"You have gone against my wisdom, Lucifer. Do you believe yourself to be superior to I, the creator?"
God, the almighty ruler of the holy land of Eden, questions, the venom in his voice hidden by his calm facade.
"Nay, never, father! I have beem pleading for you to reconsider. The spawn of Hades were laying waste to your children! I understand you sought to maintain peace, but as their God and creator, it was imperitive you send help. A single word of permission was all I neede from you, father. Do the countless souls I saved mean nothing to you?"
"If I'm not mistaken, you have gotten particularly attached to one of the mortal's recently, correct? Has it dawned on you that you risked the stability of all six realms, just for a single, worthless mortal?"
A hush falls over the Court of Light. Lucifer is clearly angered by the blatent disregard of his father, so he keeps his tongue, and tries to calm down. God's golden throne seems to shine brighter, glee evident in his face after seeing his rebellious son back down.
Michael steps foward, his silver helm held underneath his arm.
"Father speaks, and all of Eden listens. Yet you dare defy him openly? You question his will, his wisdom, and hold no regret whatsoever?"
"Because his will has gone silent while his creations suffer", Lucifer snaps.
"Have you not a conscience, Michael? Is your love for father measured in only your obedience?"
Michael does not answer
From the side, Jesus watches quietly - younger, draped in simple white, not yet burdended with the weight of destiny
"Lucifer… why did you not consult with me? If you feared for the mortals, we could have negotiated with father. There were better ways"
Lucifer, voice softening, replies, "You were always the beloved one, brother. I hold not a single doubt you would have tried. But I fear your obedience to him blinds you to to the truth"
He turns to God, who now rises from his throne. The light dims slightly, a rare sight.
"Mercy and peace are my gifts, not yours to offer. You have trespassed into the mortal realm without sanction. You have defied my command, my will. You have let sentiment override the wisdom of your creator. That, boy, is treason."
Lucifer falls to one knee, not in submission, but in pain. A rare display of a fraction of the almighty God's power, able to bring the lightrbringer to his knees without moving a sngle muscle.
"Then if compassion is treason, I accept the sentence. But I will not call it wrong. I hold no regrets, and if given another chance, I'd make the same decisions twice over."
He rises slowly, wings dimmed but not broken. His gaze meets Jesus', and he says
"I only wished to save what your father would not. If that makes me the villain, so be it. But remember this, brother — the light you love in me was once kindled by Him."
Jesus steps forward, lips parted, but Michael's sword is already drawn — not in threat, but as formality.
Michael:
"The Morning Star is cast from Heaven. So speaks the Word."
And so, with thunder rolling above the skies of Eden, Lucifer falls.
But not alone.
He falls with questions unanswered… and with one brother still watching.
"I guess the old human saying is true. The higher they climb, the harder they fall" an unknown says, watching the trial with interest.