Dawn
Gorgon, an immortal that had fallen out of favor with Elyon, was a renegade that had tried to unseat Elyon from the Celestial Throne of Power. He wanted to rule as the supreme god and had ideas of his own as to how eternity in the Celestial Realms should be. In the beginning of his existence, he was known as Lumiel. He was the most intelligent and most beautiful of all the immortals. Standing at just over nine feet tall, Lumiel was considered average in stature. His height was the only thing average about him though. His face was that of strong beauty and grace, with skin the color of bronze. His uncommon green eyes were like polished emeralds. Flowing down his muscular shoulders and back, his nearly white locks of golden hair were unlike any other immortal. The platinum colored wings upon his back were a perfect complement and contrast to the rest of his form. Every bit of him glowed with an inner strength and fiery determination, a brilliance that only paled to Elyon Himself. If it can be summed up in a simple way, his beauty was like that of a morning star.
On this given occasion, Lumiel was in his home, a Celestial palace of gold, marble and light. Being impressed with his abilities and beauty, he enjoyed constant reminding. His palace contained many pieces of polished gold, silver and brass. He used them to gaze upon his likeness while he planned a coup with one of his closest cohorts.
“Lumiel, what can you do to overpower Elyon? You are no match for Him who created all.” Ipos asked.
To prove his point without speaking, Lumiel changed his shape. He stood and strode across the room of mirrored objects. As the distance between them narrowed, Ipos faced himself and both immortals smiled. Then one of them changed into the form of a lion and then into Elyon.
“Alright, you have made your point plain. You will use your power how?” Ipos began, leaning against a nearby pillar.
The form of Elyon replied, “The easiest way to bring on the change of power will be through deception. I will deceive our brethren and Elyon as well.”
Lumiel reverted to his true form as he stepped closer to his friend. The two stood only a few feet apart as he leaned in to whisper, “To begin, I need the others to believe that I am unhappy with this form Elyon has given me.”
Ipos pondered the idea, his brow furrowing in thought. “Well, it will need to be a drastic change.”
“Of course.” Lumiel replied. He smiled, and continued, “I still wish to be beautiful. It has aided me in many ways.”
“You would not want to lose the influence that brings!” Ipos mocked playfully.
Lumiel glared at his friend. After a moment his eyes softened a bit as he turned away and spoke as if he was alone. “I can always change back when I am safely in power, not that it really matters.”
“But what shape will bring about the desired effect? You will need to shock some into disbelief and others into unwavering belief.”
“Yes, what shape indeed?” Lumiel cooed slyly.
Of all the things that Elyon had made, Lumiel admired and was jealous of a more recently created being. Although it was a lower immortal, living within his realm of earth, it was something beautiful and completely unique. He had studied its mannerisms and learned all he could about what made it different. It would do perfectly. Ipos watched in stunned silence as his friend’s shape altered. Lumiel turned around and approached him. His jaw dropped and he stammered as his hands became clammy and his heart raced.
“Wha….wha…. what are you?”
Lumiel stood inches from her friend. Ipos was clearly affected by the change. This is exactly what she hoped would happen to more of her brethren she met. Her wings came up to brush against his. Her voice was low and seductive, “I am now female, one of only two female immortals in existence.”
She turned from him and walked around her room of mirrors, twisting and turning, to see every curve and crevice. Her Guardian clothing was not designed for the female physique and her mostly bare chest was clearly a distraction for Ipos.
“I cannot see if it is correct. Ipos! Are you still with me? Quit staring and help me out of this robe.” Lumiel called as she gestured to him with an outstretched arm.
Doing as he was told, he helped her out of the robe and dropped it to the marble floor. He stepped back as Lumiel stretched her wings and flexed her newly changed muscle groups. Her build was still muscular, but slighter and with more curves. She was also shorter by nearly a foot, with longer legs and smaller torso. Her hair was now the darkest obsidian, flowing down graceful and strong shoulders. Her soft, perfect skin was now the purest shade of frost. Instead of hair and skin that radiated its own inner brilliance, it was now as if her hair devoured light while her skin reflected it back. The only things that remained unchanged, from her previous form, were her alluring green eyes. Being directly linked to each other, the eyes and soul cannot be changed.
“I am pleased!” she breathed excitedly.
Ipos had regained his composure and was trimming the hem of her robe as she had been studying herself.
“It is a very clever disguise, but what of Mikhail? He is Captain of the Guardians and known to be the closest in spirit with Elyon. He stated as he finished his work. He stood and crossed the room to where Lumiel stood, wrapped in her wings.
“Mikhail is of no concern to me. My power is greater than his. If pitted against each other, he will not win.”
