12 Seconds Short of Eternity

12 Seconds Short of Eternity Ch.7

"Arcade, stand aside and let me pass!" In his zeal to enter, Lucifer shifted his weight from foot to foot. Blocking the entrance to the White Room, Arcade responded in kind.

"Lucifer, I cannot. The All Father was very specific this morning, No one is to gain admittance today. Now please exit the building. I will tell him you were here."

Lucifer's mouth dropped open in disbelief at the sentry's denial of passage. His anger swelling at Arcade's refusal, he growled and balled his hands into fists. He stepped to Arcade, their noses inches apart, and lowered his voice to an almost inaudible growl.

"Arcade, I understand you are following the wishes of our father, but I need to speak with him. Carnaval and I discussed some ideas last night that might alter God's plans about Terra. I need to see Father about this project of his before it's too late. This is not about me, rather the future of the Angels, even you. Now step aside and please do not ever try to turn me away. I understand the need to focus while creating, and I would never bother him for something trivial. Admit me at once!"

Arcade's gaze didn't waver, his body didn't move either, but his tone softened somewhat.

"Lucifer, I can't do that. I am under strict orders. I know why you wish to talk to him and," he opined, "I'm not disagreeing with you. I also wish he would have asked us our ideas about this creation. That said, there is nothing you, or I, or anyone, can do about it now. Leave the hall Lucifer, and the moment he is free, I swear I will tell God you need to see him urgently."

"Arcade do not make me move you." Lucifer's eyes emitted a hazy red glow as they narrowed.

Arcade's hand went from his side, to the hilt of his sword, as he turned his body in a defensive stance.

"Brother do not try me. I will uphold the will of the Lord against even you."

"Even if those wishes cost us favor, cost us his love? C'mon brother. The fate of every Angel could very well hinge upon your fanatical dedication to Father! I guarantee you, he has given no concern to you with this creation." Lucifer responded.

"Lou, I do not pretend to understand what Father's intentions are or try to understand the way his mind works. But his results are remarkable, lest you forget, he created us, and did a damn good job in my opinion. I have no reason to doubt him, and definitely no tolerance for conjecture based upon rumors. Now, for the last time, leave before this gets out of hand."

"Father has never refused to talk with me. That is, until this abomination! You see Arcade, it has begun," he paused, then his voice lowered as he realized he was not going to see the lord. "Everything has changed. Mankind is his 'child' now, they will be his beloved, and we the forgotten urchin's. You, and I will huddle at this door and as he passes us by, we will fight over his discarded scraps of affection."

Lucifer backed away, there was a slight slump to his shoulders that had never been there before today. He spun around, walking down the great hall, his voice echoing off the stone surfaces. "Remember this moment, Arcade. The day our father locked the door to the Angels."

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"Lucifer." Michael called out as he saw his brother walking down the steps from the Great Hall. There was no reply, so he yelled again.

"Lou!"

It was Michael who stopped moving on his way up and not Lucifer on the way down, and Michael had paused out of surprise. Lucifer had heard his name called and turned towards Michael. Their eyes locked for a brief moment. In that split-second Michael saw pain, and something he'd never seen in those eyes, humility. Lucifer dropped his stare, turning his head as he increased his pace to a near run. He went straight down the stairs and away from Michael towards the Garden of Eden.