Samael – Epilogue and Note

Epilogue

The war in which Samael led forever changed the face of Heaven.  Though they where outnumbered, Samael and his army had the determination needed to take on a much larger force as well as a drive that the defenders of Heaven lacked.  If the two armies were evenly split from each of the angelic orders, then the war would have been a fair fight.  But since the vast majority of the Powers were fighting on the side of Samael, the Rebels had a distinct advantage when they entered the battlefield.  And because of this discrepancy, the borders of Heaven became poorly defended.  This fact opened up the possibility of a two front war for Heaven because there were an insufficient number of defenders to ward off the encroachment of the large number of demonic hordes.

Though the information of the war was kept from the hordes for an extended period of time, it was inevitable that the demons would receive word of it and attack.  Once the hordes started their attack, the poorly maintained defenses fell quickly and havoc spread across the realm.  This was what Samael was hoping for because it would give him a better chance of obtaining victory over his enemy.

Like any civil war, Heaven became torn apart, covering the realm with blood.  Heroes and champions immerged on both sides of the conflict as the war progressed, giving a boost to morale of their respective sides and gave that army a rallying point to fall behind.

With Samael heading the army of the Rebellion, Heaven chose the archangel Michael to be its commander and lead the army of Defenders.  Upon hearing this fact, it only added fuel to Samael’s rage and determination.  His desire for vengeance only became stronger and led him to fight that much more vigorously.

But as the course of events played themselves out, it wasn’t until the end of the war that Samael and Michael confronted each other on the battlefield for the first, and only, time.  But once they met, the battle was fierce.  It lasted for almost fourteen days of continuous fighting.  As the battle progressed, neither angel faltered; both of them ignoring their injuries and focusing only upon his opponent.

As this personal conflict raged, Gabriel watched from a distance.  He took it upon himself to see that no other being got involved in the personal rivalry that was unfolding, regardless if they were Rebel or Defender.  To insure this fact, Gabriel blew his mighty horn as he circled the two bitter enemies.  Samael and Michael never even noticed.

When the battle was finally over, it was Michael who managed to gain the upper hand and came out victorious.  It remains unclear exactly how Michael managed to defeat Samael in the end, and the answer will always remain elusive.  But what is clear, however, is that by defeating Samael, Michael delivered the fatal blow to the Rebellion and ended the war.

Michael, in his silver armor and wielding his great sword, crippled Samael and caused him to fall into the Banished Realm.  As his punishment, Samael was shunned from the presence of God and banished from the realm of Heaven.  Even though the War itself continued for almost a year after Samael’s defeat, it essentially ended that day where Michael managed to defeat his rival.

When the war did eventually end, all of those who sided with Samael were cast out to join their leader within the Banished Realm, though some of them where imprisoned within Raquia.  When Heaven finished casting out the Rebels, along with the hordes of demonic beasts, it turned to those who claimed neutrality and proceeded to cast them into the Banished Realm as well.  The purging was relentless and only a few were spared this punishment.

The reasoning for this purge was that those who didn’t take sides lacked the faith, commitment, or dedication needed to preserve their home from future threats it faced.  When the Great Cleansing was done, one third of Heaven’s might was banished from the realm.  None of them will be allowed to return to Heaven for countless millennia.

Due to the actions in which the Seraphim and the other upper tier orders took against Heaven, their station has been suspended for an indefinite amount of time.  Even though the members of these orders who remained loyal to Heaven where stripped of their titles, they remained prominent figures within Heaven.  But the order that suffered the most due to this rebellion was the Powers.  Their numbers were severely depleted, preventing those who remained from performing their tasks and obligations effectively ever again.

And the most beautiful angel, the first among all of the celestial beings, who once resided within the presence of God, now resides in a world that is not his own.  Samael has now become the god and ruler of the Banished Realm along with all of its inhabitants, though it is a distinction in which he never desired.  Though the war has ended, Heaven has become a darker place, never able to return to its former glory or might.  Ominous clouds now exist in the furthest reaches of the realm, never to disappear.  They act as a constant reminder of how things used to be and of the potential danger that could come at any moment.  These clouds also act as a symbolic reminder of the threat in which Samael is still able to pose.  They act as the shadow of the angel who took action because his heart was broken.

The Note

Samael –

As you may be aware, the demons and other creatures of the Banished Lands are becoming restless and uneasy.  They are demonstrating behavior that we find disturbing.  With this in mind, we hereby notify you of our formal request.

Our request is simple; that you take the role of Viceroy of Banished Lands.  If you accept this station, you will hold this position until the End of Times.  Until then, you will have to remain in exile.  Upon completion of this task, you will be once again accepted into the presence of God.

Out of all those that exist in Heaven, we have determined that only you are strong enough to take on such a title and govern such a realm.  We have also determined that you are the only one in Heaven who is able to withstand and survive the ravages of such a hellish station.

This is why we have submitted our request for your consideration.  This request is purely voluntary and we will not question your decision if you decide not to uptake our offer.  Please notify us at your earliest convenience.

– The Governing Counsel of Angelic Affairs

Dear Counsel Members –

After great deliberation, and with a heavy heart, I have decided to accept the position which you have described in your previous letter.  All that I ask before taking this new station is for you to allow me to put my affairs in order.

– Samael

 

Samael – Chapter Thirteen

Chapter 13

Within the Valley of Valhalla stands a building known as the Hall of Valor.  It stands five stories tall with a base that is twice its height.  The Hall of Valor was constructed to honor those who died with glory when in combat.  This seems like a fitting and appropriate location to Samael for a staging area to assemble his troops.  The angelic orders that are standing closes to the Hall are the Powers and the Seraphim.  Over eighty percent of the Powers have sided with their commander, giving him their unwavering support.

Looking over the assembled army, you could see angels from every angelic order except for one; the Thrones.  It is the responsibility of the Thrones to ponder the significance of God’s laws as well as to pass judgement upon the guilty.  In order for them to do their tasks accurately and without bias, it is their nature to remain neutral.  It is for this reason why the Thrones never officially side with God or with Samael.  And it is because of their duties, and their need to remain objective, that allows them to go unpunished when the war comes to an end.

In preparation for combat, Samael dawns a breastplate that consists of pure gold.  This is the first time in which Samael has worn armor that he hasn’t mentally created for himself.  Due to the nature of the breastplate, it extrapolates Samael’s natural light.  This causes him to appear like a miniature sun, causing all those who look upon him to flinch and to partially cover their eyes.

With Samael’s forces gathered and ready for combat, it is time for him to address is followers.  Even though his army totals only about one-forth of the total population of Heaven, it is an impressive army to look upon with a good number of fighters filling the ranks.  In addition to a strong fighting force, the Rebels possess the good fortune of not having to fight the remaining inhabitance of Heaven.  Besides the Thrones, a significant number of inhabitance are claiming neutrality, preferring not to fight.  But much to their amazement, the majority of these noncombatants will be punished, regardless of who claims victory in the end.

