Angels Before Man

by Rafael Nicolás

He rose higher, higher, raising his sword, approaching the silent Lord and His Throne as rapid as the light which Lucifer knew he was born from. Nearly above his Father, so close to shadowing Him, Lucifer wondered if he would cut through all of the space and time and distance there ever was to find fire — like there was at the beginning of everything. But the sword never made contact; a golden chain shot out from somewhere, grappled his entire body, flung him downwards. And Lucifer, frozen, kicking, screaming — he saw Michael suddenly above him, then grabbing him by the throat and crushing with both hands, one with the other end of the chain wrapped around the palm. He had six wings, obscuring his details, but they couldn’t hide the droplets that trickled down from between the hoard of feathers. Lucifer felt the tears land upon his own cheeks, as if they were his own.

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