Santi: The Devil's Pioneer

Chapter 39 - A Blast from The Past

If there was one thing the Creator prided himself on, it was that he was never dictated others' lives

He respected all of his creations, and when he made them, he made them with the right to their own free will. Their decisions were theirs to make, and though he would advise them on the morally correct course, he would not prevent them from going astray. He did not control them. He did not desire mindless minions.

He respected those who chose to serve him as equally as those who did not.

As he stared out over the wide expanse of Earth, a particular instance popped into his mind.

Lucifer. His brightest angel. The stories had been brutally warped, disgusting him, but he felt it was necessary to prevent anarchy among Heaven. the darkness of his fewer desirable creations, and he considered Lucifer to be the perfect fit. However, God didn't want to take away Lucifer's free will.

Unlike the stories, the Creator created Lucifer with the intent of putting him in charge of Hell. He needed his most trusted and bright to control the So when the time came, he presented the angel with a choice. The rule of Hell was no easy task, and if his angel chose to stay in Heaven and live an easier life, he would allow it. But Lucifer was God's most beloved for a reason. He accepted the great burden and sacrifice and fell to Hell to rule in the chaos and darkness.

The other angels, Michael especially, were jealous of Lucifer's close bond with the Creator, and he feared the angels would revolt if they knew of Lucifer's special assignment. So, he did not explain and let the angels draw their conclusions on what had taken place. He regretted that choice now. No matter what people said about him, the Creator did make mistakes. This was among his biggest.

Michael decided that Lucifer had spurned the Creator, turned his back on: Heaven and that the Creator had cast him out. He spread the word that the almighty Lucifer had been punished, that he was no longer Heaven's perfect angel.

The stories the angels spread sickened God, but he could not correct them. He let Michael have his victory, though he felt awful about the newfound disrespect Lucifer was paid in return for his sacrifice to

Heaven.

Eventually, the only story of Lucifer was one of sin and betrayal, and as time went on, the rumors got darker and darker. Michael claimed that

Lucifer had been punished unspeakably. Rumor had it, the Creator had not allowed Lucifer his mate.

The way that the Creator rewarded his immortal creations, especially his angels, was through Mates. For every one of his angels, he crafted a perfect Mate, someone they could love fiercely and protect at all costs. God did not withhold this gift from an angel or immortal creature in his service.

"You get off on this, don't you?" I asked when I felt the silence had stretched on for too long. I refused to look at the god's dumb face. Regardless of what I had told Luce, I wasn't overly thrilled at the idea of being alone with the man.

If you could even call him a man.

"I'd be lying if I said no. I'd also be lying if I said yes."

I turned, finally, to look him in the eye. His cocky grin had faded, and in its place was a pensive, far-off expression that looked natural on his inhuman features. He met my gaze unperturbed, and that's when I truly began to feel fear. Without all the immature jokes and arrogant posturing, I was left with an ancient and all-knowing force of nature. I found I vastly preferred the twelve-year-old boy act.

"So, you simultaneously do and don't enjoy pushing celestial beings' buttons? Care to explain?"

"To anyone else, Lilith," he responded softly, "the answer would be a vehement no. But think you and can come to understand one another, in time."

"Time?" I snorted, "we have fifteen minutes. That hardly seems enough to braid each other's hair and swap life stories."

He winced, casting a regretful look at the door.

Why does that give me a very, very bad feeling? "It is unfortunate. I rather think I find your mate to be the favorite of the celestial beings I will be sad to lose his alliance." Ice-cold fear gripped my guts.