Due to the Valley’s narrow nature, it forces all of those who have assembled to flow down the Valley in both directions, preventing them from congregating around the Hall of Valor.  From Samael’s perspective, the assembled army stretches down the Valley for a league in both directions.

The two mountain ranges that flank the Valley are opposite in nature, symbolizing what is going to occur when the war is over.  One mountain range is majestic with gently sloping sides and snow caped peaks.  The other mountain range, however, has craggy slopes and peaks that are steep and menacing, similar to that of a dragon’s back.  The Valley itself consists of rolling hills and volcanic outcroppings consisting of obsidian.  The rolling hills are covered with flowing acres of grass that shimmer in the wind whereas the outcroppings look like hungry teeth.

To address his army, Samael takes to the air.  He ascends high above the Hall in order for the majority of those in attendance to be able to see him.  Manipulating the topography, Samael manages to have his voice carry further than it would naturally go.  But despite his efforts, not all of those who are in attendance are able to see or hear him.  To assist Samael in his efforts, a number of other angels also take to the air at regular intervals so that Samael’s message can be heard by all of those in attendance.

When everything is ready and everyone in place, Samael begins to speak.  “Listen to me my brethren and listen well.  The time has come for us to take up arms and fight.  This fight, however, is not against any physical enemy or ideal.  It is against a system; a system in which we all have experienced and know so well.  But this system does not exist on Earth; nor does it exist in Forbidden Lands, the Banished Realm, or any realm of existence except for one.  And I am referring to our very home.  This system exists in Heaven and we are suffering because of it!

“We are living underneath a tyrannical fist, a fist that belongs to none other than our Lord; that of God almighty!”

The assembled army gives a vocalized response at this and Samael gives a pause for them to do so before continuing.  “As all of you are aware, I was in a relationship that has recently gone sour.  It turns out that the woman that I loved was engaging in a relationship with another.  When I went to seek justice, however, my request was denied!  God denied me what was rightfully mine.

“As the series of events were taking their course, I was confronted by my former love.  She claimed that she was seeking closure, but I would have none of it.  I was not ready for what she had to offer, but yet, she persisted.  She denied me peace, despite my request for it.  It was too much for me to take, so I took action; action that was fully within my rights to take.  But as I did, God deemed it necessary to take action against me.  I was unduly punished.

“And from what I can see, all of you agree with my assessment or have been wronged as well by the Hand of God and seek justice.  This tyrannical rule must end now!  It has subjugated us and actively does us harm.  For far too long, we have been punished and humiliated; actions that we do not disserve.  The time has arrived for us to show all of Existence that such treatment will no longer be endured.  It is time that we lay claim to what is rightfully ours.

“Remember this day my brethren, and remember it well, for this is the day that we took a stand and forever changed Existence!”

At this, Samael raises his sword into the air and all of those in attendance give a resounding cheer.

“It is time that we give them Hell!” Samael proclaims.

At this, Samael heads off to fight.  At his lead, all of those in attendance follow.  Those with wings take to the air and fall in behind Samael and his chief lieutenants.  The ground forces that are present take formation and head into combat under their respective banners and companies.  It is here that the Great War of Heaven begins.

 

Samael – Chapter Twelve

Chapter 12

Word spreads throughout Heaven about what has occurred in Samael’s apartment.  It has even spread into the realm of Forbidden Lands and has begun to penetrate the outer boundaries of the Banished Realm.  The only place where the incident will never gain entry is that of the Forgotten Domain, where the souls of the dead congregate who haven’t warranted the damnation of the Banished Realm but aren’t pure enough to enter Heaven.  The souls just meander about aimlessly without any purpose or memory.

The fallout of what occurred has caused a great upheaval in Heaven, causing its inhabitance to become divided.  As the days turn into weeks, the threat of war begins to mount and dark clouds begin to gather upon the horizons.  As the head of this storm is Samael.  Due to the events that have occurred against him, Samael has forsaken his responsibilities and shunned the oaths that he swore to uphold; the foremost among them being “To protect Heaven and its inhabitance from danger and threat” and to “Serve the Will of God.”

But God has betrayed him.

Samael was the one who was wronged, but he was the one who was punished in the end.  It was unfair and it was unjust, and a good number of angels agree.  Most of these angels belong to the order of Powers, followed closely by the Seraphim order.  But regardless of their order, and regardless if they are an angel or not, they all agree that appropriate action needs to be taken and that action needs to be taken now.

There is no time for hesitation and there is no room for error.  When people find themselves within a system that is, or has become, corrupt, then the time has come for them to rid themselves of that system and the chains that bind them.  It may even be necessary to destroy the previous system to prevent anyone else from getting hurt because of it.  For Samael and his supporters, this has become reality and they need to take action now.

Like any animal that has been trapped in a corner, Samael has been provoked and is forced to attack.  This course of action is beyond his control, regardless of how much pain such action will cause him.  He has been betrayed on multiple fronts without any possible way to escape.  He was first betrayed by the woman he held dear.  The second betrayal came when Gabriel betrayed him by helping Sara deceive him.  The third and fourth betrayals came when God, the creator of the universe and the barer of truth, failed to honor his side of the bargain by not allowing justice to be served and to allow the participants of an unholy union to go unpunished for their crime.

Samael was a good soldier.  He followed his orders through to the end without failure and without question.  Supported by his faith and in the belief that what he was doing was right, Samael did not hesitate in his actions.  Though he had his doubts, as any being with free will would have, he still followed through on his responsibilities and did not question the wisdom of his Superior.

But the person who Samael once was is now gone.  He was crushed into powder and his faith was destroyed.  Anger and bitterness have now become the dominant characteristics of this personality, replacing his faith and devotion.  But Samael’s dedication and lack of hesitation still remain strong.  Like any well trained soldier who is committed to his job, these traits will never go away.  But now, these traits flow in a different direction; a direction that may never be corrected, no matter how much time has passed.

 

Samael – Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

For several days, Samael has separated himself from the rest of existence by locking himself away within his apartment.  He has barricaded all of his windows with sheets and boards to keep out the light and peering eyes and has placed a heavy dresser against the front door to prevent anyone from getting in.  As he intended, all of this prevented, or at least deterred, anyone from gaining access and Samael ignored those who would come and knock at the door.  Over the course of these past several days, Samael never left his apartment.  There were times when he was barely able to crawl out of bed; and when he did, he would just putter around the apartment with no apparent aim or purpose.

Due to the sheets covering the windows, barely any light is able to get into the apartment.  This causes the room to become gloomy and mutes the light that manages to slip through.  The natural light that manages to slip through unimpeded comes through the gaps found in-between the sheets where they fail to overlap as well as the occasional tare or hole that exists in the fabrics.  There are also a few lighted candles scattered throughout the apartment which have almost burnt themselves out.  The remaining light is being emitted from Samael himself, which is itself faint and muted.

