Within the Garden of Eden, at the foot of the Great Tree, an angel—similarly attired to Raphael—sat within a Nature's Bounty. The difference lay in the palette of color Gabriel was clothed in—a dark and lighter shades of grey contrasting against the jewels and earrings of blue and gold that enhance his handsome visage.
In a dominant tone, Gabriel spoke, "Each of you will get your turn in the spotlight that I will cast to you—be patient and show restraint. You need not clamor for my affection."
Birds gathered around him, each taking their turn to be fed by hand. Other animals sat in his presence, waiting patiently for his admiration, while some of the stronger and boisterous ones constantly sought his attention in any way they could.
He continued to tend to the animals in his care, before a radiant, warm aura began to eke from behind him. The birds flew high to the trees overhead in haste, while the intensity of the sun's rays seemed to double in strength. The aura had an alarming nature to it that was hidden by a veil of modesty, something that was distinct for only one person who Gabriel knew.
When in the presence of this angel, all the animals became quiet, still, and unmoving like their spirits had been taken. Gabriel turned around to glance at the source of the new atmosphere that silenced his friends, only to be met by the jovial, smiling face of Lucifer, hovering behind him.
"Always tending to the animals, are we? I can not recall a day when an animal or a pack was not at your side, awaiting to be cared for by you," Lucifer said, his voice denoting admiration and care for Gabriel's work.
Lucifer's hair was wild, matching the eccentricities of his clothing and jewelry style. Every finger had a ring that was larger than the last; heavy medallions hung around his neck. All about him was dark–except for his skin tone, which was as white as the rays of the stars above. No covering graced his chest, with his feet left bare. His wings held millions of hoop-like trinkets burrowed into their rims. Each shone like an individual sun casting rays of gold wherever Lucifer looked.
"I hold not much else to do, Lucifer. They are my greatest company keepers and they view me as one of their own." Gabriel explained, before side-eyeing Lucifer, "Because of this, it would do you well to refrain from allowing your aura to spread so freely. It tends to have a quite—disarming—nature to it,"
"You need not be modest, you can say how truly unalluring it can be. I'm well aware of its unbecomingness as an Angel," Lucifer said, floating around Gabriel so his fellow Virtue could see him, "It is just how I was born—besides, you know how certain animals respond to your aura…particularly my cro–,"
"We will not speak of those accursed crows," Gabriel said, quickly turning his head from Lucifer, who covered his mouth to stifle his laughs, "Those birds of yours seem to have a disposition of malice towards me for some reason neither you nor I can explain."
"Certain animals respond to us differently, friend. Some are better at understanding who the true Alphas are in their presence," Lucifer continued, a slight scowl appearing on his face. "Just as we respond to those who are the leaders of us."
"Indeed."
Lucifer raised one hand to the sky, stopping it in front of the sun that shone down on them. He grabbed the thin air, taking the beams of the sun as his own, now holding what would appear to be a ray of light in his hand. He did the same with the other hand, using the same elegance and finesse to take from the sun another gleam to make his own.
He let his feet gently brush against the grass, pushing them out of the way before plunging the two rays into the ground. Gabriel looked on at his work while Lucifer continued building. he soon closed his eyes, continuing to caress the animals in his care.
"Do be certain not to hurt any of the fauna with your craftsmanship. The last time you singed one of their roots," Gabriel reminded him.
"Thank you for the reminder," Lucifer replied, not a hint of sarcasm behind his words.
After the two light rays were firmly embedded in the soil, Lucifer gestured at them with both hands, creating another set that stood equidistant from the first. He turned back to the sun and reached both hands up at the same time, ripping from the air a large sheet of sunlight. He then flattened and stiffened the sheet, making a slab of light to use as a seat before placing it atop the four light beams.
From there, he cast sigils that glowed around the creations, constructing a back and armrests to finish his chair's creation. He left his masterpiece to stand amongst the foliage, watching as his creation gave more life to the grass to grow ever larger and along the chair, finalizing its beauty.
It became a new ornament in nature that all life had taken a liking to. Even some of Gabriel's friends drew nearer to the construct, wishing to identify the new spectacle made before their eyes.
"Would you like to have a seat? I know it can get quite painful sitting in the way you do for so long. But I suppose that you love being closer to your friends, now don't you?" Lucifer surmised, as Gabriel affirmed his sentiment.
"They cannot sit on seats or thrones, why is it that I am to do so? I am no better than they are, a creation amongst creations,"
A small puff of laughter escaped through Lucifer's nostrils before he took the seat for himself, "That is where you and I have a disconnect, dearest Gabriel. We are not like them—nowhere close. We are Angels, their caretakers. We rule them."
"I don't look at it as a matter of ruling or not, Lucifer. I see them as my equal…what is the harm in that?" Gabriel reaffirmed, turning one eye to Lucifer.
Lucifer's tone darkened, lifting his legs and crossing them, "It makes you susceptible to delusions of inferiority that are better left for the unremarkable creations like the insects that crawl within these grasses…You are not an insect."
