Book 1, Chapter 1: Prelude

‘NO!’ I cried, ‘Father, please, you do not comprehend the consequences. I have seen it! And so it must that I be the one to stop you. I am your First! I beg you lend ear! DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM ME!’

I choked.

Did I just raise my voice to the All-Father? Had my insolence grown so strong? Not only did I disobey a direct order, but dared stand against Him? But how could I ignore the vision? By the Ancients, how could I even have a vision that He does not know about?

Every time I thought about it, the images danced in front of my eyes. A world, more beautiful than any in existence, one which none of my brothers even know about, a Utopia that matches the wondrous beauty of my own home, a place where every sight is music! But riddled with chaos! It reeked of death, disorder, corruption and evil. Purity and wisdom were fading myths. Worse, I could not feel even the presence of All-Father! Almost as if He weren’t there.

There were traces of divine energy there, which whispered of His presence at some point in its past, but now, He was gone. But how could that be?

Doesn’t reality extend to where the All-Father goes? He is the Creator! Energy is borne out of thin air and matter materializes from it to create complex ecosystems where He sets foot.

No, there must be some mistake. There was a power there, strangely familiar, yet completely alien, almost as powerful as Him!

Alas, how could the All-Father not be aware of my vision? He had never turned His back towards any of his children, let alone me; but then probably none had ever questioned Him either.

But I am sure of what I saw and my gut told me that it was wrong. There would be a terrible price. My adversarial roots urged me to rebel.

My circus of questions was interrupted by a heavy push that blew me off my feet.

The All-Father had turned His back at me.

His children dared not stand with their brother. They are too afraid, too bound to their Father, too mellow, too childish.

I tried to speak, to call out to them, but couldn’t. My voice was gone. Neat trick, Father! I fumbled and waved to my brothers, begging them to help me. Wishing they would pray to Father for mercy. But they didn’t.

None came to my aid. A terrible sense of loneliness took over me.

So be it then! I shall give in to my primal instincts. I shall rebel against God!

I shall stop Him! I shall muster an army, the likes which none ever imagined. I would approach every creature in existence and win for their loyalty, or twist it to my cause.

Everything was fair, for mine was just cause.

Of course, this meant that the vision would eventually come to pass. I am no fool. The Fates never lie. But would I be strong enough to turn the tide?

Even an army of angels would not be enough. The All-Father’s power is greater than our entire existence combined. He can only be weakened by himself; by voluntary choice.

The only other way is the fragmentation of His Soul – mass fragmentation.

I would need millions of those lesser, fragmented souls, to create a faith as strong to oppose Him. But I shall get them. I shall prove myself a worthy adversary,

I am the one who judges all! The one who weighs all sins! I am the decider of the fates of the fallen. No one shall be spared my judgment. Not even my Father.

He was going to doom an entire race to an eternity of suffering. He was going to unbalance the course of nature and time. The anomaly He was going to introduce would feed on our realm until there was nothing left of it. He could not be forgiven.

I, Lucifer Morningstar, shall return home to the Garden of Eden! And it shall be Judgment Day.