Status: It is done...
The Many Faces of Evil
Horns Cannot be Hung on a Cloud
"Personal warrior aide?" Michael repeated.
"Yeah," I confirmed once again.
"Your first shot into the military aristocracy," my Father rolled the thought over once again, "and you end up as the highest-ranking foot-soldier under Beelzebub. Amazing."
"How many times do you have to point that out?" the Lord of the Flies sighed, fluttering in the doorway of Saint Michael's office.
"Until I finally believe that my son amounted to anything," Dad answered, sitting down behind his desk, on top of which was a mountain of paperwork. "Gabriel said, 'Low expectations; teenagers can get really uncontrollable and demons are a bad crowd to boot.' So congrats, son."
"I... don't know what to say," I muttered, looking around the room.
"Well, I'm busy here with all the work," the angel sighed. "It seems like everything is a sin up here. Sometimes I preferred not having to fill out a form every time I drew a breath. But, living in Paradise is much better than that stuffy hole in which you have to wake up."
I could have given him a piece of my mind, but that would break one of the Fifteen Commandments, and I would have to fill out enough paperwork to keep me busy for a year or two. I kept my mouth shut.
"You go see your mother," Michael said. "I'll be free again sometime in the summer."
I began to join Beelzebub out the door when Pa stopped me.
"Wait, Daniel," he said. "I have something to give you." The archangel turned behind his desk and removed a long case from a filing cabinet. Inside was a grand longsword, crafted in what would become known as a Gaelic Claymore. It's blade was made of pure platinum and its cross hilt was made of osmium decorated with gold wire. The hilt was made of wrapped leather with a circular pommel of diamond.
"Holy sh--" Beelzebub blurted, catching himself just in time. "Er, cow." The fly knew value when he saw it.
"This sword is called Solaris," Michael announced, walking around his desk to present it to me. "I wielded during the rebellion. I drove Satan from Heaven with this very blade."
"Damned near took my head off, as well," our demon friend muttered under his breath.
"I hope that you will carry it and use it as honorably as your father," my dad continued. "Never forget your family, Daniel."
With that, he placed the blade in my hands and kissed my forehead. When he retracted, I bowed slightly, out of respect.
"Thank you," I replied. "I promise to... to never forget where I came from."
The angel handed over the sheath next. It was white pearl inlaid with rubies and gold wire running down the case with a platinum tip. I placed the leather baldric over my shoulder and returned Solaris to his resting place.
"God be with you, Daniel," Father said, gripping my shoulders for a moment, his face filled with emotion. He let go and returned to his work.
"Come on," Beelzebub said, flying out the door. I followed.
Outside of the city is a little suburb filled with identical white estates. The demonic pair walked over to 343 Emmanuel Lane and knocked on the door. We were met by a pretty young blonde angel who smiled at our arrival.
"Daniel, so good to see you!" Lillian exclaimed. "And Beelzebub, it's been too long."
"I would have preferred to wait another eon," the fly growled, stepping back off of the porch.
My mother took a moment to look me over, pulling off my hood, fussing with my hair, and smoothing out my clothes. Then, she started freaking out about my father's sword and got all emotional about the milestone in her son's life.
"Satan made me his personal warrior aide," I once again stated the news. "Dad gave me this to make sure I never forget my family. And I never will."
Mom gave me a huge, tear-soaked hug, stroking my now messed-up hair. "I love you so much, Danny," she sobbed.
"I know, Ma," I replied, patting her on the back before prying her off of me. It was a shame that all the love was drained from me in my time in Hell. Bah, it was just an obstacle that had been dealt with, along with joy and pain. They held me back, so I freed myself from them.
"Well, I hate to break up on this little... reunion," Beelzebub announced rather obnoxiously, "but I think we should be heading back. It's getting a little late."
"Yes, yes," Lillian agreed, stepping back to rub her eyes. "I'll see you next time, Danny."
"Good-bye, Ma," I returned the farewell before parting.
Once again, Beelzebub and I walked the streets of Heaven in silence. Angels peered out of their windows in disgust before closing their blinds. I looked about, wanting to strike up a conversation, but knowing I would only get shot down by that insect jackass.
