer said, slowly pacing around the large center table. “The shadows are the thins line between the darkness and the light. No hell spawn can control light, but the rare skill to command the shadow, the smoke, the gloom, and haze, is an extremely coveted talent.”
“What does this have to do with...” Another eye watering pain shoot through me, I clenched tightly to my abdomen, and fell to my knees.
“It hurts, changing, I can end it for you?” Lucifer asked, watching me in apparent concern.
“I will make no deals with you.”
“No deal, it will be excruciating, almost unbearable. Yet, when it is over, you will be complete.”
I turned towards Raziel for advice. “Do you think I can trust him?”
“Only you can decide that, but I see nothing he can gain by it.”
“Do not trust me, do not put faith in me, just prepare yourself.” And before I could reply, he pressed his hand between my upper chest and stomach. Immediately, the pain was immense, I screamed in agony. The liquid fire in my veins was trying to fight the intrusion, but to no avail.

I glanced down to see what Lucifer was doing to me, only to see that there was no distention between his hand and I. The pain was so extreme, I did not know how long I could stand it. Finally, in one last firm motion, he pressed hard into my body, and withdrew quickly. His hand was cover with a black ooze, and smoking from being inside me. The pain promptly faded, my body felt uncommonly at ease. My body sore, my energy drained, I fell to the floor.

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The warmth of the sun's rays was perfectly contrasted by the cool breeze that weaved untamed through the tree of the woods. The elegant smell of the wildflowers overwhelmed the senses with a hint of euphoria. It felt as if the earth itself was smiling, and was reflecting its happiness to the living creature that walked upon it's surface. Such a perfect day and place to open a gateway.
I extended forth my right hand, with my index and middle fingers outstretched. I traced in the air the mark of the Father, then encircled it. The symbols emulated in bright gold light and hoovered in the air like neon. But as the gateway began to open, I was struck by a focused force of energy. It threw me away from the opening, in turn, causing it to collapse.

“Trying to return to paradise tainted?” a voice called from beside a nearby tree. As I looked to see, I was shocked by the owner of the voice.
“Danyelle, you have no right to enter the realm of Heaven”
“Bro...Brother Hizkiel,
“An angel that loves anyone other than the Father, is an adulterer in the eyes of his brothers!” Another voice called out from the other direction.
“Brother Kafziel, I don't understand. What is going on?”
“You have betrayed the laws that the Orders follow.” Hizkiel stated, a half smirk/half frown. “You fell in love, that alone is enough to condemn you. Worse yet, its a demon, a full blood.”
“Have you no shame, brother? No ignominy at all? How could you fall so easily from the graces?” Kafziel added.
“How can I deny myself the very reason I was made?”
“Desecration!”
“Disgrace!”
“How can you even say such? The Father made us to only love him, all others are wicked and abhorred.” Kafziel shouted, he seemed to have been more agitated about the subject than Hizkiel.
“The Father made me to carry out this purpose, I am to be with Daze. I Love H...”
“Continue not, Blasphemy is an unforgivable.”
“You already have to face the Valigayne counsel.” Kafziel ranted, “But with a crime of this magnitude, you will, more likely than not, have to face the Choir of High Hosts. There is no way out of this predicament for you.”
“I will face the Counsel, and I will prove that this is what is suppose to be. I will not fall for my love. The Father will keep me safe and I will overcome.”
“I'm glad you see a good outcome, brother.” Hizkiel said softly, “Because I do not see such a bright future for you brother. Let us go now...”
Hizkiel waved his hand in the same motions I had done earlier to open the gateway. With one last glance towards the world of morals, we passed into the paradise of the Father.

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I awoke somewhere on the western edge of the city's nearby wood. I did not know how I got there, but I knew that I still had not passed through the Veil. I could see where it and the Moral realm met. It waved and rippled like liquid, but was nothing of the sort. Who had brought me here? Why had they brought me here?

