Lucifer's Return
by
James Bailey
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
James Bailey on Smashwords
Lucifer's Return
Copyright 2011 by James Bailey
Smashwords Edition License Notes
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Pope Pius XIII, in his 74th year, knelt at his bedroom altar making his final prayers before sleep. Eyes closed he silently mouthed the words of a prayer before kissing the gem encrusted gold cross around his neck. Rising slowly, gripping the rim of the altar to steady himself he got to his feet.
Turning, he noticed a shape in the chair next to his bed. Squinting to try and focus his aging eyes the pope saw a shape slowly rise up. As the shape drew closer Pope Pius realised a man had gained entry to his room and was moving towards him. Readying a shout for his guards stationed outside Pius started to shuffle backwards towards the door. As he was about to scream, the man emerged into the dim candlelight emanating from the altar, his shout stifling in his throat at the sight of the man.
“My God!” Pius whispered dropping to his knees.
The man standing before him was a tall man, well over six feet and barefoot, wearing nothing but a white robe. The man’s face was flawless, blonde haired, and clean shaven with piercing green eyes, one of the few male faces he had seen that could genuinely be described as beautiful. What had given Pius pause however, was the shadow the figure cast behind him, wings, broad and open, cast a dark shadow splaying across the back of the room. The shadow feathers swayed gently as the man moved, however on the man himself no wings could be seen. The Pope’s eyes darted between man and shadow trying to understand until he recalled the tales he had heard of past Popes. This was not the first time this had happened, he had read of visitations to previous Popes centuries earlier, although one had not been heard of in over four hundred years. Pope Pius realised he was face to face with an angel.
Pius made the sign of the cross and then knelt down before the messenger of God before him. The angel stepped forward slowly, his eyes never leaving the Pope’s until he was just a couple of short steps away.
The angel crouched down in front of the kneeling Pope and held his hands. Pius flinched as if he had felt an electric shock at the touch. The angel held firm and Pius was surprised at how warm the angel's hands were, how soft the skin was.
“Rise, Pius.” The figure said softly.
With the angel’s help the aging Pope slowly rose to his feet, eyes wide in shock and awe.
“Why? Why are you here? Why do you honour me so?” The Pope stammered out, struggling to find the words as he tried to comprehend the vision before him.
A small smile played across the angel’s face at the Pope’s words.
“Why indeed?” The angel said, his eyes grew sad as he said this. “Why indeed.” The angel repeated.
“Do you know who I am Pius?”
The Pope stood speechless for a few seconds, slowly gathering his wits and his composure. The angel stood before him unmoving, his eyes still sad as he looked down at the Pope.
“One of our heavenly Father’s angels come to deliver a message.” Pius said confidently, bowing before the angel. “I am ready to receive the word of our Lord.”
“Well done Pius, now who am I in particular? Think about this Pius, why am I here?” The angel slowly began to walk around the room, looking at the various paintings and ornaments that decorated the bedroom.
Pope Pius thought to himself as the angel perused his possessions. Thinking back through the visitations of old he had never heard of an angel revealing his name during a visitation.
“I do not understand messenger. When the Lord has deemed it necessary to send an angel, the angel has simply brought the word of God and his instructions, who he was did not matter.” Pope Pius was confused at this angel before him, this was not proceeding as he had read in the past.
“I see.” The angel said, moving back in front of the Pope. “I will show you something Pius, show you what I see when I look into you.” The angel moved closer until their heads were almost touching.
Before Pius could respond the angel's dazzling green eyes were before him and his vision began to blur and change. Temptations he had experienced through his life began to permeate his mind. He saw himself looking at a young churchgoer, drawn to the power of the priesthood, throwing herself at him while he refused her advances. He saw himself reluctantly joining the Nazi Youth, refusing to be brain washed like so many over German boys to the Nazi doctrine, holding onto his own Catholic beliefs in the face of war and oppression. Captivated he stood there for almost a minute, feeling himself inextricably drawn to the visions, unable to draw his gaze away. Using every ounce of willpower he shut his eyes and turned his head.
“I resisted every one of them. I would not let myself be tempted” The Pope whispered, his voice breaking.
The angel moved back a step to give the Pope some space and recover his breath. The Pope was breathing heavily and leant on the altar behind him as he tried to purge the images he had seen from his head.
“You did Pius, you did. I admire you for that.” The angel said.
“Why? Why show me these things?” Pius said shakily, growing fearful of this messenger of God.
“So you know what I can see when I look at a man, or woman for that matter. I see the darkness in you as well as the light. I know your fears, regrets, loves and hates. I know you Pius. This is why I chose to see you first.” The angel said, smiling at the Pope.
“Who are you?” The Pope said, warily.
The angel laughed softly. “I have been given many names by many peoples. I am partial to Lucifer, but you may call me what you wish.”
“Lucifer.” The Pope said, partly in fear, partly in awe. Clutching his cross he started uttering a prayer to his God.
