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.Beelzebub looked up at Michael, who was holding his arm andmoaning."Thou dost see," he said, "that thy sword is not faster than my teeth."Gabriel appeared, holding a sword over Beelzebub's breast.But he wasstopped by a form in black that struck him from behind and sent himsprawling.Mephistopheles, without stopping, picked up the fallen sword and held it atMichael's breast.All was still then, for a moment.Mephistopheles coughed."I'd really hateto have to hurt the poor fellow," he said.Yaweh nodded."Take them past the lines and cast them into the void.Letthem fend for themselves." He spoke then to Mephistopheles."Will thatdo?""Quite," said the other.Satan and Beelzebub were raised up and brought to the brink of the line ofangels.Satan twisted around and looked at Yaweh."I think you'll be hearing fromme again," he said.Yaweh nodded, but didn't speak.They threw Satan over, and Beelzebub after him.Then Mephistophelesforced Michael to his feet and the two of them went to the brink together."If you plan to take me with you," said Michael in as strong a voice as hecould manage, "I don't think you'll like the results.""Don't worry about it," said Mephistopheles."Wherever we're going, Iwouldn't pollute the place with you."He looked directly at Yaweh."It's been swell," he remarked.Then he threw Michael to the ground, saluted them with his blade, andleapt into the abyss.EpilogueWhom reason hath equalled force hath made supreme Milton, Paradise Lost, 1:248"We cannot stay here," says the one."You are correct," says another."The walls we have built are flimsythings.""Do you think we should try to regain Heaven?" asks a third.The fourth one snorts, but makes no other answer.""Well then," says the third, "what about this place they are building?""What about it?" asks the first."It will be filled with angels created during its building, will it not? Whycouldn't we hide there?""This would work," says the second, "until we are discovered.But there arestill more of them than there are of us.They would destroy us.""Let us think about it," says the third."They seem secure there, Lord Yaweh.""Who?""Satan and his angels.They have built themselves a Heaven of their own.""Oh.Does this bother you, Michael?""Some.""Don't let it.We will be leaving here soon, anyway.Leave them to theirWaves, their agonies.""They won't be content, Yaweh.They'll want what we've built.I know it.""If only Yeshuah were here ""Yaweh.?"Yes?""Well.we could, I don't know if you're going to like this, but, well, weaaTTnnssFFffooDDrrPPmmYYeeYYrrBB22.BBAAClick here to buyClick here to buywwmmwwoowwcc.AAYYBBYYBBr rcould create him again.""I know.""Well?""I couldn't take it, Michael.Seeing him again, I 1 don't know.Hewouldn't really be the same.Maybe someday."In six days, the Earth was formed.And the stars, and the planets, and thepeoples who dwelt on them.Millions of angels were created during the building.Some were ruined,and took the form of lower beings.The others were the weakest yet amongthe angels, and few, if any, could control their illiaster.Yet, in that world, there was little need for it."What is that?" said one."Beats me," said another.Yet another said, "Runs pretty well.""Yeah," another added."There sure are lots of 'em.""The angels who live there will be able to ride them, I think," the firstremarked."No! Really?""Why not? They'd get around faster, that way."The third one put in, "But they won't be able to live everywhere just in afew places." "Why is that?" asked the fourth."Because what they eat won't grow everywhere.""For instance, where?" said the first, who was becoming fond of thethings."Well, that place with all the sand and no water.""I bet I could build something like it that would work there.""How?""I'll make it able to eat things that grow there."The third snorted."Sure.But what about water? They need water too,idiot.""And," the fourth put in, "their feet aren't really designed for runningover sand anyway.""Well," said the second, "why don't we work on it?"For Satan, life was "if only."He remembered deciding not to visit Yaweh.If only.And how Lucifer andLilith and Asmodai and Michael had urged him to oppose the Plan openly,if he was going to oppose it.If only.And of the first battle, where he hadrefused to prepare the hosts for a fight.If only.And so on, and on.Well, he decided, that wouldn't happen again.He was probably going to beleader of the angels who had fallen from Heaven, whether he wanted to ornot.This time he would be a leader, for good or for ill.He looked at the newly formed globe and nodded.Yes, his people would besafe there.But, of course, they had been right: Yaweh would not allow thempeaceful access to that place.So, by that reasoning, why should Satan allow them peaceful access to iteither? The new angels who lived there wouldn't know Satan from Yaweh.They would just as soon harbor one as the other.Yaweh, of course, wouldwant them to reject Satan why shouldn't Satan be equally polite?He nodded to himself.Another war, that's what it would be.This time,the battlefield would be the minds of the weak, new angels.Yaweh, of course, would lie, and his minions would scheme Satanwould rely on the truth.Yaweh would want to be worshiped.Satan wouldbe content with being accepted [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]