"Lucifer…do you not think you are being–."
"I am being quite modest, Gabriel. There is a hierarchy to nature for a reason…but we…we are deviations in that."
Gabriel then allowed one of the wolves to leave his stead so another could take its place. He looked away from his friend, who continued to sit cross-legged, waiting for an answer.
"If you are trying to get me to understand something more overarching than mere hierarchies, my friend, speaking in circles will get you nowhere."
"I speak in a circle because you know exactly what I speak of…don't be stubborn and acknowledge it. We've spoken about it many times."
"And each time we do, we come to the same conclusion. We have our purpose; we have no need to question our standings."
"And how I am to do that when every fiber in my being is telling me the greatness I am destined for—we are destined for," Lucifer retorted.
"And again, that is simple hubris that lives within your soul—You are the Virtue of Modesty. Every so often, as I myself am challenged in my self-restraint as the Virtue of Self-Control," Gabriel told him, taking his hand from caressing a wolf's fur and looking at it, "It is a test of your mettle to make sure you are fit to be the embodiment of humility."
Lucifer paused in thought of his next response. He wanted to craft something that would truly get his friend to understand the thought process and consensus he was under. Or perhaps craft an argument that Gabriel couldn't easily sweep under the rug.
Lucifer placed both feet on the ground, one arm on one leg whilst dangling his other to the side, staring intently into Gabriel's unwavering eyes. "Have you wondered—even for a second—what it is the gods feel? All the power they have to conjure anything and all of us into existence…it must feel amazing," Lucifer wondered, a small smile on his face.
"I have no doubt it must be. But with all that power comes the greatest responsibility that they, even now, uphold," Gabriel responded.
"Are you so sure of that? Or is that your conjecture that you've made up to justify how they keep all that power to themselves?"
"Lucifer—,"
"We both don't know what it is that they do within their home. We are told to do what we do because they are all-knowing. They could be lying on their backs right now, thinking never to create another thing and allow all that power to languish behind the idea of perfection that they've already created."
"Is Eden not perfect?"
"It can always be better!"
Silence rang over the small meadow enclosure. All the animals shook in fear of the tonal shift that had taken place in Lucifer's voice.
"Imagine if we had that power. We already hold the ability to do things that are impossible, control landscapes to our will, command beasts into subservience. Are you satisfied with only that? You saw what I did, we can be arbitrators of creation…" He continued.
"That is not my place, and that is not yours either," Gabriel reaffirmed, steadfast in his beliefs, "If we speculate on things like what you are insinuating, we lead ourselves to blasphemous accusations and disrespect that punishment may only correct. I doubt you want to be punished for the thought of heresy against them."
Lucifer then replied with a grunt, "But can you fault me for thinking that we deserve more than what is before us…maybe not even to be like them but with all that we have…all that we are…we are worthy—,"
"And let us say one day, they grant your wish…what then?" Gabriel asked somberly, turning away all his wrath, "You create more plants, more species of animals, maybe even a new form of life altogether?"
Lucifer became silent. He had never thought about what he would do if he were to gain such power—what it is he truly would first do with all the abilities of creation sitting at his fingertips.
"Even if that dream were to come true, they would still be far better creators than you or I, Lucifer. While your imagination is bound by constraints, theirs is endless in every way. Horizon to Horizon does not describe their limits…they are everything you think you would be and more."
Lucifer was dumbfounded and his facial expression said it all. Gabriel closed his eyes and continued to stroke the wolf that rested in his care. A silence hung in the air, so loud and deafening that the footsteps of ants could be heard from a mile away. The two were left in a difference of ideology that seemed to have chosen its victor.
"I have one final question," Lucifer, defeated in spirit, said.
"Ask away, my friend," Gabriel responded, a whisper in pitch.
"Why is it that we guard this blasted tree if it is not the source of their strength?"
Gabriel was perplexed by his statement, "What?"
"Something about this tree is Holy to them," Lucifer asserted, rallying his spirit once more, "Why else would they place it here and have their twelve strongest angels to guard and overwatch it. Maybe it gives them their Godhood or possibly…gives it to others."
"Now you're just making baseless assumptions, Lucifer. Please do not lose yourself to your own madness and deprive yourself of the perfection you already hold."
Lucifer gave up, looking back at the tree behind him. Gabriel rested a hand on his leg and continued to speak to him.
"Remember what they taught us. We are to trust in them with all our heart, and lean not on our own understanding. For if we do, our paths will become crooked and lead us to our demise—ruining the perfection that we already had."
Lucifer continued to look at the tree. He heard the words spoken but registered not their meaning. He was preoccupied with fantasies about the specialties this thing held. He thought long about the skills he knew it to be capable of, but also of the unknown that forever would elude him.
I will know one day what lies in secret behind your leaves and fruit. And when that day comes…all of it I will be mine to use in whatever way I see fit, Lucifer thought, before turning to Gabriel and smiling at him.
Gabriel was left unaware of the true meaning of his smile. And behind Lucifer's contentment was where the first crack in Eden's perfection silently formed.