HEAVEN'S BEAUTY

"Swing with precision".  A calm voice rang in the ears of Michael. He mirrored the command he received from his instructor, clanging his sword against his opponent's meticulously. His instructor's lip was graced with a small smile and he gave a nod, a form of approval.

Michael's heart danced happily. His confidence so high, it reflected on his broad shoulders. His opponent having noticed how Michael's shoulders rose, the way he balanced himself on the ground, and how he swung his sword repeatedly on the air lost his footing in fear and aimlessly grabbed the air for support. Michael forgetting he was in a duel, immediately reached for his companion before his back kissed the ground. For a few seconds, he was pleased with himself until he heard a low growl of disapproval from behind him. He had made a mistake.

"So that, I suppose, is how you plan to save your enemy when you have been given a clear advantage over him". Michael's calm instructor spoke again. The latter gave a slight bow before staring up to a pair of golden irises.

"I would not hesitate to strike my enemy down on the battlefield but this one behind me is not my enemy". Michael replied. "Besides, this is only for the tournament isn't it?" The spirit he spoke to smiled and crossed his arms. He lowered his gaze to the floor before setting them on Michael again.

"I fear that if you cannot strike now, you would not be able to when it is needed the most". He responded.

Michael spoke no more, only beholding the beauty of the spirit before him. His instructor was quite striking; his beauty could not be compared to any other in heaven. His hair, white as wool, tumbled in a cascade down his back, his golden eyes sparkled as heaven's light shone on it. His skin, clear like unto sparkling water also shone exquisitely, his white robe held in place by a golden girdle, flowed down to his foot and slightly brushed the ground.

It was not something to be argued over; none could be compared to Lucifer in the whole heavens.

"I take it you did not listen to a word I said". Lucifer spoke, pulling Michael out of his trance. In sheer embarrassment, he faced the ground earning a laugh from Lucifer. The latter moved towards Michael and placed a hand on his shoulder. He reacted with a small smile on his lips and a shiver. Lucifer had that effect on every one he touched.

"Next time, when I come to watch you train, I do not want to see you hesitate in finishing off your opponent. Understood?" Michael nodded frantically and bowed slightly once again.

"I will not disappoint you". He said. Lucifer tapped him and smiled.

"I know", he paused and stared at a distant light that shone at the top of the heavens. "You were after all created by a perfect deity".

There was calm between them after his statement, the words pulled them into their own thoughts. After a while, Lucifer released his hand from Michael and with a small smile, he spread his large wings and flew away not waiting for Michael to bid him farewell.

Up in the air, he flew with grace, earning stares of admiration and bows from the angels that went past him. His response as always was a soft smile and a gracious nod. To the angels, it was enough.

The heavens were littered with more angels than on a normal day, the tournament was fast approaching and the celestial beings busied themselves with training and organizing. Lucifer was equally busy for he was the one in charge with the events of that day. It was a very important moment for all angels as this was the day the angels had a chance to be promoted to new ranks and new angels would be created and added to the already existing ones.

The tournament however, was not the only thing Lucifer busied himself with. To every angel who stared at him, he was the anointed cherub, son of the morning, God's special angel, the most perfect celestial being that has ever been created. But in truth, he was an enemy.  He had been harboring resentment for the spirit who created him; he was tired of being God's second in command, tired of receiving orders from him. He did not want to receive orders, he wanted to give it. He wanted to be God.

And he had already begun to make plans to have his heart's desire. The first part was to be executed very soon, if the angel he had placed in charge of it did her job well. He knew of her unwavering loyalty but he could not bring himself to trust her. He trusted no one but himself. Lucifer stopped flying and hung on the air, his large frame cast a shadow over a part of the heavens distracting the angels that stayed on the ground, and he did not care.

Heaven's beauty made his heart flutter. As one would fly into the celestial clouds, a large golden city would greet their eyes. The city shone with a great light that reflected from God's temple farther away from the structure. There was a great wall that rounded the city and it had twelve entry gates, three of each were scattered into four coordinates. The building of the wall was covered in jasper and its foundations were adorned with precious stones: jasper, sapphire, topaz, emerald and beryl.  The twelve gates were likewise designed with these stones and the floors were covered in pure gold and transparent like glass. Inside the city was another glorious view. Many golden mansions that housed the angels circled themselves and a beautiful fountain with clear sparkling water sat in its middle. Around the city, scattered in four different corners were golden temples, each built in the same structure, two other large buildings each stood at the middle of two of the temples that scattered. One were the affairs of heaven where discussed by high ranked angels and the other was where the tournament would take place. And finally, above these structures sat another golden temple where the maker communed with Lucifer for he was the only one that was allowed in that temple as well as four seraphs that surrounded his throne. From Lucifer's position, the temple was like a speck of light hanging in the air like a star.  The cherub closed his eyes, and listened to the melodious voices that came from the temple, the pleasant sound brought shivers to his body and he clenched his fists. He wanted to be in control of heaven so badly; he wanted all of it's beauty to be his.

As he watched, a figure from one of the mansions in the city waved at him. He turned his eyes to its direction and it widened when he spotted a female angel smiling up at him. He narrowed his eye at her and she stopped smiling, then she signaled him to follow her with her hands and she walked into one of the biggest mansions in the city. Lucifer smiled afterwards, she had done what he wanted her to do after all. He then flew fast to the mansion the angel disappeared to; soon his little plan would lead to a whole revolution.