SAMAEL

 Although we appeared to be the closest to our father—the archangels—my brothers and I weren't the strongest.  

The seraphim were positioned at the highest row of seats in the auditorium, their white feathered wings continuously flapping as they sang, "Holy, holy, holy." My ears rang with their lauds; their voices were lovely, and underneath them sat the Cherubim, strange-looking beings. They possessed two sets of wings and four faces of different creatures. When we were younger, I had to hold Michael's hand whenever we passed one because, for some reason, he was afraid of them.

Next came the thrones, followed by the dominations, who worked more closely with the angels to assign tasks and keep everyone busy. The virtues below them spent more time taking care of the heavenly plantation, which was constantly expanding. The air smelled of mint and freshly cut leaves when they were present The authorities that came after them frightened me the most because my father had given them control over forces that were distinct from his own and those of everyone else in the heavens. 

Forces similar to me 

It was the authorities that suggested that I be imprisoned.

My father gave the order.

Since all we had to do in the skies was carry out my father's ministry, the rulers ensured that we all did so. We were only ever meant to serve as objects of devotion, to serve as a constant reminder of how great my father was, and to be beneath him. 

I gazed up at the throne and could only see his light in the form of a man seated. Next to him, Uriel watched with a smile on his face as Lucifer's fingers strummed the harp in front of them. I let myself get lost in the music as well and it didn't matter that I wasn't up there with them. It made no difference that I was seated among the common angels in the lowest tier. All that mattered was that Lucifer was playing.

He parted his lips to sing while keeping his eyes closed. His long, thin fingers were gentle against the harp's strings. His voice merged with the seraphim's, who carried on with their routine chanting. Lucifer worked around it, turning it into something even more beautiful, something better. He always had the ability to transform things.

I tightened my fists. I'd never forget this experience. I would never forget what it was like to hear him once this was all over and I was back in the darkness.

It felt like we were the only ones in the hallway as his voice tugged at my chest and cast a spell over me. He wasn't so far away and he was still singing. I assumed that everyone else felt the same way. When his eyes finally opened, they sparkled with devotion as he continued to sing and look up at my father. 

I saw a string of intimacy form between them.

It was love. Pure love.

The angels applauded when the music stopped, and Father nodded in approval. Lucifer's eyes lit up then because it didn't matter what a hundred angels thought.

To him, only my father was important. 

As he walked away, I glanced back up at my brothers, noticing Michael and Raphael's eyes on me. Michael continued to display anger but Raphael was uninterested. Although I assumed it had something to do with the last time I talked to him, it had never been easy to know what he was thinking. 

Everyone in the room was soon drawn to a cherub who leaped into the hair and as he ascended to the throne, murmuring filled the room. He came to rest in front of my father, kneeling. 

He was requesting permission.

But for what?

Before the cherub stood and turned around, it appeared like a secret message had been sent between the two. The murmuring stopped and Lucifer made his way over to his seat next to our father, a confused look on his face. He briefly turned to look at me before grinning. 

I responded by grinning back. 

"Today's occasion is unique," the cherub began, "I would like to thank the lord for blessing us with his presence, for everything that he has done, and for giving me the opportunity to make this news before we proceed."

Everyone mumbled, "Thank you, Lord."

The cherub gave my father one more gaze before he raised his hand and a white light appeared in the room's middle. After my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I looked up and noticed a strange-looking ball. It was blue and covered in a variety of swirly designs. 

One of the virtues questioned, "What is that?" 

The cherubim replied, "Earth," and with a wave of his hand, it appeared as though we were zooming in and going deeper into the ball. 

A nearby angel gasped when he saw the creatures as it stopped. 

Some of them resembled both my father and us as we usually appeared in flesh. Each of them has two arms, two legs, eyes, ears, and mouths, as well as thick hair on their heads. However, their skin appeared softer and rosier. 

On a hill, they were all gathered and seemed to be playing. As the scene shifted, I saw that there were others, who looked different from us. They strolled among the trees, gathering fruit. They were curvier-shaped and had longer hair. 

"Nice," the voice in my head said. I had thought it would be quiet on this day.

"I wish some angels looked like that", it added.

I rolled my eyes.

Another virtue questioned with a horrified tone, "What are those?" 

"Woman", a loud voice spread across the hall, the intensity of it seeping into our consciousness as it echoed. I winced at the thought of the last time I had heard it.

My father was standing there when I glanced up, towering, majestic, and dressed in a robe. His beard and dark hair both had grey streaks in them. His soft gaze swept the hall. 

He always had such a gentle appearance yet a threatening voice. 

The cherub moved away, standing at the edge of the podium next to Gabriel.

The image changed as my father explained, "This is the man and the woman, fashioned in my image to multiply and continue to worship me. This is why I've been absent. I created the earth, as a home for these people, the humans."

The man and woman in question danced as they entered a room, little smiles on their faces as they got closer to one another. 

"Oh, that looks interesting," the voice remarked.

As the man roughed up the woman's body by removing her garments, they pressed their lips together.  His bare form was the same as mine as well, although...

"You're bigger", the voice said.

I nodded.

The scene's intimacy seemed strange, but it was intriguing enough for me to watch. The sounds the woman made as the man pushed himself into her reverberated throughout the hall. The woman appeared different everywhere. I turned to look around and saw the angels' astonished expressions. 

I felt the same way. 

but ecstatic. 

I also had the impression that nobody else shared my feelings. 

I raised an eye to the throne. My dad had a little smile on his face as he watched me. 

"They don't look entirely like you or us", an authority stated, "they look...weaker"

He was right. Despite the similarities, They appeared softer and more feeble.

"Yes," father said, In comparison to you, they are inferior in both mind and body, but they will have the same rights to my blessing, freedom, and free will as you do."

Freedom?

"Really?" 

When everyone turned to look at me, I realized it was my voice that had asked. 

No. 

I pushed myself into the chair and looked up at Lucifer. He gave me a lost-looking blink and then I turned back to face the angels again.

"Sorry", I said, "i..."

"Samael...", my father called and I looked up at him. The smile was still plastered on his face and that same gentility was in his eyes as he asked, "do you have something to say?"