Samael is currently laying facedown on his bed with his head buried in the pillow.  All four of his wings are splayed with the white-feathered wings resting upon the ground and the black-feathered wings remaining upon the bed and resting over his hips and they barely manage to remain on the bed.  Samael stirs, causing one of the black-feathered wings to slide off the bed and hit the ground.  Over the course of Samael’s self imposed exile, his wings have become ruffled and unkempt.

As he lies in bed, surrounded by darkness, Samael broods over his dissatisfaction that stems from the events of the past few days.  How could God allow one of his Commandments to be broken and have it go unpunished?  Even when his followers break a decree, let alone a Commandment, God takes action and punishes them.  So why not now?  Why not when two of his own angels break a Commandment?  Why has Samael been denied justice?  What has he done do be treated so?

This has been plaguing his mind for the past several days, allowing his anger to build and grow because of it.  And what hurts the most is that his love, Sara, is the cause of all this despair.  With everything that they’ve been through, how could she have done this to him?

Even though he has sealed himself off fairly well from the rest of the world, his fortress is not impregnable.  A dedicated individual would be able to find a way in, given enough time.  Eventually, some one does.

As Samael sulks in bed, a rustling sound can be heard emanating from the next room.  It sounds as if someone has managed to carefully open the window and is currently trying to loosen one of the planks so that they can get through.  As Samael hears this commotion, he manages to pull himself out of bed and goes to investigate.

One of Samael’s innate abilities is the ability to generate his own weapons and armor whenever necessary from pure force of will.  Utilizing this ability, Samael generates a golden colored sword that has an arcing blade to it.  As he makes his way to the other room, Samael sees a patch of light flash bright against the far wall.  Just as suddenly as it appears, the light vanishes into darkness.  Someone has managed to break into his apartment.  Once Samael steps into the other room, he spots the trespasser as he gets to his knees.  When the trespasser pulls himself up and has placed one foot flat of the ground to stand, Samael puts the tip of the sword under the trespasser’s chin.  This stops the trespasser dead in his tracks, leaving him kneeling before Samael.  As Samael stands over the intruder, he finally gets a clear look at the person’s face.  Much to his dismay, it is Sara.

“What are you doing here?” Samael asks coldly.

“I came here to see you,” Sara replies.

“You had your chance.  Why now?”

“I wasn’t able to face you before.  I didn’t know how.”

“How is now any different?”

Sara sighs.  Avoiding the question, she says “I just want to talk.  Is that possible?”

“What is there to talk about?”

“More than you think.”

Samael tilts his sword up so that the tip of it dips into Sara’s chin, causing her to rise to her feet.  “I want you out of here, now.”

“Not until I have my say.”

“You lost that right when you stabbed me in the back.  I have nothing else to say to you.”  With that said, the sword disappears and Samael begins to walk away.  He makes his way to the door so that he can move all the material and throw Sara out.  As he heads for the door to do this, Sara follows close behind.

“You might not have anything you would like to say to me,” Sara says, “but there is something I want to say to you.”

“Whatever you have to say, I don’t care to hear it.”

“You will listen to me you pretentious prick!”

Samael turns sharply on his heels and faces Sara.  As he turns, the sword reappears.  He moves the blade so that it comes to rest right next to Sara’s throat.  Sara stops where she is, her tongue silenced.

“You’re not so talkative now, are you Sara?” Samael says, with anger in his eyes.

“Samael,” Sara says hesitantly.  “I’m sorry.  I truly am.  I never meant to hurt you.  But what occurred between me and Michael, it just happened.  I should have handled it better and I shouldn’t have done it behind your back.  I love him.”

With those last three words, Samael snaps.  Hearing that the woman of his life, the woman that he loves, is in love with someone else is too much for him to take.  Clouds of anger overtake Samael, forcing his hand to act.  Seeing this, Sara scrambles backwards and trips.  This allows Samael to bring the sword of light back and away so that he can cut Sara in half.

But before Samael is able to complete the arc and finish his intended plan, a clap of thunder floods the room followed by a bolt of lightning.  The bolt of lightning comes blasting through the door, shattering it as it does, and strikes Samael directly in his hand.  Upon striking, Samael’s hand goes flying backwards and causes the sword to disappear.  Once stricken, Samael clutches his hand which has become racked with pain and has become charred and blackened.

“No,” Samael says stunned and shocked.  He then directs his attention outward and shouts “No!  This isn’t fair!”  He returns his attention back at Sara, who is cowering on the floor and tucked away into a corner.  After staring at her for a long moment, Samael storms out of his apartment with his injured hand clutched against his chest.

 

Samael – Chapter Ten

Chapter 10

Samael leaves the room in a rage.  First, he is given an assignment that would take him away from the world that he knows and the woman that he loves.  This is followed by the fact that the love of his life is engaged in a relationship with another man, playing him for a fool.  Adding to the deception, they send him into Forbidden Lands to chase ghosts.  All of this is topped off by the fact that when he goes looking for justice, it is denied.  He has lost face.  Sara has been cheating on him with Michael for an unknown length of time and God refuses to act once hearing the news of this fact.  He has been embarrassed and he has been degraded.

From this anger, Samael strikes one of the columns located outside of the room as he passes by.  This strike leaves a large depression within the column.  It is several inches deep and a number of cracks and fissures form because of it.  Due to the force delivered from Samael’s strike, these cracks spread from the column itself into the surrounding masonry.

Those who were in the immediate vicinity when Samael struck the column when over to investigate.  Once they see the damage and realize that it is spreading, they realize that something needs to be done.  Some of them run off to get some help while those who remain try and figure out how to stop the damage from spreading.  Samael is unconcerned with the damage that he caused to the column as he heads off to his apartment.  But as he heads down the corridor, he holds and massages his hand as he goes.

 

Samael – Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

Out of all the rooms that exist within the Palace, this one is unique.  It stands at about thirty feet by thirty feet.  With some carefully placed lighting, it gives the illusion that the room is larger in size than it actually is.  The only place that isn’t lit is the ceiling, which is concealed in flickering shadow.  Due to how the ceiling is constructed, these shadows cause the observer to perceive the ceiling as to continue on indefinitely.

Decorating the walls are a number of tapestries, each one depicting a different event in Earth’s history that bares special significance to God or to God’s followers.  Some of the images that are depicted spread over to two or more of the tapestries.  In addition to the tapestries, there are several statues scattered throughout the room.  Some are constructed out of marble where as others are constructed out of ivory.  One or two of them are constructed out of bronze.  These statues depict God’s true prophets as well as other important figures of the faith.  Most of the prophets that are depicted have already come and gone, but a few of them are from the present with the remaining statues representing prophets yet to come.  These statues act as nothing more than a reminder of who the heroes are and how one should live their life.

