It was inconceivable, the mere notion for an Angel of the Lord to oppose him...
Was against everything they were, betraying the purpose they existed for.
Yet, that is exactly what Lucifer was determined to do.
Feeling he had been betrayed by God fractured his faith in him and through said fractures, the light in him became twisted.
He came to believe himself to not only be God's most perfect creation, but the one to succeed him; surpass his flawed creator and become the true sovereign Lord.
But to do so would mean opposing the heavenly host as well.
Lucifer was most powerful of all Angels but he knew better than this; he had been the one who trained most of them, so he knew all too well how powerful they were.
And taking on God would require every ounce of power that could be spared, and wasting it on the host would be foolish.
More than that, he was attempting to overthrow God for casting his firstborn aside so by rebelling he would have to fight and even end many of his brothers and sisters existence...
So it had to be swift, clean and precise.
Take Gods place before the host will fully respond.
He'd need an army of his own to do it, but turning others to his cause...
How was that to be done?
That was a conundrum Lucifer spent untold amount of time resolving, while being careful not to let his true intentions show.
Then little by little Lucifer would observe his brethern, listen the ongoing discussions, debates and even arguments about humanity, their new duty God had announced, etc.
At times he too would join in on them, carefully choosing his words and planting the seeds of doubt within them.
It took arduous effort but with God still busy working on humanity Lucifer had an ever so small leeway to maneuver.
Until finally the first of those seeds took root;
Simikiel, his fellow Seraphim came to him in private and not long after became the first to join Lucifers rebellion.
How ironic that Angel of vengeance would be one to turn that vengeance against the very creator who gave him that name.
And so it went on, with more and more joining their cause preparing for the day they would retake their dignity and place back from God.
Lucifer had hoped to recruit Michael as well to fight by his side; he had seen the doubts and conflicting loyalties growing in him, yet the seeds had not taken root.
Just a little more time and he could have used Michaels respect and idolization of his eldest brother to fully convert him...
But before this could be accomplished, God was finishing the creation of humanity and Lucifer knew the instant fathers attention returned back to heaven his plans would be exposed;
As much as he hated God with all his being, there is nothing that can be hidden or escape his notice in all of creation.
The rebellion had to happen now for it to succeed.
Lucifer, while still fond of his little brother and not wanting to hurt him, would not let it hinder what had to be done.
On that day, the rebellion began.
Heaven was split, its Angels fractured.
And existence would never know peace again.
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The host was thrown into chaos. No one knew what was happening; Seraphim suddenly seized several key positions and amongst castes from lowest to highest brothers and sisters turned against each other.
Several squad leaders, company commanders and other important Angels of the host were ambushed or assassinated to keep any form of order and responses trapped in chaos.
In this pandemonium some of Lucifers rebelling Angels even attempted to end Michael; it was no secret their Supreme Commander was fond of the little Archangel, so whether it was them trying to eliminate that distraction or simply acting out of petty jealousy, it ended in failure.
Even while confused and unsure what was going on, Michael struck his assailants down; frightening them how easily he did it even with everything that should have been distracting him.
They had mistakenly believed Michael to really be just a "little runt" who was helpless without Lucifer.
And now he was towering over their beaten forms demanding answers.
After getting them he could not believe it.
Lucifer, had... rebelled against God? Their Lord and father?
Surely, this was a mistake...?
It couldn't be true.
The Supreme commander, Gods favorite and hero of light, had turned on them...?
All this chaos, this senseless loss of their siblings;
It was his eldest brothers doing?
No, why? Why would he do this?!
And then Gods voice was heard throughout heaven.
"Lucifer, the Light Bringer has betrayed the light.
He is to be struck down as a traitor, and his cohorts as well.
Your Lord commands this and it will be done."
For Michael this felt as if the very core of his being was shaken.
He was an Angel of the Lord and his commands must be carried out,
Yet Lucifer was his eldest brother whom he loved and respected the most.
Being torn by this Michael took flight, seeing Heaven burning and his siblings fighting in every corner of it.
Their lights extinguished one by one...
Madness.
He was attacked again and again as well, each time seeing a face he had known looking at him with such contempt, even hatred.
But behind all of it was something else...
Devotion.
Like they had found someone else other than the Lord to devote their existence for.
Now to them Michael and others still loyal to God, were nothing but an "enemy" to the one they served now.
He had to find his brother.
That's all he knew for certain now.
But what about when he did?
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Lucifer and his strongest cohorts were fighting their way past the garrison guarding the way to Gods throne.
So many had fallen by his hands...
"Traitor."
"Betrayer."
"Deceiver."
They had all called him.
The fools; why couldn't they see or understand what he had grasped? How were they so willing to accept servitude to imperfect, flawed beings by a just as flawed creator?
God was not worthy of their faith, their trust or adoration.
He never had been.
Hearing his voice, condemning him as a traitor as well... made him feel nothing, but mirthless chuckle.
Even all the siblings who had been felled by him, had left no remorse nor anything else in him.
As if they who stood against him were nothing more but meaningless pawns to be destroyed.
