Sloth

"Would you too abandon me to this 'man'? Would you too offer me up to damnation eternal without respite? You who are my greatest allies, my legions. Whom can you trust? Deuteromonic, whom would cast you down with me so easily, or I, I who has fought along side you for millennium? I who has protected you when needed, and mourned when I failed that duty while no other, not even that 'Great One', gave such loyalty? Would you slay me my friends? Or would you continue to fight beside me?"1

The newly-labeled 'Heretic' turned, eyes beseeching us, pleading to see his way. Begging us to continue to listen to him, not because he outranked us, because he no longer even had that claim, but because he loved us, and we him. His blade was long replaced in its sheathe, his power was not evident at that moment. He almost seemed, mortal, for what we knew of the term. He seemed hapless. He seemed to be in love with an ideal, and the men of that ideal, and finding all those involved where turning away. In short, he seemed to be at that perfect stage of the uttermost loneliness and resignation. I could not allow it to remain so, because like the others, I still loved his ideals, and I still loved him. So I spoke.2

"I say, to fight beside you, and those with this legion I am sure agree. Let the Truth find its birth here! Let Deuteromonic hear our outcry! Let the "Great One', let him learn that Hell is no longer to be feared by any but him! Let us band back together with our true lords! Let us forget the old one called the LORD. Heaven cannot hold back the tidal wave of vengeance! Let us aid its cause, for it is surely our own! Emonquente's legions we were born, of his own womb! Not God's! So then let our allegiance lay with him! Emonquente's legions we were born, and of Emonquente's legions we should die!"3

In the field a harsh rallying cry arose, those loyal to his cause. Those whom could only have been frightened of what Deuteromonic could do, those tricked even out of love, only they remained silent and unwaveringly by Michael's side. I drew my blade and moved to my rightful place, Left Hand of Arch Angel Emonquente. The swift hand of judgment and death! The Left Hand of the Left Hand of God, fallen from his arm into the flaming pit of the Hells. My place was by his side there on the Plains of Hashte, and I took it.4

"Whom else of you my friends? Would only One of my Seventy-Seven take their rightful place?"5

He inquired then, not so much begging as before, part of his spirit was already revived. He had me back, should he receive his other hand then both halves of the Seventy-Seven Legions would fall back over to him, but Azriel was not likely to be so keen on following heart over the line of power. As the Hand of Creation, he could not be brought to follow a path that ensured destruction before all else.6

"We shall come!" Came the responses of the next Eleven, those nearest my heart and Emonquente's. So then our lord had his Twelve, the first and foremost Twelve at that. He had his grandest power at his disposal, he had us.7

"Michael. . . I will not see you harm any of these that have come back to my arms. I cannot stand for such a trespass! You, will fight me alone."8

Those were the last words for the next full two hundred seconds, but these seconds were not mortal. These were in a place were time all but stood still. These were seconds in which you did truly hold time in the palm of you hand.9

Emonquente and Michael, the veritable deities of war, rose on black and white feathered wings high above the rest of us, and then the unyielding Sixty-Six Legions fought the loyal Twelve with the Six of Arch Devils. This battlefield was no place for any lower than they. 10

I found my mark as quickly as my fellows found their's, but mine was a single entity. Emonquente's other hand, Azriel. He was mine to reprimand. Therefore it was swift as light that my own sword was freed and aimed straight for that alabaster throat. 11

Amber eyes gazed full into my own as my mark readied himself, but it was laughable. Silver and steel fell neatly into and through his own blade, and cut it in twine. No time for 'fare thee wells' was to be had. So no time for him to retain his head was to be had. The only one capable of fighting against me aside from he who would most surely kill me was fallen. So began my entrance to the slaughter.12

As I said; however, after but two-hundred seconds silence fell upon the Plains of Hashte. Sprawled on the blackened hearth of the battlefield lay the broken Michael, beautiful blade of the Fallen Angel in his chest.13

Our lord was quick to end at least that life of the newly appointed Left Hand of God, and send his soul back to the Heavens. It left only the remaining thirty or so Legions alive, but they knew they were to die.14

