Lucifer turned about slowly. His golden trappings glittering in the false light emanating from the crystals embedded in the walls. “And I, too, am guilty of many sins. It is the curse of free will that was delivered upon us by the one who made us. If we had never been made, it would have been a far better thing.” He stopped turning to face Shammash. “I will not pass judgment on you, Lord Shammash. Your intentions were quite honorable in the beginning and I have spent some time among men since being awakened. I can very well understand the temptation that overcame you and hope that such never rules my own heart again.” He turned quickly as a red blur and stopped in front of Mark, but his eyes were on Sophia. “I felt the pull on my own heartstrings when I first saw you.” He smiled and Sophia looked away from him. “Do not look away from me, Sophia. I can see why my brothers would make a spectacle of themselves… two spectacles, it would seem.” This remark brought a small, but unmistakable twitter of laughter from somewhere in the cavern. “But!” He spun about again and pointed one finger at Shammash. “You asked a legitimate question and you deserve an answer. I believe that what Lord Adar, as you call him, was trying to say is that it is up to you to decide. But if you do not do your part, someone else will carry your load and the Will of our Father shall be done whether you take part in it or no. In fact, it may be that He intends that you should not take part at all. From what I can see, you would serve no useful purpose. There is too much enmity in your heart. Too much bitterness and too little compassion for your fellow creatures. You do not even seem to have a sense of duty or purpose. What is it you do, Lord Semyaza? Do you lay about your miserable cave, sucking on bitter roots and drinking sour wine? How long will you wait for salvation? You have heard many things said; have you heard that works are necessary for salvation? To know the Word and do the Work! Even the descendents of the Hebrews knew this. Michael taught it to us! We do the Father’s Work! He said ‘I must be about my Father’s business.’ He was speaking of the Creator of the Universe. The Father of all Fathers. We are all now Sons of God. And Michael, the first begotten Son of God has taught us how we must be about our Father’s business. Where have you been, Semyaza? Ahhh, but I know the answer… you have been sleeping in your pit and I have been dreaming. It is time that we were about our Father’s Work. But as Uriel has said, we must make our own decisions. I grow weary of listening to you moan and groan about your misfortunes. Do you think you are the first to be deceived by the charms of a woman? It is all well and good that my brother’s brothers say ‘the company of women is a dangerous thing’, but it is one thing to say it and another to know it. But is it not unfair to women to say such a thing? Somewhere inside me is this very danger. It is not easy being one and the same! One would think that such a creature could not be deceived, but is it not fascinating to look upon her, Semyaza? Is it not simply a curiosity to know what it would be like to be separated? Even Uriel is beautiful to me because I am two made one.” Lucifer spun about and gave Mark Andrew a decidedly wicked smile. “You see? Sin is like an insidious disease and spending time with the separated ones leads to curiosity and curiosity leads to questioning and questioning leads to answering that we should know what we should not know.” He turned once more with incredible speed and stopped in front of Lord Nebo who seemed to be sleeping with one elbow propped on a dark stone that glittered with encrusted diamonds. “Nathanael? Have you nothing to say of this? I have seen you looking at Sophia. You find her beautiful, do you
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