the
seraph’s mission, God is sending him to return the Faithstream to His hands.
Watch Leoran closely. He is an opportunist. Do not underestimate either him or
the seraph.”
“I’ll remain wary,” Shrazz said.
Speaking of Leoran seemed to disturb Satan. His lips were puckered like
something sour had hit his tongue.
They came to a high, gleaming staircase of polished stone crafted into
the side of a mountain and ascended.
“So we aren’t in Hell right now?” Shrazz asked as he gaped at the height
of the trees around them.
Satan’s tightened face relaxed at the sound of Shrazz’s voice, and he
grinned at him. Shrazz thought he saw rows upon rows of small sharp teeth, but
when he blinked they looked as dull as human teeth.
“No, we are within the plane of Hell. About a century after I fell I
commenced renovations on this area. It is a sanctuary for my kindred spirits.
My garden.”
At the summit they viewed the land from a wooden gazebo. Carved angels
and demons wept over its roof’s edges. Satan raised his wiry arms and let the
sun bathe him. Shrazz hoped when he aged his body would be just as defined as
Satan’s.
At that height, the blossoms of the forest looked like someone had taken
a paintbrush and swathed pinks, blues, reds and greens across the tops of the
trees.
“This is what you are fighting for Shrazz.”
“Land?”
“No.” Satan laughed. “Peace, prosperity. You and your kind will finally
have a chance to till the Earth as humans do. God is sending his angel to save
himself...”
Satan closed his eyes and seemed lost in thought. He opened them seconds
later, and Shrazz saw tears in his eyes.
“You... miss Him don’t you?”
Satan wiped his eyes and smiled: the saddest smile Shrazz had ever seen.
“He is my Father, Shrazz. Of course I do. Seizing the angel will kill
him. Of that I have no doubt. I will mourn His passing, but we must look at
this as an opportunity. His time has passed. This is only an example of the
worlds we will create for our people once the Faithstream is yours.”
“You can hear what I’m thinking anyway, so I’m just going to be honest.”
“I appreciate that.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in a universe of peace. It’s one of complacence.
What kind of sacrifices would we have to make to be completely peaceful?
Freedom would have to be sacrificed. It would have to be enforced by a
dictator. That would not be me.”
Satan put his arm around Shrazz’s shoulder. Shrazz truly felt awed by
Satan’s nature and yet comforted by him. Empathy and open mindedness were not
traits he had expected to find inside the supreme ruler of the Hells.
“As I said, this is only an example. The rules would be ours to create,
Shrazz, and I want nothing to do with a universe of mindless complacence. I
know my roots well and I do not want that for any living being.”
“Even if freedom was not sacrificed, peace would bore me to death. I was
not made for such a universe,” Shrazz said.
“Worry not. By the time we meet again and the angel is here in Hell with
me, you will be ready to retire. Peace is going to come only through more
bloodshed at this point. It will be the most arduous war you have ever fought.”
Shrazz’s heart palpitated.
“What of the humans?”
“Some of them will resist what is coming. Some will not. Many will die. I
want them to be a part of our world, but that will be their decision.”
“I do not see how they will tolerate us.”
“We will worry of such things when we have to. You should be on your
way,” Satan said.
“Thank you, sir.” Shrazz bowed.
“Insure that his capture is hasty, Shrazz. As I have said, angels are
unstable and unpredictable creatures when thrust amongst things they do not
understand. If he were to have an episode before he reaches me... it will be
catastrophic. You will not be able to control him.”
“He is that powerful?”
“Not even I know the extent of his destructive potential.”
Shrazz’s skin
seraph’s mission, God is sending him to return the Faithstream to His hands.
Watch Leoran closely. He is an opportunist. Do not underestimate either him or
the seraph.”
“I’ll remain wary,” Shrazz said.
Speaking of Leoran seemed to disturb Satan. His lips were puckered like
something sour had hit his tongue.
They came to a high, gleaming staircase of polished stone crafted into
the side of a mountain and ascended.
“So we aren’t in Hell right now?” Shrazz asked as he gaped at the height
of the trees around them.
Satan’s tightened face relaxed at the sound of Shrazz’s voice, and he
grinned at him. Shrazz thought he saw rows upon rows of small sharp teeth, but
when he blinked they looked as dull as human teeth.
“No, we are within the plane of Hell. About a century after I fell I
commenced renovations on this area. It is a sanctuary for my kindred spirits.
My garden.”
At the summit they viewed the land from a wooden gazebo. Carved angels
and demons wept over its roof’s edges. Satan raised his wiry arms and let the
sun bathe him. Shrazz hoped when he aged his body would be just as defined as
Satan’s.
At that height, the blossoms of the forest looked like someone had taken
a paintbrush and swathed pinks, blues, reds and greens across the tops of the
trees.
“This is what you are fighting for Shrazz.”
“Land?”
“No.” Satan laughed. “Peace, prosperity. You and your kind will finally
have a chance to till the Earth as humans do. God is sending his angel to save
himself...”
Satan closed his eyes and seemed lost in thought. He opened them seconds
later, and Shrazz saw tears in his eyes.
“You... miss Him don’t you?”
Satan wiped his eyes and smiled: the saddest smile Shrazz had ever seen.
“He is my Father, Shrazz. Of course I do. Seizing the angel will kill
him. Of that I have no doubt. I will mourn His passing, but we must look at
this as an opportunity. His time has passed. This is only an example of the
worlds we will create for our people once the Faithstream is yours.”
“You can hear what I’m thinking anyway, so I’m just going to be honest.”
“I appreciate that.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in a universe of peace. It’s one of complacence.
What kind of sacrifices would we have to make to be completely peaceful?
Freedom would have to be sacrificed. It would have to be enforced by a
dictator. That would not be me.”
Satan put his arm around Shrazz’s shoulder. Shrazz truly felt awed by
Satan’s nature and yet comforted by him. Empathy and open mindedness were not
traits he had expected to find inside the supreme ruler of the Hells.
“As I said, this is only an example. The rules would be ours to create,
Shrazz, and I want nothing to do with a universe of mindless complacence. I
know my roots well and I do not want that for any living being.”
“Even if freedom was not sacrificed, peace would bore me to death. I was
not made for such a universe,” Shrazz said.
“Worry not. By the time we meet again and the angel is here in Hell with
me, you will be ready to retire. Peace is going to come only through more
bloodshed at this point. It will be the most arduous war you have ever fought.”
Shrazz’s heart palpitated.
“What of the humans?”
“Some of them will resist what is coming. Some will not. Many will die. I
want them to be a part of our world, but that will be their decision.”
“I do not see how they will tolerate us.”
“We will worry of such things when we have to. You should be on your
way,” Satan said.
“Thank you, sir.” Shrazz bowed.
“Insure that his capture is hasty, Shrazz. As I have said, angels are
unstable and unpredictable creatures when thrust amongst things they do not
understand. If he were to have an episode before he reaches me... it will be
catastrophic. You will not be able to control him.”
“He is that powerful?”
“Not even I know the extent of his destructive potential.”
Shrazz’s skin
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