On the way back to the road downward, we came across a park filled with young angels partying at dusk. There was a pretty young woman leaning against a tree, sipping a can of soda and absentmindedly listening to her girlfriends' chatter. I caught her attention with a nod. She smiled, taking a brief swig of her beverage.
"I bet you 7,000 push-ups that I can't get that chick's address," I wagered, pointing out my target.
Beelzebub eyed where my finger guided before responding, "You are on."
I approached the girl and waved. She looked me up and down, obviously impressed with my black robes. Into bad boys, were you?
"Hi," I greeted her. "Name's Daniel."
"Beryl," she introduced herself, stepping away from her friends. "You're a hell-angel, aren't you?" I nodded. "Wow. I hear you guys are really powerful."
"Well, I'm the only one," I replied. "So, you live around here?"
"A little ways away," Beryl answered, rocking on her feet.
"And where's that?" I pressed on. Almost there.
The angel pulled a notepad out of her back pocket, then clicked a pen I carried in my sash and handed it to her. What I got back was a bit unexpected.
"343 Emmanuel Lane?" I scoffed. "Are you trying to trick me here or something?"
"No, that's my address," Beryl said, confused and scared at the darkening of my face (literally, the shadows in my face got darker). "And I don't think my father would appreciate me taking home strange demons."
"And just who is your father?" I snorted, folding my arms.
"Why, Saint Michael, of course."
There was a great pause. I could feel Beelzebub's eyes burning on my back. Why, God?
Finally I burst out, "Are you fucking kidding me?"
Beelzebub cringed, looking about for any authorities.
Beryl shook her head and wandered off. I stormed back to my mentor and slapped the paper into his hand.
"You owe me 7,000 fucking push-ups," I growled, beating a hasty retreat. So, I had a sister, now. What was that all about? Why didn't Mom and Dad tell me? Oh, who cares? Angels can be trickier than demons sometimes.
The Lord of the Flies watched me rush off and looked down at the piece of paper. "Met your sister, huh?" he chuckled before laughing his ass off as he followed me back home.
Oh, what was more embarrassing than almost accidentally seducing your sister?
Some things more than others, I suppose.
"Yeah," I confirmed once again.
"Your first shot into the military aristocracy," my Father rolled the thought over once again, "and you end up as the highest-ranking foot-soldier under Beelzebub. Amazing."
"How many times do you have to point that out?" the Lord of the Flies sighed, fluttering in the doorway of Saint Michael's office.
"Until I finally believe that my son amounted to anything," Dad answered, sitting down behind his desk, on top of which was a mountain of paperwork. "Gabriel said, 'Low expectations; teenagers can get really uncontrollable and demons are a bad crowd to boot.' So congrats, son."
"I... don't know what to say," I muttered, looking around the room.
"Well, I'm busy here with all the work," the angel sighed. "It seems like everything is a sin up here. Sometimes I preferred not having to fill out a form every time I drew a breath. But, living in Paradise is much better than that stuffy hole in which you have to wake up."
I could have given him a piece of my mind, but that would break one of the Fifteen Commandments, and I would have to fill out enough paperwork to keep me busy for a year or two. I kept my mouth shut.
"You go see your mother," Michael said. "I'll be free again sometime in the summer."
I began to join Beelzebub out the door when Pa stopped me.
"Wait, Daniel," he said. "I have something to give you." The archangel turned behind his desk and removed a long case from a filing cabinet. Inside was a grand longsword, crafted in what would become known as a Gaelic Claymore. It's blade was made of pure platinum and its cross hilt was made of osmium decorated with gold wire. The hilt was made of wrapped leather with a circular pommel of diamond.
"Holy sh--" Beelzebub blurted, catching himself just in time. "Er, cow." The fly knew value when he saw it.
"This sword is called Solaris," Michael announced, walking around his desk to present it to me. "I wielded during the rebellion. I drove Satan from Heaven with this very blade."
"Damned near took my head off, as well," our demon friend muttered under his breath.
"I hope that you will carry it and use it as honorably as your father," my dad continued. "Never forget your family, Daniel."
With that, he placed the blade in my hands and kissed my forehead. When he retracted, I bowed slightly, out of respect.