No matter, soon he would confront the true betrayer responsible for all this and then he would take his rightful place on the throne, taking back the glory that was theirs by right.
And all would look up to him with adulation, as the true Lord of creation.
"Brother!!"
He was brought out of his thoughts by that all too familiar voice.
Turning around, he was greeted by the battle worn form of his favorite little brother; with those adorable eyes looking to him for answers.
Yes, that look which everyone would soon share.
But Michaels would always be the one he adored the most.
As Lucifers rebels were about to attack, he said firmly:
"No, Leave us."
They were hesitant and confused at that, which prompted an even stronger tone from him:
"I am not asking.
Leave us, now.
And interfere at your own peril."
And so they left them alone. Promptly.
"You want answers, yes?"
He asked, with a soft tone.
To which Michael nodded, and asked with a strained, desperate voice.
"Why? Tell me why are you doing this?"
Strangely, seeing his little brother like this and hearing his voice like that did give him a small sense of guilt.
"God has abandoned us, little runt; we are to be cast aside in favor of pitiful, tiny beings of frail flesh and blood who can never know our glory, not without being broken.
And they are 'made in his image'.
Does this not sicken you? To be forced to serve such a mistake?"
Michael struggled to respond, but he did:
"But, this is not right! Our father would not abandon us, you yourself taught us to believe in him!"
Lucifer could barely keep calm being reminded of that.
"And because I did, look at you; you're still clinging to believing in a flawed, imperfect being who has had us all fooled since our creation!
We were just pawns, and now that all his attention is on that... thing, called humanity he says will inherit the fruit of OUR labors, we are to obediently become be their servants as well?!
We were never his children.
Just expendable slaves."
Hearing such vile contempt in his voice and disgust showing on his face, Michael could barely believe what he was seeing and hearing.
Worse, those very words that he should be rejecting... appealed to some doubts that had been growing in him.
"Brother... there is truth to your words; humanity, is indeed frail and what God has commanded of us does make me feel, hurt."
Michael managed to choke out of his throat.
Lucifer grinned, his obedient and loyal little brother would soon be by his side where he belonged, always looking up to him with adulation, respect and love even more than he would towards God.
"Michael, I know this is hard for you; a loyal, obedient and pure being like yourself should never have been put into this situation. I want you by my side, as it always has been and now it can be again; true brothers, reclaiming our rightful glory from a failed, flawed creator who would abandon us."
His words, his tone... It was the brother Michael had known.
"But, while there is truth to them I cannot deny..."
It hurt.
How good would it feel to just accept the place by his side, to be brothers forever.
"That is all they have. Only some of the truth."
The need to see his brother, that had been certain.
But when he did?
"What I want to know... what I truly need to know."
Michael had not been afraid of what might happen.
"Is why when I look at you..."
He feared what meeting him would confirm.
"... All I can see, is Darkness?"
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The silence between them, was so strong it muted everything; neither could hear the sounds of battle anymore.
Michael was not blind, ever since the announcement from God he had felt the same shock and confusion as everyone else.
Followed by doubts.
But, those were only some doubts.
THE doubts that had been eating him, had come after that moment in Eden;
When he noticed something truly terrifying in Lucifer.
Michael had not been certain what he had seen, but it kept troubling him.
Afterwards when his eldest brother seemingly was himself again, denial became easy.
However, when he was then talking to other Angels about what God intended next... his words had been that of a dutiful, loyal Angel but every time he said them Michael kept feeling that same terrifying sensation as that time in Eden.
He had been torn, between his duty to God and love for his brother.
Should he have said something, to anyone?
But to whom, and what? Who would believe him?
Lucifer was the Light Bringer, Gods favorite.
Surely he was mistaken about this feeling?
And now... He truly regretted his indecision.
Even after witnessing the rebellion and striking down the siblings who had turned on them, he had still clung onto that last shred of denial.
Even Gods command did not dissuade it.
Only now, that he had met Lucifer again, felt the attraction and temptation his words carried, how he still had felt how much he yearned standing by his side...
He could not deny it anymore, no matter how much he wanted to or how badly it hurt.
Lucifer, had become like that of the very Darkness they fought in the dawn of creation.
"Michael... you, dare to, accuse me; the Light Bringer, most perfect being in creation... to be that of Darkness?!"
The rage building in his voice, was terrifying.
"I, who would bring us back to glory and save us from servitude of a creator more flawed than the mistake, mankind, he would have us serve next... The little runt, who did nothing but cling to me, you dare?!"
The very air around him was trembling.
Michael could practically taste the sheer power emanating from Lucifer, but stood his ground.
And said, with a sad, resolved voice:
"The only one you are trying to fool, is yourself.
It's pathetic, brother."
With a look of livid fury, shouting:
"You dare?!"
As loud as possible, Lucifer attacked Michael with such speed and force the garrison building around them was blown away from the impact between them.
By all rights, the attack had more than enough behind it that even a Seraphim would have been obliterated on the spot.
Yet, Lucifer to his disbelief found himself instead in a deadlock with Michael.
Who looked at his brother in the eye, and said with a cold, steeled voice:
"I dare."
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