Even through there are some flickering shadows located throughout the room, it is pretty well lit, despite the fact that there are no visible sources of light located anywhere within the room.  The light just exists wherever it needs to be and the primary energy they create is directed toward the center of the room.  Located at the center of the room is another pillar of mist.  It is similar in nature to that in the Hall of Tribulation, but is generally thicker and brighter than its counterpart.

The large double doors that lead into the room consist of solid oak and contain intricately carved designs of the Creation Event.  Laced into the designs are pieces of gold and platinum that enhance the carvings on the doors.  Hanging from the pillars and around the doors are long pieces of silk that are dyed varied shades of purple and pink.  The reason why this room is so well decorated is because of its importance.  Out of all the rooms located throughout the Palace, this one is where the inhabitants can go and talk directly to God.

But access to this room is not an essential right.  Only a select few are allowed to gain entry; and even then, they need approval before entry is granted.  And gaining approval is in itself not an easy task.  To secure that no unauthorized personnel gain entry to the room, two guards are posted outside of the room to ensure this.

Samael, however, doesn’t face any difficulty when he wants to gain entry to the room.  This is because Samael is one of the beings who have unrestricted access to the room.  Unless the room is currently being used by another, Samael is able to enter the room without question from the guards.  Since no one is currently in the room, he is able to enter without pause or hesitation.  The two guards that are positioned outside the room stand at attention when Samael approaches and enters the room.  They stay at attention until the doors close behind them.

Whenever a person enters or leaves the room, it isn’t required for them to ever touch the door.  This is due to the fact that the doors will open and close on their own accord.  And when the doors move, they do so without ever making a sound.  Once inside, Samael approaches the column of mist and kneels before it at a respectful distance.  Even though he is the greatest of all of God’s creations from the realm of Heaven, and is the closest to God in power, strength, and glory, Samael still subjugates himself before his Lord and Creator.

“My Lord,” Samael says, “I need to talk with you.”

“Rise my child,” replies the Voice of God.

Like that in the Hall of Tribulation, the pillar of mist brightens as the presence of God enters it.  But unlike the Hall of Tribulation, when the Voice of God speaks, it fills Samael’s ears as if God was right next to him instead of traversing a medium.  The Voice of God is also filled with kindness and love.  But yet, it also sounds distant, as if it is covering a great distance to reach Samael’s ears.  This is a strange dichotomy in which Samael finds both interesting and a bit creepy.  Though mortals assign a gender to God, Samael knows that such a concept is absurd when dealing with God.  This also applies to giving God any type of form or shape.  God is beyond the realm of human understanding and can’t be arbitrarily assigned a gender or form.  To Samael’s ears, the Voice of God comes across as androgynous and without shape.  Upon hearing God’s command, Samael rises to his feet.

“What do you have to say, my child?” asks the Voice of God.

“My Lord,” Samael says.  “I demand justice.”  Samael would have given more emphasis to this, but he desires to maintain a respectful tone when he is talking to God.

“What wrong has been committed that warrants you to make such a demand?”

“A violation of one of your Commandments, my Lord; thou shall not commit adultery.”

“And who do you charge in violation of my Commandment?”

“I charge two of my own kind; those known as the archangel Michael and the angel Sara.”

“You are making a bold claim Samael.  Have you thought this through and are not acting in haste?  Is this the course of action you want to take?”

“Yes, my Lord.  I stand by my claim and I want to see it through.”

“When I issued my Commandments, I gave them to my Followers, not my Servants.”

“My Lord, when you gave your Commandments to your Followers, it was because they kept defying your laws and ignoring your edicts.  You gave them your Commandments and carved them into stone so that they would have an anchor, a point of reference, to live by.  You didn’t have to do that with us because your Servants in Heaven followed your laws and decrees.  But that is irrelevant.  It is irrelevant because the principles that underlie your Commandments remain true, regardless if you are in Heaven or on Earth.”

“Have these angels committed any acts of fornication?”

“Not to my knowledge, my Lord.”

“Then on what ground does your charge stand upon?”

“Adultery isn’t just the engagement of fornication between two parties.  Adultery is when an intimate relationship is formed when one or both parties engage in a relationship while still engaged in a previous one.”

“And do you claim to be the injured party in this situation?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Have you taken this claim through the proper courts and channels?”

“No, my Lord.”

“Then why have you brought this issue before me?  Do you claim that you are superior to everyone else?”

“No!  I claim that you should stop giving preferential treatment to those who are in your favor and punish those who disobey your Commands!”

“No.  Your request is denied.”

“What!?  How can…”

“Silence!” The Voice of God proclaims this in a thunderous tone that resonates throughout the room.  It is loud enough for the guards posted outside of the door to hear it.  Samael cringes at this as he brings his hands up to cover his ears.  Due to the compression wave generated by the response, it causes Samael’s long blond hair to flutter and wave.  “How dare you question my judgement!?”

“Forgive me my Lord.  I meant no disrespect.  I just don’t understand why you will let this crime go unpunished.”

Samael gives a bow as he says this.  As he waits in the bowed position, he expects to receive a response from God, but none comes.  Samael looks up hesitantly.  “My Lord…?”

Continued silence from God.  The only response Samael receives is the opening of the chamber doors.  This infuriates Samael.  But what is he to do?  He has no choice but to leave.  He turns around and heads out of the room, the light from the mist darkening as he goes.

 

Samael – Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

When Samael finally returns to the Palace, it is fairly late in the day.  Due to the time he spent in Forbidden Lands, he is covered from head to toe in rust colored dust.  Though most of the dust is located upon his boots and pant legs, it coats the rest of his clothes as well as his face and hair.  As he travels down the corridor within the Palace, Samael does so with a purpose, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

He’s been played for a fool and he wants his retribution.  Though he doesn’t have a clear idea on who was responsible for this, he does have a few leads in which he wants to pursue.  But first things first; he heads off to Sara’s apartment to see if she’s there.  As he comes in sight of Sara’s apartment, he just so happens to cross paths with Gabriel, who is currently distracted by some papers that he has in his hands.  Since Gabriel is here, Samael figures that now would be a good time to ask him a few questions, the foremost being, where he got the note.

“Gabriel,” Samael says.  “I have a question for you.”

Looking up, Gabriel meets Samael’s eyes and doesn’t like what he sees.  They promise nothing but trouble.  “What’s wrong Samael?” Gabriel says concerned.

“I came across some information today that I found to be a bit disturbing.  It has to do with that note you gave me yesterday.  So I have to ask, where did you get that note?”

“I’m not following,” Gabriel says confused.

“Don’t play dumb with me Gabriel!  Someone had to give you that note and I want to know who that person is.”