"Thank you," I replied. "I promise to... to never forget where I came from."
The angel handed over the sheath next. It was white pearl inlaid with rubies and gold wire running down the case with a platinum tip. I placed the leather baldric over my shoulder and returned Solaris to his resting place.
"God be with you, Daniel," Father said, gripping my shoulders for a moment, his face filled with emotion. He let go and returned to his work.
"Come on," Beelzebub said, flying out the door. I followed.
Outside of the city is a little suburb filled with identical white estates. The demonic pair walked over to 343 Emmanuel Lane and knocked on the door. We were met by a pretty young blonde angel who smiled at our arrival.
"Daniel, so good to see you!" Lillian exclaimed. "And Beelzebub, it's been too long."
"I would have preferred to wait another eon," the fly growled, stepping back off of the porch.
My mother took a moment to look me over, pulling off my hood, fussing with my hair, and smoothing out my clothes. Then, she started freaking out about my father's sword and got all emotional about the milestone in her son's life.
"Satan made me his personal warrior aide," I once again stated the news. "Dad gave me this to make sure I never forget my family. And I never will."
Mom gave me a huge, tear-soaked hug, stroking my now messed-up hair. "I love you so much, Danny," she sobbed.
"I know, Ma," I replied, patting her on the back before prying her off of me. It was a shame that all the love was drained from me in my time in Hell. Bah, it was just an obstacle that had been dealt with, along with joy and pain. They held me back, so I freed myself from them.
"Well, I hate to break up on this little... reunion," Beelzebub announced rather obnoxiously, "but I think we should be heading back. It's getting a little late."
"Yes, yes," Lillian agreed, stepping back to rub her eyes. "I'll see you next time, Danny."
"Good-bye, Ma," I returned the farewell before parting.
Once again, Beelzebub and I walked the streets of Heaven in silence. Angels peered out of their windows in disgust before closing their blinds. I looked about, wanting to strike up a conversation, but knowing I would only get shot down by that insect jackass.
On the way back to the road downward, we came across a park filled with young angels partying at dusk. There was a pretty young woman leaning against a tree, sipping a can of soda and absentmindedly listening to her girlfriends' chatter. I caught her attention with a nod. She smiled, taking a brief swig of her beverage.
"I bet you 7,000 push-ups that I can't get that chick's address," I wagered, pointing out my target.
Beelzebub eyed where my finger guided before responding, "You are on."
I approached the girl and waved. She looked me up and down, obviously impressed with my black robes. Into bad boys, were you?
"Hi," I greeted her. "Name's Daniel."
"Beryl," she introduced herself, stepping away from her friends. "You're a hell-angel, aren't you?" I nodded. "Wow. I hear you guys are really powerful."
"Well, I'm the only one," I replied. "So, you live around here?"
"A little ways away," Beryl answered, rocking on her feet.
"And where's that?" I pressed on. Almost there.
The angel pulled a notepad out of her back pocket, then clicked a pen I carried in my sash and handed it to her. What I got back was a bit unexpected.
"343 Emmanuel Lane?" I scoffed. "Are you trying to trick me here or something?"
"No, that's my address," Beryl said, confused and scared at the darkening of my face (literally, the shadows in my face got darker). "And I don't think my father would appreciate me taking home strange demons."
"And just who is your father?" I snorted, folding my arms.
"Why, Saint Michael, of course."
There was a great pause. I could feel Beelzebub's eyes burning on my back. Why, God?
Finally I burst out, "Are you fucking kidding me?"
Beelzebub cringed, looking about for any authorities.
Beryl shook her head and wandered off. I stormed back to my mentor and slapped the paper into his hand.
"You owe me 7,000 fucking push-ups," I growled, beating a hasty retreat. So, I had a sister, now. What was that all about? Why didn't Mom and Dad tell me? Oh, who cares? Angels can be trickier than demons sometimes.
The Lord of the Flies watched me rush off and looked down at the piece of paper. "Met your sister, huh?" he chuckled before laughing his ass off as he followed me back home.
Oh, what was more embarrassing than almost accidentally seducing your sister?
Some things more than others, I suppose.