Excerpt: For We Are Many

One thousand human souls soared out of the brass metropolis that was the City of Dis.
One thousand human souls soared over a fiery sea in which the last heretics burned.
One thousand human souls soared over the rocky red landscape of Outer Hell.
One thousand human souls soared to the City of Gates, entering the White Portal.
One thousand human souls soared through white clouds to the entrance to the Golden Halls.
One thousand human souls came together to the dusty brown-colored smoky form of the former Ba’al, Legion.
Legion approached a four-winged angel holding a spear.
“O angel, name yourself.”
“I am Havaxon, Angel of Battle. I guard the Golden Halls against transgressors.”
Legion narrowed his eyes at the angel.
“I am here on a diplomatic mission. And as you can see,” he added unkindly, holding up his left hand, “I do not bear the Mark of Service, so you have no right to keep me out.” Of which there would be plenty if I did, of course, he thought sarcastically to himself.
“Very well,” Havaxon said, “I will inform the Lord Michael of your presence.”
Havaxon brushed aside what seemed to be a screen of shimmering molten gold and passed through a portal to the Golden Halls.
Legion waited for Havaxon to return. When Havaxon returned, he turned to Legion and said, “the Lord Michael begrudges you a visit.”
Legion strode through the screen of molten gold into a great corridor made entirely of gold. He strode forward until he saw a massive throne in which sat a six-winged angel, robed in white, holding a staff of platinum studded with diamonds and topped with a great topaz.
“I am the Lord Michael. For what purpose have you come to me?”
“Simple politics, O Lord.”
“Indeed?”
“I am sure you know that Dibophrygys has sealed the Holy Gates. I assume you have taken this as an act of war, and I respect that it has become your war.” The glint in Legion’s eye said otherwise. “However, Lucifer requests the Earth front be his.”
“There will be no Earth front,” said Michael severely. “And you are not permitted to enter in service of Satan.”
Legion could not suppress a smug grin at these words.
“I am ordered not to enter as a servant of Lucifer. And as you can see –” he held up his left hand “– I do not bear the Mark of Service. Therefore, your laws cannot prevent me from entering.”
Michael could find no response to this.
“And as for your issue with the Earth front, we are aware of the Pact. But there is no other way to make effective war.”
Michael snorted.
“I see you have not yet evaluated your situation. Very well; allow me to enlighten you. Dibophrygys the Antichrist is no fool. He will not enter either Heaven or Hell; he would be slaughtered and his army destroyed. He realized this. He currently lurks in Limbo, building an army of Nephilim. If we are to attack him there, we would have to pass through the realm of humanity in any case. There is nothing to be lost by making Earth the battleground. We may draw him out of Limbo – he will likely assume that we would put through few soldiers, and of course he has nothing to lose from breaking the Pact of the Occult.”
“But we have much to lose. And a mere chance of defeating Dibophrygys is not enough to break the Pact.”
“Ah. I forgot to mention the key point. The Cross of Nazareth has been located.”
“What?” Michael rose from his seat, animosity momentarily forgotten.
“It has been traced down an obscure family line, and the time is ripe to seize it. The families of the Old Chosen have found each other at last. If we act quickly, we can facilitate the union of the Cross with the Chosen. This may turn the tide of the coming war.”
“Indeed. However, none of this has yet given me reason to trust you.” Michael’s veneer of condescending hatred had returned to him effortlessly.
“Very well. If you want proof, I suggest you consider the last four hundred years. Lucifer has been loyal to Yahweh for four centuries. If this means nothing, if you fail to account for the past, I believe you will make a horrible Lord. Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it, and I fear that you shall repeat the hundreds of years of pointless war made between Heaven and Hell… except that in this case, the fault shall be yours.”
Legion turned away to leave, but after taking a few steps he looked back for a last comment.
“Michael, I admire you for your conviction. Despite our disagreements, you were always one I could identify with, in a strange way. But to be the Lord, you need more than conviction. Yahweh could recognize true loyalty, and more importantly, Yahweh could forgive. Michael, tell me this. Can you place yourself on the level of Yahweh? Can you truly see into a person’s soul, can you recognize loyalty? Can you forgive?”
And on that note, Legion left the Golden Halls.