Gabriel thinks for a second.  Then, with a look of confidence, he says “I’m not at liberty to tell you.  And besides, it shouldn’t matter who I received the note from.  Whoever sent you that note must have identified himself when you read it.”

After hearing this, Samael rushes forward in a fit of rage and grabs Gabriel by his neck and lifts him clear off the ground.  Once his arm is fully extended, Gabriel’s head is just inches away from the ceiling.

“Don’t play with be Gabriel,” Samael proclaims.  “I just got back from meeting the person who the note was allegedly from and she said that she had nothing to do with it.  Since I trust her, it must mean that someone else had to have sent that note.  So I’m going to ask you again, who gave you that note!?”

“Listen to me,” Gabriel manages to say through Samael’s grip as he squirms against the hold.  “You don’t want to do this.  You’re upset and you’re not thinking straight.  Take a few days off and rest.  Then you can proceed with this matter in a calm and collected manner.”

“No.  I’ve waited long enough and I want some answers, now!  What are you hiding from me?”

“What do you want me to say?” Gabriel says choking.

Realizing that he isn’t going to get any answers from Gabriel, Samael decides to get his answers elsewhere.  Looking off to one side, Samael looks upon the door that leads to Sara’s apartment.  He makes his way over to it, hauling Gabriel along with him as he does so.  He checks the door to see if it would open.  No luck; it’s locked.

As Samael deals with the door, Gabriel does what he can to get out of Samael’s grip, but without success.  As Gabriel tries to escape, Samael looks at his prisoner and decides that there is more than one way to open a locked door.  Whirling Gabriel around to gain some momentum, Samael throws his fellow angel into, and then through, the solid, hardwood door, causing it to splinter.  Once through the door, Gabriel lands hard on the floor and comes to a stop once he hits a dresser located on the far wall, smashing it.

With the doorframe now vacant of its wooden occupant, Samael is able to walk into the apartment unimpeded.  As Samael goes about looking for any evidence that Sara is home, Gabriel remains on the floor, showing very little evidence of consciousness.  When his search is completed, Samael finds no sign of Sara.

With his primary search coming up empty, Samael starts combing through the apartment, looking for something, anything, that might tell him where Sara is.  Though he doesn’t know exactly what he is looking for, Samael has a feeling that he’d know it when he finds it.  In his search, he eventually comes across a scrap of paper that is sitting upon a bedside table.  When he picks it up, an amulet is revealed.  Upon seeing this amulet, Samael becomes confused.   He knows who it belongs to, and it’s neither him nor Sara.  Turning the piece of paper over, Samael notices some writing, which reads:

“To my beloved.  Take care.”

Samael recognizes the handwriting and his anger becomes even deeper.  He crushes the note and makes his way over to Gabriel, grabbing the amulet as he does.  Gabriel has regained consciousness and has managed to make it to his knees when Samael grabs him once again and lifts him off the ground, using his clothing to lift him up this time.

“What do you know of this?” Samael demands.

“Ahh.  What are you referring to?” Gabriel replies while gasping for breath.

“Don’t play with me Gabriel!  Why have I found Michael’s amulet next to Sara’s bed?”

“Hmm.  I figure the answer to that question should be self-evident; as clear as the nose on your face.”

At that, Gabriel once again takes an unexpected flight at the hands of Samael.  When he lands, it is hard against the bureau, smashing virtually everything on it. Samael storms out of the room, looking for the archangel Michael.  The people who congregated at the door to watch what was going on inside make way for Samael as he passes.

It doesn’t take long for Samael to find his target.  Michael is in Orkney Palace and is located in one of the corridors, conversing with some other angels.  Michael is a tall figure with a well muscular physique.  He has the look of a well weathered warrior, something in which he has rightfully earned.  He is dressed in a plain white dress shirt which hangs loosely upon the arms and is tied to his chest with leather straps.  He is also wearing a leather kilt with emeralds embroidered at the bottom of each strap that make up the kilt.

As Samael comes around the corner, he is almost betrayed by the natural aura in which he possesses.  But fortunately for Samael, he manages to sneak up on Michael before Michael is able to react to his presence.  As Samael approaches, Michael notices a growing light from the corner of his eye and begins to turn to see what it is when Samael lands a punch right on Michael’s jaw.  The force of the blow causes Michael to drop down to one knee and causes him to place a hand on the ground as well for balance.

If Michael wasn’t as powerful as he is, then the blow he received would have knocked him out.  But because of who he is, Michael is only left stunned.  What really got him was the shock on being hit.  As Michael holds his jaw as he crouches on the ground, Samael manages to land another strike, this time a kick to the ribs.  As Michael rolls about upon the ground, Samael gets ready for another strike.

But before he can, a number of angels grab Samael as well as get between him and Michael to prevent him from landing another strike.  This is in itself a Herculean task, but they manage to hold him back, but just barely.  There are also several angels on Michael to prevent him from landing any blows of his own on Samael once he regains his footing.  Luckily for them, when Michael does regain his feet, he isn’t as hard to detain.  He is also more agitated then anything else.

Pushing against the angels, Michael says, with a clear bruise developing on his jaw, “Is that all that you got Samael?  I would have expected more from you, God’s most beloved angel.”

“Brave words coming from the likes of you Michael.  Your mouth wouldn’t be so smart when I am through with it.”

“And what exactly do you have planned for me, oh great one?”

“I plan on teaching a traitor a lesson.”

“Me, a traitor?  That is pretty pompous, even for you.”

“I’d rather be pompous then a snake in the grass.”

After hearing that, Michael receives a burst of energy and tries to get Samael, but the other angels manage to restrain him.  The same thing applies to Samael, but it requires even more angels to restrain him.  If this continues to go on as it is, weapons are going to be drawn and blood will be spilled.  But before that occurs, something catches Samael’s eye.

It is Sara.  She must have been nearby when the confrontation first broke out, for her body language indicates that she has been there for awhile.  She is standing near the front of the crowd, but it wasn’t until now that Samael noticed her.  When Samael notices her, he looks in her directly.  When he does, he notices that she averts her gaze.  It is clear whose side she is on.

When this realization hits, it takes the wind out of Samael’s sails.  He eases his pressure against the angels holding him back as a look of shock comes over his face.  The truth of the matter just came home in a hard way.  He had his doubts, but seeing her now, the love of his life, side with another, erases all such doubts.  He no longer has a desire to stay, but before he goes, Samael takes out the amulet he found in Sara’s apartment and throws it at Michael’s feet.

“Don’t think that we’re through here,” Samael says.  “We still have some business to attend to.”  Turning, Samael walks away.

 

Samael – Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

As Samael leaves the cave and heads into the light, he can’t help but shield his eyes.  Even though Forbidden Lands is dark and bleak, it is still brighter than the pitch blackness of the cave.  But Samael’s eyes adjust quickly, taking only a second or two to adjust.  With the time he spent in the catacomb, Forbidden Lands has become somewhat brighter as the day gets older.

