Original Sin

2. А New Order

There it is!

Lucifer glanced around, making sure there was no one around that could see him. Amidst the lush greenery of the celestial gardens, in a corner tucked away from the rest, stood a nondescript tree crowned with tender, tiny leaves. In-between its branches hung tufts of light brown pods, laden with grapes of fruit. The Tree of Knowledge wasn't anything special looking. If one didn't know it bear fruits, they wouldn't have ever guessed, for one had to unveil the crown to discover the hanging pods. Lucifer approached the tree, careful not to be seen by anyone. His bare arm reached out a steady hand. One of the ripe fruits, smooth and velvet, filled his palm.

He spent a few moments looking at the simple pod. His eyes carefully examined the shell, enveloping the few grapes. How could this ordinary-looking thing be the fine line between the known and the unknown, the good and bad? The doubt within him was yet a whisper, but with each passing moment, it grew louder, echoing the depths of his intention. His fingers clasped around one pod and he snapped the fruit off the branch. "I will be like Him", thought Lucifer. With a sudden rush of determination, he devoured the grapes, committing the First Sin.

As he took a bite, a surge of self-awareness flooded his being. Visions of power, of a celestial throne emerging higher than God's stars, of a kingdom where he would not have been merely a servant but an almighty sovereign, clouded his mind. The knowledge he consumed was exhilarating and overwhelming. It instilled in him a sense of destiny that he could not deny or ignore. He felt a great relief. The unanswered questions and unquenched desires suddenly found a purpose. 

"With this knowledge, I see now what I must do. The heavenly throne, the rule of the cosmos–it is not beyond my grasp," raced his mind. "I, who have been a bearer of light, shall become the Smith of a new Order." 

Empowered and emboldened by the wisdom of the Tree, Lucifer's resolve hardened. He saw the path before him, clear as a day. The angel was acutely aware of what he should do. He would rally those who shared his vision, those who yearned for more than celestial servitude, and together, they would challenge the very foundations of the celestial hierarchy. Though he had a much deeper mission now; he had to cloak the knowledge he possessed. Nobody would become suspicious of what was to come until it was too late. As the first seeds of rebellion took root in his divine heart, he walked off the garden toward his chambers to construe a plan for the impending storm. He was certain it was him to change the course of destiny for both heaven and earth.