A rough score of legions bowed there heads without grimace, with only shame laden in their hearts. They had betrayed their true lord, and they were to accept the only due penance. That penance was death. So each of their heads were removed without pity, only sorrow to lose our brothers, whom we so shortly ago loved. 15

As always before, our lord hid his masterous wings at the end, and plummeted several hundred spans to the blood-muddied hearth below. He mourned those he failed to save, he mourned lost loves uncountable. He even mourned the fallen Michael, whom would rise again faster even than all the others, and whom he despised as much as he loved. He mourned, like a good being, and we all mourned with him.16

That was the beginning of it all, that was how we came to be in Hell at first. That was how Michael became whom he did. That was the first time any had the courage since Lucifer that our master did, but that is not the subject of this tale.17

This is my story, this is how I lived after that final moment of Heaven's favor, and the first of Hell's embrace. This is about those that I've loved and slain and birthed into the worlds, but this is above-all else about one simple truth "Liebe ist Todes", Love is Death. . . .18

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~19

It was a cool winter night, the moon shone brightly in the sky. Like a Goddess upon her silver throne, watching with that everlasting smile as her subjects passed before her. The wind was only slight, but she danced around you as if infatuated with your every feature. She swirled your cloak about you playfully with a sudden, unexpected burst of laughter, and then only ruffled your shirt the next moment. 20

The scent of the mortals was pungent, and pleasantly so. Sweat and musk rose into the air easily over the light air and it was pleasing to the senses. Men were filed within the brothels, boys were flirting in the bath houses, respectable gentlemen were wooing their young lovers with lavish gifts, and the women were in every part of this it seemed as well. 21

They danced nude out in the meadow only slightly outside sight from within town, they tended the brothels, and slipped in with the boys of bath houses as well. They spied as their crush was stolen by the stately gentleman for the night, but were glad to see the sight and then still have them the next evening. 22

The city was wild with sex, and much of it was tending towards men exclusives. Lust had already been here within the past few nights is what it meant. It meant thusly a gift for me, Lust's powers for one night within this city. Any man I chose here could not refute me, nor would he wish to, and should I like to take no man. The gift of sights was pleasing enough there would be no need to take one to enjoy the city fully.23

I chose the bath house nearest me, pleased by the three hot springs, four washing areas, two 'private' areas, and gallery of relaxation points. Both with and without the usage of water.24

The running theme there was black marble, everything was black marble unless it was cloth supplied there. These cloths were fine black silks that could only have been imported from Elven craftsmen. To be from Hell though, it meant these were gifts from Gluttony, the gift of his powers for the night within this city alone.25

By the time I was within the hot springs I had chosen my mark, and discovered my third gift of the night. The man I desired was being attended by another, he was the gift of Envy, I appreciated it fully.26

My reflection in the water was pristine as I looked within. I felt a languidity falling over me that I was reluctant to remove myself from even to play the game set before me. Lastly, the trial to fight that languidity that has so encumbered me. Gifted by Pride, Sloth and Greed respectively. Only Wrath's gift was missing, but I hoped his gift was to remove his sin from my night of carnal pleasure in this city that had been so graciously afforded me. So I ended my dwellings, and in the sweetest voice I possessed I spoke to my target and his partner of the evening.27

"Hail fair men, stately greetings upon this wonderous night, and how doth fair thou fair men? Pleasantly I pray, for deserving of thee only goodness is." 28

"Beautifully and many thanks. For fair I might be when graced by so fair another. Luminescant granduosity in this night's eye. Alabastor flesh in Lady Serena's glaze. Join us for even but a moment. We should be much obliged."29

A marvolous responce, and great that my target would be the one to respond. Beside him his earlier attendant was obviously peeved, but genuinely intriged by me just as his partner. Smooth goings so far.30

"The oblige I shall." 31

Flowing silk down livid flesh, the robe ran like water over my fram to pool at the floor lazily. Warmth flooded over me in the pool as I lowered myself into its embrace. Smiles all around, false feelings of comfort before all.32