Once his eyes have adjusted to the light, Samael curses the dust that hangs in the air for it gets into his eyes.  Once this irritation has been taken care of, he spreads his black-feathered wings and takes to the air.  Once in the air, he heads in the direction in which he came, back to Orkney Palace and out of Forbidden Lands.

But once he has taken flight, Samael’s eyes are once again drawn to the solitary figure that is lost within Forbidden Lands.  This figure hasn’t made much progress across the landscape during Samael’s absence.  To underscore this point, there is a patch of dust that indicates that the figure fell down and then either sat or laid their for a period of time.  Even though he needs to return to the Palace and take care of some business, Samael decides that he will stop and talk with this figure among the dust and ruins of Forbidden Lands.  He descends quickly and lands hard, kicking up a plume of dust that covers his boots and thighs.  He lands several feet in front of the figure, scaring him badly.

Addressing the figure in a strong but not unkind voice, Samael says, “What are you doing out here, human?”

“Please—please, let me be,” the human says in a scared and almost whinny tone.  “I don’t want any trouble. Please, don’t hurt me.”

“I will not leave you alone because you don’t belong here.  So I ask you again, what are you doing here in Forbidden Lands?”

When Samael asks the human his question, he approaches in an overtly aggressive manner.  As he does this, the human moves backwards in an attempt to retreat.  As a result, his foot catches the edge of a rock, causing him to trip.  He lands hard on his ass, becoming completely covered with dust.  He then scurries back a bit before coming to a stop.  The human has also cut himself when he tripped over the rock.

“I’m just passing through,” he says.  “Please, let me do so in peace.”

As the human gives his response, Samael closes the distance between the two.  As he approaches, Samael notices something about the human that looks familiar; as if he has seen him somewhere before.  As he studies the human’s face, the human says in a whimpering voice, “Please.  Please don’t hurt me.”  He even raises a hand over his face in a defensive manner as he says this.

As Samael looks down upon the frightened figure, the mark that exists upon his forehead screams to be identified.  The mark spans the width of his forehead and makes its way into the hairline as well as the eyebrows.  It is reddish-gold in color and looks as if it is a shadow impression of a forking bolt of lightning.

“Caine?” Samael asks.

“Who are you and what do you want?” Caine responds.  “I have nothing.  I have nothing.”  This last part he says while crying.

“I’m not here to hurt you Caine.  Relax.”  Samael takes a step or two closer as he says this.

“Stay away!” Caine says as he crawls back to his feet.  He begins to run but he trips over another rock, landing flat on his face and once again covering himself in dust.

Unimpressed with what he sees, Samael speaks in a commanding and booming voice that has an echo when he speaks.  “Mortal!  Rise to your feet and stop your groveling!”

As Samael says this, he extends all four of his wings and releases his inner light upon Caine.  Though he relies primarily upon the environment’s light to create his aura, Samael has the capability to generate his own light when the situation calls for it.

As he has been instructed, the broken man known as Caine raises to his feet and turns to face the angel, though his head hangs over his shoulders.  He has stopped his groveling, but his lips continue to tremble.  Once Caine has complied with his demand, Samael folds up his wings and tucks them within his garments.  He also allows his aura to return to its natural, environmental dependent glow.

“Caine, it’s not my intention to hurt you,” Samael says in a friendly voice.  “I just want to talk to you as a friend, as a companion.  Let me help you.”

“You can’t help me.” Caine says as tears stream down his face.  “No one can help me.  I just want my brother back!”

“I know Caine, and I am sorry for what happened to you and your brother.  You didn’t understand the consequences of your actions.  You were just a child.”

“My parents hated me.  My siblings hated me.  Everyone turned against me after what I did.”

“I know Caine.  I was observing it as it occurred.”

“Then why didn’t you do anything?!  Why didn’t you come and stop me?”  Fresh tears come poring out of Caine’s eyes as he reaches down to pickup a rock.

He then throws it at Samael, who catches it easily and then discards it.  Caine reaches down a throws some more rocks at Samael who disposes of them as easily as the first one.  Caine would have thrown more, but the environment ran out of projectiles before he was able to wear himself out.  Once out of projectiles, Caine runs up to the angel, fully intending to strike him, not caring that he is clearly outmatched.  But before a punch is able to land, Samael catches both of Caine’s arms.

“Get a hold of yourself Caine before you do something that we’ll both regret,” Samael says, looking into his eyes.

“Regret?  I’ve been living in regret ever since I killed Abel.  What else can I do to make my life worse?”  At this, Caine relaxes his arms and drops to his knees.  He then leans forward, hugging himself as he does so.

“I understand that you are hurting.  But you have to understand that what you did was beyond your control.”

“No.  It was.  It was under my control.  I should have known better.”

“You had no concept of what you were doing.  No one had died before, let alone murdered.  ‘Knowing better’ implies that you had a point of reference to compare your actions to.  You had no such reference point.  Caine.  You were setup and God is responsible.  God needed someone to set a precedent and he decided that you were the one to do so.  It just so happened that it was your brother Abel who had to pay for it.”

“No.  I don’t want to hear this.  I don’t want to hear this.”  Caine rocks back and forth on his knees as he says this.

“But you will.  You will hear me and you will hear me well.  It was your first offering.  You didn’t understand how it was to be performed.  No one told you what needed to be done, so you had no idea on how you were to proceed.  In addition to this, no one explained to you why your offering was rejected whereas Abel’s offering was accepted.  Abel was rewarded whereas you were punished.  It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t hard to understand why you got upset.  If anyone is to blame for Abel’s death, it should be God, not you.”

“Then how come it hurts so much.”

“Because he was your brother and you miss him.  You didn’t want to hurt him and it tore at your heart to realize what you did to him after it was too late.”

“Leave me alone.”

“If you take anything away from this, remember what I tell you now.  What you did was something that was beyond your understanding until it was too late to take it back.  You are being punished because no one took the time to properly teach you.”  For a moment, Samael pauses, hoping that what he just said will sink in.  “It wasn’t your fault, Caine.  There are people who still care about you.  In fact, there is someone here in Forbidden Lands who cares.  She is in the cave near the highest peak of the mountain range behind me.  I suggest that you go see her.”

Though Samael doubts Caine will go see Lilith, it was worth a shot.  And besides, humanity has surprised him before.

 

Samael – Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Morning has come and Samael has left Orkney Palace to take care of his errand.  He has left the bright realm of Heaven and now finds himself within the realm known as Forbidden Lands.  Forbidden Lands is the territory located to the north of Sagun and is a dark and decollate place where there is little to no sign of life and has a deep sulfur smell that hangs in the air.  It is totally absent of water and the only thing it has in abundance is suffering.  Screams and howls of pain are the only things that can be heard, but these sounds are just a light echo of the true horror they possess.

