"But if it's not Lucifer, then who is it?"
And her excitement had reached an obvious peak:
"A new Nefilim of course miss Lopez."
"And this new Nefilim is?"
Asked Ella who could barely contain herself from staying on the couch next to Lucifer. With a mischievous wink at Ella Alexander straightened up. In an almost perfect imitation of Lucifer's accent and intonation, he theatrically pointed to his body:
"But miss Lopez, surely it goes without saying that this perfect specimen must be the new Nefilim."
Ella shouted:
"I knew it, you are the son of Lucifer!"
"Beatrice, too, had jumped up And continued to hop on her short legs:
"I knew it Lucifer doesn't hate children because he has one himself, you a son."
Alexander laughed at Trixie's enthusiasm:
"You're right Sunflower, Lucifer doesn't hate children. It is just that in the Silver City and Hell there are no young children like you so he is not accustomed to children like you."
Again he looked at Ella sternly as Linda and Daniel looked on in utter surprise:
"Indeed miss Lopez, my real name, which I don't often use, is Alexander Marcus Morningstar, Nefilim and Crown Prince of Hell and hopefully the new God. And that pile of misery leaning against you as much as you are leaning against him is my father, the Lightbringer!"
Every human present knew that what Lucifer had said was true. Celestials have a much greater resistance which allowed them to drink much larger amounts of alcohol. This without ever getting really drunk unless they tried extremely hard. Consequently, humans tried not to follow when the supernatural beings among them chugged one glass, or bottle, after another. But now they had earned a big sip. Alexander took his next drink. Ella who seemed to be on hot alert asked in rapid succession:
"You are a Nefilim, the son of Lucifer. I thought Lucifer couldn't have children?"
"In theory, Lucifer is right. It is Lot who made sure that an exception was possible. But once there was one, me, no second one could follow. No matter how much Amanadiel wished it Charlie could never be a Nefilim because I already existed. So yes Lucifer could sleep with anyone as much as he wanted and there would be no more children. This is also only partially true. Lucifer could have children with another Angel but that seems to be out of the question since all Angels are siblings."
Questioningly, Ella said:
"Yes that would be, hmm, very very eeuww. But you put emphasis around the word seems."
Alexander replied with a mischievous smile and pointed at her:
"Indeed but who says God cannot make new angels who are not related to the current Angels? Who says the Angelic Host cannot be expanded? In Heaven there is a potential of 80 billion souls and before you know it you have Angels that are not related to those that are there now and are compatible. Before you know it, you have a whole new generation of Angels who are born and not created."
He pointed to Azi and Crowley:
"And what about them there? Crowley loves children, and in Heaven, young children who cannot be directly linked to there family arrive frequently. Why shouldn't they be able to adopt? And I can assure everyone that they will be damn good parents! Am I good or am I good?"
"Your freaking good!"
Said Ella meaningfully but with a little sad smile. Alexander, meanwhile, had risen again and appeared before Ella.
"Stand up dear Ella."
He led her a little way away from the rest and said softly.
"Once you came into the path of my father I had research done on you. Please don't blame me for that because it is certainly not meant as spying for fun. This whole thing is so damn big that I simply cannot take any chances with anyone and I hold everyone against the light who is in his immediate vicinity. That's why I know what happened to you and what your greatest wish is. Do you trust me?"
With hope in her eyes and a lump in her throat, she nodded because she knew what would happen. The rest looked on uncomprehendingly.
"Raise your shirt a little bit."
She did as he asked with tears in her eyes:
Alexander put a hand on the spot where her uterus should have been if she had one left, if it had not been removed after a previous pregnancy that had ended almost fatally for her. Ella saw his hand light up in a divine gold and her whole lower body suddenly lit up as well. Alexander gave her a kiss on the cheek:
Softly he whispered in her ear:
"As good as new but perfect this time. Be a little careful though, don't give him a heart attack within the month, hmmm"
Ella walked back to her spot with watery eyes. Concerned, Lucifer asked very softly:
"Everything all right Ella dear?"
She replied:
"No Lu everything is not okay, everything is perfect."
Daniel who had been watching Ella and Lucifer intently and the almost magical attraction between them, now that Chloe was out of the picture, said enthusiastically:
"That's what you meant by reforms in Heaven and Hell by which you also pointed to Anthony and Azi."
Alexander nodded, poured his umpteenth drink and lit yet another cigarette:
"Indeed Daniel but not only that. Much more needs to change in Heaven and Hell. But listing those and the accompanying explanation would really take far too much time. So I hope you'll forgive me if I don't go into that right now. Once in operation, Lucifer will be able to bring you up to speed because I doubt he will want to settle permanently in Heaven now that he has Lux."
Lucifer nodded:
"I am quite willing to help you in this coup to knock the old man off his throne, with great pleasure even. I can't wait to see his mug when I appear in the throne room. But after that I certainly want to return to my life here on Earth if only partially. If the new God allows it of course."
He said that last part dubiously. Alexander threw his arms up in the air and replied kind of wearily:
"Why would I refuse that dad. If anyone has earned the right to live the life they want and enjoy it then with certainty that's you. Consider it a gift because you can retire from your position in Hell."
Ella smiled warmly at Alexander, Linda and Daniel nodded in agreement and a few tears appeared in Lucifer's eyes. The idea that his punishment would now end very soon and he would be completely free was almost too great to comprehend.
After a few seconds of absolute silence, Ella brought them back to the subject.
"When you talked about Jesus you said he was a Nefilim, however, you also said that there can only be one Nefilim, how is it that you could keep an eye on him, talk to him and even protect his family?"
"Think miss Lopez, think, a nerd like you knows the answer."
Said Alex with a rather mischievous smile on his face. She thought deeply for a few seconds and then her eyes shot wide open:
"Time travel, you're talking about time travel!"