He could see from her smile, she was proud of herself and what her appearance had done to him. The seed of pride had taken root. It festered like a cancer and began consuming her. It made her bold and brazen.
“In this at least, have no fear. Your beauty is still second to none.” He said as he helped her wear the robe more modestly.
She slapped his hands away.
“No! This is who I am for now. I have no fear, which is why I will not hide myself. It is time to meet with our brethren and they will see me as female… in all its glory!”
* * *
She was a charismatic and persuasive force to be reckoned with and she quickly became the first temptress. In secret meetings, Lumiel was able to convince many immortals to follow her. The majority of the hosts were content to leave things as they were, but a large number changed allegiance with only the promise of a better eternity.
Elyon would frequently leave the immortals in Lumiel’s care and spend time on earth with His creation. During these brief periods of opportunity, Lumiel would assume Elyon’s form and cause strife with certain breeds of immortals. His previous experience, as the second head on the Judgment Council of the Celestial Court, provided him with the knowledge of the politics of eternity. He knew exactly what to do and say, in just the way that Elyon would, pretending to be Him. He easily stirred up hard feelings against Elyon.
He would later visit these same immortals, as the seductive female Lumiel. She would confide in them that even she was unhappy with Elyon and the form He had originally given her. She promised better treatment under her rule and all she needed was their assistance when the time was right. In this way, she was able to drive many to her cause. A few stubborn immortals were harder to convince. Like a true politician and lawyer, Lumiel bought these with the trade of power.
The power was given regardless of the outcome. Being the king of the earth, Lumiel had promised away some of her different governing abilities and responsibilities to some of these lesser immortals. Giving the powers away did not matter to her. She would soon have all the power she could ever want in the Throne. It was the source of Elyon’s link to this plane of reality. Without it, He could not exist in this version of eternity.
She was confident of success, now controlling one third of the hosts. Members of all breeds of immortal flocked to Lumiel. She commanded fragments of the holy Serafi and Karubi, a few of her own Archae kin, some Kyrio and Virtae and most of the Principea. Her long-awaited scheme was ready and she reveled in her dream to become the lord of all creation.
* * *
Lumiel had grown comfortable with the gender change and confident when in his new appearance. He was content in knowing that He had also gathered a third of the Host to his cause. He decided it was time to present herself to Elyon and what better time then during the daily assembly?
He was happy to be one of the last few to arrive, as it would make for a grander entrance. He stood on his mansion’s rooftop and watched as the stragglers streamed towards Elyon’s Palace and the throne room. He changed into his female sized robe and strapped on his Celestial sword. It was commonplace to see him in the assembly with a sword. It was his right as High Lord Guardian.
He began to shrink in size while his hair color changed. His bulk softened and the robe shifted out of place, like she knew it would. Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed, “Ah, that is better. I think I like this form enough to stay this way forever.”
Her confidence was complete and her inner glow radiated from her skin like pure white heat. She shot into the air and streaked towards the Celestial Palace and the Throne of Power.
High above the great expanse, Lumiel admired the Celestial City that would soon be hers. The maze of golden streets was dotted with a remnant of immortals on their way to the Palace. The immortals were surrounded on all sides by other gleaming mansions. She swooped down in a graceful arc and circled Elyon’s Palace.
The pillars of pearl that surrounded the main courtyard glistened with an ever-changing rainbow of color. Light danced across the jewels of every type and size that encrusted them. She flew to one of the skyway openings in the roof. She landed in a grand flurry of wings and was received with mixed emotions by the assembled hosts. Some were disgusted with what she had done to herself. It was obvious these were immortals that only thought she was unhappy with her form. Others were excited, knowing the time had come and that Lumiel was ready.
From the throne, Elyon’s attention was drawn to the noise and shuffling of the assembly of the hosts. Immortal bodies began to part like a river whose flow is interrupted. When He saw her, even from the great distance, Elyon was not happy that Lumiel would be so bold. His face darkened. He did not approve of this blasphemous change, or the immodest display of her form.
All of Elyon’s creations were perfection. How could Lumiel be so blind as to incur His wrath this way? As His anger grew, Elyon knew that this physical change was only the beginning of what she was capable of. He had to punish this impudence. A reckoning had to be paid, as a lesson to the other immortals. They had to be shown that this sort of action would be dealt with swiftly and without prejudice.