Though the morning is fresh and the day is young, there is no evidence of that here.  Within Forbidden Lands, the day is always bleak and the sunlight is always dull and shallow.  The landscape itself is not much better.  It consists of nothing more than rock and dust, consisting primarily of a dark rust color, accented with muted grays and blacks.  There is even a freak tree or bush that will occasionally dot the landscape.  But they are few and far between.  Whatever plant life that does exist is itself barren and desolate.  They possess a look that is either of a sick or dying creature reaching up to the sky for salvation.

Samael soars above all of this with black-feathered wings splayed, and the primary set tucked against his body and under his shirt.  Though Forbidden Lands is dark and bleak, Samael still manages to imamate an aura of light, which is itself muted like all other light within this realm.

As Samael makes his way across the sky, there is some activity on the ground that catches his eye.  It is a solitary figure that has become scrawny through hunger and is staggering about due to exhaustion and fatigue.  On occasion, the figure will give out a solitary scream of pain, though it doesn’t appear physically hurt.  As he passes by, Samael makes a mental note of this.  It might be something worth investigating once he is done with the task at hand.

As Samael proceeds across Forbidden Lands, a huge mountain range makes its presence known within his vision.  They are as dark as obsidian with patches of gray and appear to absorb whatever light the landscape allows to exist.  The peaks are jagged and resemble that of teeth that belong to a horrid beast.  As he approaches the mountains, an outline of a cave makes itself apparent.  Though it is hard to spot, one can be able to find it if they know where to look.

The cave entrance is located upon one of the mountains high peaks and there is no visible path that leads to it.  Without a path, the features of the mountain would make foot travel to the cave nearly impossible.  The rock face itself is steep and it would be hard to gain traction when climbing.  But yet, someone has been able to climb the rocks and gain entry to this isolated cave.  The mountain features also give the mouth of the cave an ominous appearance, as if it belongs to a demon, hungry for the flesh of anything that is foolish enough to wonder to close in its travels.

Without hesitation, Samael approaches the cave mouth and lands right in front of it.  Upon landing, he kicks up whatever dirt and dust that is present into a little cloud that hovers around his feet.  With momentum from his flight, Samael enters the cave.  This allows him to have one continuous movement once he hits the ground.  Unseen and unnoticed by Samael is a screeching owl who sits next to the cave’s entrance.  It is un-frightened by the passing angel and doesn’t move from its location.  Do to its coloring, it manages to blend in quite well with its surroundings.

The cave network contains of a vast number of expansive tunnels and a significant number of alcoves and the humidity becomes increasingly palpable the deeper one goes.  It would be easy for someone to become lost here.  But despite this fact, Samael knows exactly where he is going.  Without the aid of a torch or a map, he is able to navigate his way through the catacombs as easily as he would through the corridors at Orkney.  He even appears to be oblivious to the increasing temperature that exerts itself within the cave as he goes deeper and deeper inside.

After about an hour and twenty minutes into his trip into the cave, Samael finds what he is looking for.  In one of the alcoves, he finds a series of candles that encircles the alcove floor as well as lining the walls, all of them lit and casting shadows that dance throughout the room.  The candles are also scented, making the humidity not so intolerable.  He sees that the walls are also painted and there is a pictogram located in the center of the alcove, though it is partially obscured by some bedding that sits there.  Scanning the alcove, he sees an open basket sitting against the far wall filled with an assortment of fruit, one from each of the fruit bearing trees.

Also located against the far wall is a lone figure sitting on the ground.  The figure appears to be naked and is slowing scratching the wall.  She appears to be covered in dirt and her once long flowing hair has become matted.  Without seeing her face, Samael knows that she was once beautiful; a beauty so great, it was once compared to that of the angels.

Though he didn’t make a sound, the woman on the floor knows that Samael has arrived.  The woman turns her head and looks at him over her shoulder.  When Samael sees her face, it is hard to miss that the once beautiful face has been eroded by time and malevolent forces.  A human face that was once designed by the Divine hand has become one that disserves to be pitied.

This woman is Lilith, the wife of Adam before he had Eve.  Even though she was a human at her creation, she has become, over time, what many people may consider to be a demon.  But this is not true, as Samael clearly knows.  Though she is no longer human, he doesn’t think that Lilith has become a demon.  But whatever has happened to her, it has allowed Lilith to have a life that boarders upon immortality.

Though millennia have past, Lilith still manages to remain a powerful woman, both in mind and in spirit.  And it is because of this that scared Adam in the first place.  In reacting to this, he first tried to subjugate her to his will.  But after this failed, he then banished her from his life.  To add insult to injury, God banished Lilith as well, removing her from the Garden of Eden, all at Adam’s request.

From her banishment and abandonment, Lilith became overwhelmed with vengeance and anger.  And it is from this anger that caused her to put a curse upon the heads of Adam and Eve.  This curse comes in the form of a parent’s worst nightmare; it caused their descendents to die in infancy.  This curse also affects all of Adam’s and Eve’s descendents who make it to adulthood.  In addition to this, it was Lilith who sent the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve in the Garden so that they would eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.

The serpent in which Lilith sent was similar in nature to that of a land based dragon.  It went about crawling on all fours with massive shoulders and a long, powerful tail.  As it made its path through the Garden, it went looking for Eve.  Fortunately for the serpent, it found it’s pray as she went strolling past the Tree of Knowledge.  Eve, though she was still unaware of the difference between good and evil, became scared when she saw the serpent approach.  The serpent was a large and intimidating beast, so Eve had the right to be scared.  This is due to the fact that fear and intimidation work independently from the knowledge of good and evil.  Fear is a basic instinct and intimidation plays off of this fear.

When the serpent came within several feet of Eve, it stopped and spoke to her. “Eve,” it says.  “Be not afraid for I am a friend and I wish to help you.”

“But I am afraid,” Eve replies.  “You are intimidating to look upon and you make me feel uneasy.”

If the serpent was able to smile, it would have done so.  “I understand your concern, but I assure you, I pose no threat to your health or to your well being.”

Because Eve was naïve and lacked any form of wisdom or knowledge, just like her husband Adam, she believed what the serpent said and trusted it.

“Eve,” the serpent continued.  “I have a question for you.  What tree are you standing next to?”

“This is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The Lord our God said that I may not eat of it.”

“But didn’t the Lord say that you are allowed to eat the fruit from any tree found in the Garden?”

“Yes, I am allowed to eat the fruit from any tree found in the Garden, but the Lord instructed me and Adam not to eat the fruit that hangs from the tree at the center of the Garden, or else we will die.  And this is the tree found in the center of the Garden.”

“My dear.  I assure you that you will not die if you eat the fruit that hangs from that tree.  Nothing will occur even if you touch it.  God knows that when you eat that fruit, your eyes will become open and aware.  You will also become like God, knowing the difference that exists between what is right and what is wrong.  So, my dear, eat up.”