“How are you doing young one?” Raziel asked sincerely. He seemed to have appeared from nowhere but yet looked as though he had been there the whole time. “Are you okay?” The look in his eyes was so devout.
“Yes, I will be well. Where are we, how did I get here.?”
“You blacked out after Lucifer touched you, How are you feeling?”
“I am not sure,” I said, trying to stand up. “A bit dizzy, it seems.”
“Nothing else wrong?”
“No, I think I am okay. Why are we here?”
“After you passed out I new I had to get you out of there. There is a reason why they call him the Lord of Lies. I do not think he would have helped you just because you needed it.”
“He seemed so sincere, and if it is true that I am the key to Hell, and the reason Hell will fall, Why would he help me?”
“Maybe there is some hidden agenda behind his motives.”
“What did he do to me?”
“I am not sure, but after he grabbed you, you levitated off the ground by almost a foot. Thats when his hand started to merge with you.”
“I wonder, now, what is going to happen to me, and where Dawn is now.”

We sat there, in silence, the Veil shifted back and forth like a drape in the breeze. The sun was starting to go down, and the wind all but came to a standstill. The day seemed so tired, and not yet ready for nights cool kiss.
“Why did you not tell us who you were, Raziel? Why did you hide your identity?”
“I am a former Angel of Death, young one. The title Onyx, is given to those who at one time were. But no Angel can carry the weight of all those souls.”
“But why were you in Hell?”
“To be honest, I was down there watching, observing the activity. You are creating quiet an uproar. Mammon himself is trying to take control of Lucifer's throne. He is recruiting other demons, and even a Brother or two.”
“He is gaining the support of Devils too. This is definitely something to fear. He is already claimed as the son of Satan on Earth. Now he is collecting powerful forces, he even has Farked of Calvary.”
“True, but there is someone he is after, more then any other being of Hell.”
“Who?”
“You!”
“Why me? He already has a shadow caster.”
“You are not just a shadow caster, not anymore.”
“What are you talking about? You have known me all my life, Shadowcasting is all I can do.”
“Dazengoth! You have no idea of what you are. Falycor himself knew that you were something special. Unlike all other demons, you have your soul...”
“Falycor told me that too, but I do not understand. How can I have a soul?”
“That part is unclear to us right now, dear Dazen, but one thing is for sure, is that you and Dawn are in extreme danger. Not only is Mammon and Lucifer after you, but the Valigaynes and Gorgons, are after you as well. Not to mention the mortal Hunters, but they will not be much of a threat to you, young one. Though, there is one I have to warn you about, and could very well be near, Quicksilver.
“The Quicksilver?” I hummed to myself, maybe I will have more fun than I had planned, “But first thing is first, I want my Dawn.”

“The Order has already retrieved him.” Raziel said, lowering his head.
“What do you mean, You have seen him?! Where? When?”
“As I brought you here, I saw two others escort him through the Gateway.”
“Oh my, they know do they not?”
“Yes, young one, they do, and I expect that they will judge him before the Counsel of Elder.”
“How can I get there?” Rage was start to build in my lower self, the Counsel of Elder rare judges innocents, they hold themselves to such a high, almost unbendable stature. They would sooner cast Danyelle into oblivion than give him a proper trial.
“There is no other way than to be of the Order, or a nephilim of the White Cast.”
“Then I will go see Tatonya.”
“I wouldn't recommend that Dazen. The Gorgon's would not allow you passage into the Grey.”
“Tatosha entered this world and tried to hunt me down, I must have value there, she would allow me to enter... if only just to murder me.”
“Dazengoth, I do not think this is a good decision, but you have set you mind unto a path, and nothing I can say could ever detour you,” Raziel walked towards me, and wrapped his arms around me, “I give you blessing, and wish you good journey, may the Father bless and watch over you.” He kissed my forehead and released me. I had such calm, peaceful feeling, and I just stood there and watched as Raziel faded into the darkness.

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I never thought I would be one of those tried before the Counsel. The Banners of the Choirs draped down from pillars. Under each banner was a solid marble throne. Every direction I turned, there were the gigantic stone pillars, marble, and light. Not a soul was present around me, this was the beginning, the waiting. Soon, I will face the Counsel's Sentence. Dazen, I love you.