As the entire immortal host continued gathering, energy began to grow in the throne room. Anticipation combined with anger to make an intoxicating air that crackled with nearly uncontrolled energy. Lumiel was drunk with the effects of it and the impossibility of the task she was about to complete. Elyon’s voice was a low rumbling that echoed throughout all eternity as He voiced an official decree:
“My creation has been defiled this day. For this selfish act of abomination, I decree that Lumiel be known as the evil temptress Gorgon from this day forward. She is stripped of her duties as lord of the Guardians.”
Elyon had barely finished speaking when a roar went up from within the hosts. Gorgon and her immortals attacked!
Swords were drawn and wings were unfurled. Guardians, along with other immortals still true to Elyon, charged into the fray. Immortal blood stained the golden floors and ivory walls of the Celestial Palace’s throne room. Trees that grew in and around the throne room and palace began to burn from the release of celestial energies. Swords rang off shields, armor and wings. Celestial fire of all types and colors blackened wings, burned garments and completely incinerated some other fixtures within the palace.
Gorgon had every intention of destroying Elyon and anyone that got in her way. The Celestial City had never seen war before, but this didn’t seem like a war. Wars usually last for more than a moment, for it truly was the briefest moment in eternity. No sooner had the enemy begun its advance towards the throne, Elyon proved that nothing in creation has ever, or will ever, know the full extent of His power. Gorgon and her minions barely had a chance to defend themselves when Elyon slowed reality.
He stood up and raised His right hand, and with little more than a thought, both sides of the hosts froze where they were. Some immortals had already vaporized in showers of golden brilliance, to begin a regeneration cycle, while a few here and there were in different degrees of disappearing. All remaining could see and hear what was about to occur, but all were still as stone.
Anger mixed with sadness on Elyon’s face. He stepped down from His throne and released the effects of His power on Mikhail.
“My Lord of the Guardians!” He called out, as He disappeared from the front of the throne. He reappeared in front of His Captain and continued in a calmer voice.
“I will remove this insolent third of the hosts. I first want to know your heart in these events.”
He already knew Mikhail’s allegiance was sound. He wanted everyone present to know it too.
“Doing Your will is my only desire.” Mikhail replied.
“This pleases Me.” Elyon said with a smile and He continued. “I will not be moved by wrath in My judgment. I wish to show all who remain, that you have now assumed the roles of Second Head on the Judgment Council and High Lord Guardian. You will determine the fate of these infidels. Walk with Me.”
Master and Captain walked together, sadly taking in the carnage that scarred the beauty of eternity. They stopped directly in front of Gorgon.
Anger and hatred for Mikhail burned within her, as hot as any fire in the Celestial Forges.
“My Lord,” Mikhail began, “as a Guardian, the warrior in me would be unwise and say that they should be wiped from existence. As Your Council member however, I would say that they are to be banished. They should be stripped of all rights of passage in the Celestial Realms and their powers should be limited from here on; if it pleases You.”
“You are akin to My will, Mikhail.” Elyon said. “It will be done as you decree, with one slight adjustment.”
Elyon then released His hold on all but the offending horde. The immortals that had remained loyal, watched in silence as the offenders were launched, like a volley of missiles, from the Celestial Realms. They fell to the earth as a meteor shower. These cast out immortals still had some powers of their own, but their power was greatly reduced.
Gorgon was still held fast by Elyon’s power. She anxiously waited for some other punishment to be given. As the remaining host watched and waited, Elyon continued,
“Your punishment is more severe than simple banishment. In this, Mikhail was all too lenient. You have promised away some of your earthly rights. What power you retain, like your new brethren, will forever be linked to the earth. Its life will sustain you but as for your ability to alter your form, you can never assume the visage of another immortal. You can be this abomination, or as I have created you. You may appear as a mortal creature but I have doubts you will. Few cater to your pride in beauty. One thing more, you may on occasion seek an audience with Me. This I will allow, if it suits Me.”
Elyon turned his back to the traitor and released His hold on her.
As quick as thought, she made one last act of desperation. She pulled her sword and arced an overhead swing at His head. Mikhail was faster. As Captain of the Guardians and host, he had trained with weapons his entire existence. Gorgon’s blade clanged, sparked and streaked flames off his as Mikhail parried the blow and effortlessly rolled his back down her arm. He stopped the rotation at her shoulder and forcibly released her grip on the flaming weapon. The exchange had not surprised Elyon and He continued His march to the Throne.
“You shame yourself this day, Gorgon.” Mikhail spat the name from his lips.
Gorgon looked down and witnessed her sword hit the floor. The flames winked out and she too was then launched from the heavenlies.
On His throne, Elyon pondered the little more than a dozen Principea who Gorgon had given power to. They would rule over the different realms of the earth. He was unconcerned with this shift of power and had left it as it was. He knew that at least it was power that Gorgon would never have again.