Eve looked back at the fruit that was hanging from the tree, still hesitating.  She then looked back at the serpent.  Seeing her hesitation, the serpent lowered its head, made a deep throated hiss, and made a threatening forward gesture.  Scared, Eve scampered backward and took a piece of fruit that hung from the tree.  The serpent than made a gesture with its head, indicating that she should eat.

Hesitantly, Eve sank her teeth into it.  As she did this, Adam came out of a small grove of trees not to far from the Garden’s center.  Seeing that she was eating the fruit, Adam started to run in her direction in order to stop Eve from eating.  He also started to yell at her not to do it.  But it was too late.  And even if it wasn’t, the serpent would have made sure that she ate the fruit before Adam arrived.

Upon his arrival, Adam asked, “Why did you do that?  You know that God had forbidden us to eat that fruit.”

Ignoring Adam’s question, Eve said, “These are delicious.  You should try one.”

Adam stammered as Eve plucked another piece of fruit off of the tree and offered it to Adam.  At first, he declined because he didn’t want to break God’s commandment.  But at Eve’s persistence, as light as it was, he gave in and ate.

As she was eating the fruit, Eve enjoyed the taste and fragrance that it provided.  When Eve eventually finished her piece of fruit, she still was able to enjoy the after taste it provided.  But eventually, as she was enjoying the ghost of the now devoured fruit, a strange feeling overcame her.  This feeling was caused by the fact that she had gained the wisdom and knowledge that was, until then, only found with God.  She then realized that what she did was wrong.  She defied God and she was going to have to suffer the consequences.  This realization eventually overcame Adam as well.  Upon the realization of both Adam and Eve, a light from Heaven descended upon them and they knew that the world in which they knew will no longer be theirs to enjoy.  It is because of this action that caused Lilith to become what she is today; a lowly creature in which Samael is currently laying his eyes upon.

“Hello Samael,” Lilith says.  “It’s been ages since we last met.  I was beginning to wonder if you have forgotten about me.”

“I would never be able to forget a woman like you Lilith,” Samael replies.  “A strong willed woman is one to marvel.  It’s not often seen.   How you were able to stand up to Adam and demand that you be treated equally is not something that is easily forgotten.”

“Thank you for your complement.  It is appreciated.  I noticed that you have come unarmed, Samael.  Why did you do so?”

“You underestimate me and my power.  Though I am not carrying a weapon, it doesn’t mean that I am unarmed.”

“Intriguing.  Now I wonder, why have you come here after such a long absence?”

“I received your message.  It said that it was urgent and that it couldn’t wait.”

“You say that I sent you a message.  If I did, than how did I do so without paper or any possible writing utensil?”

“You are a resourceful woman.  I’m sure you found a way to get your hands on some parchment and a pen.”

“For all of your might and majesty, there is still the possibility for you to be fooled.”

“What are you getting at?”

“What I am saying is that someone played a trick on you for I never sent you a message.”

A look of confusion comes over Samael’s face.  For a moment, he doesn’t understand what is going on.  He thinks about it for a moment and then a look of anger comes over his face as comprehension dawns.

“It appears that you realize who played that trick on you,” Lilith says.

“I have my suspicions, yes,” Samael replies.

“It must be pretty strong suspicions if anger has overcome you as it has.”

“I have a pretty good idea on who is behind this.”

“There appears to be a greater level of dissention in Heaven than I once believed.  Maybe you and I have more in common than either of us realize.”

“That dissention is very possible.  There is too much going on however, to really determine one way or the other.  And with our common threads, it’s probably one of those situations where the answer may never be known.”

“Whatever the answer, I suggest that you take care of yourself and to watch your back.  There is the possibility that the person you entrust to protect it will be the one who will land the deadly blow.”

“Are you saying that Sara is going to turn her back on me?”

“I speak from experience, and with love, there is always that possibility; and I wasn’t necessarily referring to her when I made that statement.”

“Are you saying that it will be God who betrays me?”

“How do we know that such a thing hasn’t already occurred?”

That strikes a nerve with Samael.  With that letter he received regarding his new assignment, how does he know that it won’t include God abandoning him as well?  As he thinks about it, Samael finds it to be absurd.  But yet, a grain of doubt remains just below his consciousness.

“I need to go Lilith,” Samael says.  “There are some things I need to take care of back at the palace.”

“Take care Samael.  But I have one last question before you go.  Why did you come?”

“I believed that you needed me; that you needed some help.”

“You derived all of that from a simple note?”

Samael walks up to Lilith and squats right in front of her, taking one of her hands as he does so.

“Just because your husband stopped loving you doesn’t mean that everyone else has as well.  Believe me, there are still those in existence who care about you.”

After saying this, Samael kisses Lilith’s hand.  He then grabs the only piece of fruit in the basket that failed to spoil and holds it in his hand.

Samael then says, “For knowledge and love.”

With that, he eats the piece of fruit.  Samael then kisses Lilith one more time, but on the forehead instead.  As Samael turns and heads out of the alcove, a single solitary tear rolls down the dirt incrusted cheek of Lilith.

 

Samael – Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The day is late and the night has set upon the land.  Samael has returned to his apartment and is staring out the window.  Because of his status, Samael’s apartment is located high up in the palace, allowing him to have a spectacular view of the surrounding landscape.  He is looking upon the lake as it reflects the twinkling starlight and the three-quarters moon, making it a beautiful sight.

After he had his conversation with Harahel, Samael went looking for Sara.  Though he looked throughout the palace, he wasn’t able to find her.  In addition to this, he is yet to receive any word from her, despite the fact that he was trying to reach her.  All of this disheartens Samael.  He has been denied the chance to talk with her, at least for now.

Hopefully, he’ll have better luck when the sun rises tomorrow.  But there are other things that need to be taken care of before he is able to look for her.  This obligation has to do with the note he received from Gabriel.  After reading it, Samael understands that he needs to go and see its author.

It’s too late for Samael to leave tonight, even though he is able to handle himself in Forbidden Lands at night.  But why should he put himself in needless danger if he doesn’t need to?  So Samael decides to go during the day.  He also doesn’t look forward to taking care of it, for it will eat into valuable time that he could otherwise be using to find Sara.

However, Samael needs to take care of the note he received from Gabriel and the issue it addresses.  He’s been meaning to see the note’s author for awhile now anyway, but he has never had the time to get around and actually do it.  He’s either been busy with other issues or preoccupied with other assignments, preventing him from getting out and seeing her.  But because he received the note from her, Samael knows that he can no longer postpone the trip.

He decides that the best time for him to take care of the situation is in the morning.  He sees little point in taking care of it later in the day because there are distractions.  Once he finishes looking at the lake, Samael heads to his bed and turns in for the night.