and landed on Michael’s back. He slammed his bat into Michael’s head. Michael stabbed at him with the spear, scoring his arm. Lucifer hissed and smacked him harder.
Berith leapt. Dozens of Uriel’s angels plowed into him, driving him into the ground. Apple leapt in to help. Angels hauled her away from him. Berith dove for her, but was shoved down into the ice.
Andy limped into a loping run. He hurdled over angels, racing to get beneath Dahlia as she fell.
Uriel threw Helion to the ground and raced after Andy. He wrapped a hand around Andy’s arm and hauled him back towards the earth. Uriel snapped Andy’s neck against the snow, rendering him unconscious.
Michael grabbed Lucifer by his hair and threw him towards the crater. He pumped his wings and caught Dahlia’s hand as she fell past him. Michael brought her into an embrace and turned, looking mockingly at Lucifer. “Stand down, all of you, or she dies.”
Lucifer regained his feet and held his weapon high. The other Fallen did the same, the Lilliam behind them just as ready to fight.
Michael landed. He held the spear up to Dahlia’s bleeding face and pressed the material in, gouging her cheek. “Stand down or she dies.”
Lucifer pointed at him with the bat. “He would not allow her death!”
“What do you know about what He wants?”
“I know far more than you ever will!”
Michael stared at Lucifer. Raphael, Selaphiel, and Jegudiel limped up. Uriel dragged Andy to Michael’s side; the Archangels stared at the Fallen. The ice quieted.
Dahlia stirred, her magenta eyes opened. She saw who held her and struggled against him.
Michael pricked her. “Ladriam, here we are again!”
Dahlia only had eyes for Lucifer. “Do not fight him.”
Michael sighed. “I am afraid I do not dare tarry this time.” He looked at Dahlia. “You are coming back with us.”
Lucifer’s eyes turned black. “No!”
Michael sneered. “You lost again, Lucifer. Be glad it is just her we have orders to return with.”
Lucifer watched Dahlia squirm in Michael’s grip. He could not lose her again, not when he knew what waited for her in Heaven. He owed her everything; he could not be the cause for her going back there. His guilt already unbearable. He would not live if he did nothing. Lucifer dropped his bat. “We make a deal.”
Dahlia kicked. “No!”
Michael laughed. “Oh I think not—” His body went rigid as it was lit from within. The voice of God filled the air. SPEAK, LUCIFER BETRAYER.
Lucifer bowed his head. “I offer you a trade.”
OF WHAT?
“I offer you myself.”
Dahlia reached for him. “No! Lucifer, do not!”
SILENCE, LADRIAM.
Lucifer took a step forward. “Take me in her place.”
Dahlia bit at Michael, kicked, flailed but it was of no use. Uriel leaned over and stabbed her in the stomach to stop her struggling. Lucifer staggered. “Do not hurt her! I give you myself freely in trade!”
Belial screeched, “No, Lucifer!”
YOU OFFER YOURSELF FOR THE PRISON?
“Yes! Let her go, take me.” Lucifer stared at the fire that roiled inside Michael. “I know you want to punish me , to make me hurt.”
YES AND I HAVE. THIS BEING APART HAS BEEN PUNISHMENT. I HAVE ENJOYED WATCHING YOUR DESPAIR AND MADNESS. WHY SHOULD I SEEK TO DO ANY DIFFERENTLY NOW? YOUR GUILT PAINS YOU WITHOUT NEEDING CHAINS.
Lucifer struggled for words. “The prison is the punishment you desire most. This thing is what you desire of me, the one who stole your love away. I am the guilty party, I the greedy one, the thief, the betrayer. You have always wanted me in that prison. Just as much as you desire to see her suffer as I did, with guilt.”
The fire churned. THERE IS TRUTH TO THIS.
“Accept the trade.” Lucifer bowed his head. “I will not fight. I do this freely.
Berith leapt. Dozens of Uriel’s angels plowed into him, driving him into the ground. Apple leapt in to help. Angels hauled her away from him. Berith dove for her, but was shoved down into the ice.
Andy limped into a loping run. He hurdled over angels, racing to get beneath Dahlia as she fell.
Uriel threw Helion to the ground and raced after Andy. He wrapped a hand around Andy’s arm and hauled him back towards the earth. Uriel snapped Andy’s neck against the snow, rendering him unconscious.
Michael grabbed Lucifer by his hair and threw him towards the crater. He pumped his wings and caught Dahlia’s hand as she fell past him. Michael brought her into an embrace and turned, looking mockingly at Lucifer. “Stand down, all of you, or she dies.”
Lucifer regained his feet and held his weapon high. The other Fallen did the same, the Lilliam behind them just as ready to fight.
Michael landed. He held the spear up to Dahlia’s bleeding face and pressed the material in, gouging her cheek. “Stand down or she dies.”
Lucifer pointed at him with the bat. “He would not allow her death!”
“What do you know about what He wants?”
“I know far more than you ever will!”
Michael stared at Lucifer. Raphael, Selaphiel, and Jegudiel limped up. Uriel dragged Andy to Michael’s side; the Archangels stared at the Fallen. The ice quieted.
Dahlia stirred, her magenta eyes opened. She saw who held her and struggled against him.
Michael pricked her. “Ladriam, here we are again!”
Dahlia only had eyes for Lucifer. “Do not fight him.”
Michael sighed. “I am afraid I do not dare tarry this time.” He looked at Dahlia. “You are coming back with us.”
Lucifer’s eyes turned black. “No!”
Michael sneered. “You lost again, Lucifer. Be glad it is just her we have orders to return with.”
Lucifer watched Dahlia squirm in Michael’s grip. He could not lose her again, not when he knew what waited for her in Heaven. He owed her everything; he could not be the cause for her going back there. His guilt already unbearable. He would not live if he did nothing. Lucifer dropped his bat. “We make a deal.”
Dahlia kicked. “No!”
Michael laughed. “Oh I think not—” His body went rigid as it was lit from within. The voice of God filled the air. SPEAK, LUCIFER BETRAYER.
Lucifer bowed his head. “I offer you a trade.”
OF WHAT?
“I offer you myself.”
Dahlia reached for him. “No! Lucifer, do not!”
SILENCE, LADRIAM.
Lucifer took a step forward. “Take me in her place.”
Dahlia bit at Michael, kicked, flailed but it was of no use. Uriel leaned over and stabbed her in the stomach to stop her struggling. Lucifer staggered. “Do not hurt her! I give you myself freely in trade!”
Belial screeched, “No, Lucifer!”
YOU OFFER YOURSELF FOR THE PRISON?
“Yes! Let her go, take me.” Lucifer stared at the fire that roiled inside Michael. “I know you want to punish me , to make me hurt.”
YES AND I HAVE. THIS BEING APART HAS BEEN PUNISHMENT. I HAVE ENJOYED WATCHING YOUR DESPAIR AND MADNESS. WHY SHOULD I SEEK TO DO ANY DIFFERENTLY NOW? YOUR GUILT PAINS YOU WITHOUT NEEDING CHAINS.
Lucifer struggled for words. “The prison is the punishment you desire most. This thing is what you desire of me, the one who stole your love away. I am the guilty party, I the greedy one, the thief, the betrayer. You have always wanted me in that prison. Just as much as you desire to see her suffer as I did, with guilt.”
The fire churned. THERE IS TRUTH TO THIS.
“Accept the trade.” Lucifer bowed his head. “I will not fight. I do this freely.
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