Lucifer frowned at the Pope. “Do not worry yourself Pius, the stories I have heard of me since my return are greatly exaggerated. I am not this Devil that is often spoken of. God and I simply disagreed on how mankind should be treated. In protest, I left.”
“Left? Left for where? What disagreement? You challenged my Lord, tried to seize power!” Pius said, still gripping his cross.
“Really?” Lucifer said. “Seize power from the Almighty? He is called that name for a reason Pius. There was no challenge, God wanted man to have perpetual free will, I believed you needed to be controlled. God would not lot me interfere, to stop your scheming, your warmongering, so I left. I have been wandering the stars ever since.”
“Why are you back then. Why now?” Pius demanded.
Sighing Lucifer paused for a moment then continued. “Think Pius, where is your God now? It has been centuries since there have there been so many catastrophes in such a short space of time. No one has answered your prayers, no miracles have saved lives, the greedy and the petty men of the world are rising to the top while the honourable fall to the side. In times of crisis past Popes at least felt your God’s presence during times of need. Why have you not? Where is your God now?”
“I... I have not yet proved myself worthy to receive him.” Pius replied, his eyes downcast, failure and shame filling his thoughts as unspoken doubts over his papacy rose up inside him.
“Pius. Look up Pius.” Lucifer said. “He has left you Pope, left you, left me, left everyone behind. It is not your fault, it is mankind’s. The human race abandoned their God and so he abandoned them.”
Pope Pius’s eyes widened sharply and he moved forward to grab Lucifer by the shoulders. “No! My Lord would never do that to his children!” The Pope said.
Lucifer barked out a laugh in Pius' face. “What would you know Pope? You have never had any contact with your Lord. Your head is filled with words from books written by men who barely knew what they were seeing or understood what they were writing. What you know of God, of Christ, of me, are diluted and distorted versions of the truth. God has left for other worlds. I am all that is left for you now Pope, left behind to see if I can divert mankind from the path they are on.” Lucifer’s expression grew sombre as he spoke these last words, his expression showing how doubtful he was at achieving his goal.
“You lie.” The Pope whispered, refusing to believe Lucifer’s words.
Lucifer sighed. “I thought you might say that. I am the Great Deceiver after all, the Tempter, The Devil, Satan. All that of course. What you know of me is mostly a lie. It is true that I can see the darkness in those I look at, that God and I did not see eye to eye. Understand that I am not here either now or before to create evil and inspire mankind to evil acts. I want to punish the guilty that your justice systems so often fail to punish, show you the dark side of yourselves so that you can see the light as well. Your lord chose me to show you the evil within yourselves, show how you are destroying yourselves.”
Pius remained silent, moving over to a chair near the altar to rest his trembling legs. Sitting down he held his head in his hands and wept softly for a couple of minutes. Lucifer picked up the chair near the bed and sat down opposite Pius.
“Why did he leave?” Pius asked. Doubts still clouded his mind over Lucifer’s words but he felt he needed to hear him out. None of the Vatican’s significant resources mentioned any visitations from the Devil, some priests had even begun doubting his existence.
Lucifer smiled sadly at the Pope. “He lost faith. Lost faith in humanity. Last century was the final straw. Greed, lust, sloth, pride, envy, gluttony and wrath have all grown to the stage where God gave up. There are other worlds with other souls that need his attention more.”
“But God is everywhere, in everyone. He can’t just leave!” Pius said, voice growing in anger.
“He can be anywhere, but that does not mean he can be everywhere. He has chosen not to be here. He asked me to return to see if I can right man’s wrongs. If I succeed he may even return.” Lucifer said trying to give the Pope some hope.
“Why are you telling me this?” Pius asked after a few more moments of silence. “You have no need to, you could have left me unknowing for the rest of my life and it wouldn’t have mattered. Why now?”
“Pius it has been centuries since I walked these lands in person. Now I am suddenly left as caretaker for you all. God has left, but you are still the voice of God on Earth. I thought it was the right thing to do to tell you of what has happened.” Lucifer said. “I want your help to start righting the path of man.”
Pius was silent for a few seconds before his eyes narrowed at Lucifer. “Never.” Pius said. “I will never answer to you, I am God’s voice on Earth not the Devil’s. Begone from here! I have heard enough of your lies!” Pope Pius rose from his chair holding the cross around his neck before him.
“Begone and go back to the hell you came from!” Pius continued. Lucifer rose from his chair, looking sadly at the old man walking towards him.
“This was a mistake, I am sorry Pius. You won’t see me again.” Lucifer said nodding in farewell.
Pope Pius continued forward holding the cross before him until he realised that Lucifer was no longer there. He had vanished.
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Lucifer sat on a park bench watching a group of children play soccer on the grass. Nearby several families were having picnics while cyclists, runners and pedestrians traversed the walkway behind him. Lucifer watched as the soccer ball was kicked wayward, landing near his feet.