"Bingo Miss Lopez, absolutely right."
"So how does that work, where do the Nefilim come from?"
Alexander thought for a moment how he could best explain that and wrap up the terrible things Godfry had done to them since Beatrice was also still listening so it had to stay a little kid-friendly.
"The only being in the universe that can be powerful enough to defeat God is a Nefilim. A being half human and half Angel. This is something Godfry has come to know through experience. Yet another proof that his omniscience is a fable. How did he come to know it? Millennia ago on Earth there was a very small community where a small group of Angels lived together with Humans. Godfry was unaware of any harm and so those few Angels were allowed to have their fun with Humans. He had created both races so that they could not reproduce with each other. That turned out to be not quite true after all when pregnancies arose. Frustrated more by his earlier mistake than anything else, he decided to just tweak the DNA of humans a bit and the problem was solved. For those few half-breeds out there or on the way, he made sure they could never reproduce. An effect that extended to me as well, I cannot have children, not with an Angel, not with a human."
With a sad look that concealed sadness, he spoke further:
"I'm never going to have children of my own courtesy of Godfry and his fiddling with DNA. Even if I am bound to the throne, I cannot change my own DNA without losing the connection to the throne. To this day we don't know why Jesus could. More than likely there is another error in his design. Because unlike me Jesus also did not have wings. The second problem also solved or at least he thought so. Until the first offspring reached the fifth year of its life and a burst of divinity shot through the Silver City. Its power told Godfry that the child once an adult, would have at least the same power to take it up against him. Amanadiel and a few zealots were instructed by Godfry to solve this problem once and for all. So they came down on the small community with full brutality. The Angels who lived there, male and female, had absolutely no experience in fighting. They were Angels of art, mercy, love. Not a danger to anyone. Their human partners? How could they be a danger to Godfry? Every living being in the community was killed, Angels and humans. The oldest child, just five years old. The youngest, not even born yet. And Amanadiel? After the slaughter, he rushed back to Godfry to proudly report that the job was done and receive his pat on the back."
Everyone present, the Demon and even the Angel looked shocked and horrified. Lucifer's eyes were ignited with Hellfire and looked in the direction of the guest-house as if he could get up and start taking Amanadiel to task at any moment. Linda looked as if she was going to puke at any moment. And Alexander had clearly seen Daniel take a moment to feel where his weapon was. Crowley, who had spent his entire existence on Earth protecting children even though he was a Demon had crushed his glass in anger. There were tears in Aziraphael's Eyes as he suddenly regretted being related to the Angels who had wrought this carnage. Before anyone could say anything or more than likely scream, Rae Rae appeared on the scene.
"You're right Alexander, as always."
She smiled softly at him. Wearily, she spoke further:
"The clock is ticking. I was called to father for the first time in thousands of years. All the souls of all the people who die from now on I must leave them waiting for 48 hours and that after those 48 hours I would have more than enough work. That I had to start with the souls going towards Hell. Gabriel is sure that after I leave, the Heavens gate will close so that I cannot return. So my punishment must end in my destruction..."
Is it safe for you to be away from Heaven?"
Alexander asked worriedly in a soft voice:
"Right now and for the next few hours it is. He is now so deep in a trance on the throne to retrieve enough power so he can destroy everything and he will have to do that a few more times. So we have a little over 48 hours."
With a sob and two thick tears on her cheeks that left a trail, she continued in a broken voice:
"I asked him for help as if I thought he would only destroy the Earth because afterwards there would be billions of souls that I had to sort out. I was told that this was my problem. That I should never have helped Lucifer and that I was lucky that he had allowed me to stay alive."
Lucifer jumped up and took his favorite sister in his arms followed by Ella. Lucifer said with obvious pain in his voice:
"Rae Rae I'm sorry, I should never have involved you in my rebellion..."
Azrael pushed him away slightly so she could literally look up and into her brother's eyes:
"Sometimes you are a real idiot Lu. Not everything is about you. Yes you are the Lightbringer but it is your light that draws truth from the darkness. Yes your rebellion has brought misery and pain to some of us. But that would have happened anyway with or without your rebellion. It is your light that has continued to shine in the Silver City so that more and more of our brothers and sisters are on your side. Impatiently they are trampling until the moment of freedom or death. They no longer settle for less. It is your son who carries your light in him that we are going to follow if necessary in death."
She first gave Lucifer a gentle kiss on the cheek and then Ella.
"If all goes well we will have an eternity to talk. But now I am here for other things."
She looked at Alexander:
"My Lord?
"In the bedroom Charlie"
and he pointed with his thumb to the room where Linda had put the baby to sleep.
"Then Beatrice, Daniel, Ella and Linda please."
"Will do"
And Rae Rae made her way. Like a concerned father, Daniel asked:
"What is she going to do?"
"Rae Rae can remove people and thus their souls from the sight of Godfry and thus the Zealots who are on his side. No matter how well these are going to do their best they cannot find you. In addition, I have placed my marker on each of you so I know where you are at all times. If there's an Angel that I don't know or don't quite trust and it gets a little too close to you, it will set off some kind of alarm and I'll be able to pull that Angel back into Heaven. It's just a precaution Daniel in case some Zealot slips through the cracks. I don't like leaving anything to chance, especially when you guys are so important to my father. By the way, Antony and Azi are going to hang around LA for a while when all the commotion is over just to play it safe."
Lucifer was impressed and grateful that Alexander took such trouble for people he did not know but who had become oh so important for him over the years. Rae Rae came out of the bedroom and very briefly put her hand on the heads of the others Alexander had listed.
"So, all gone."
She said with a smile.
"Thank you Rae Rae. Gabe and Michael are making final preparations. Only a few more hours and this misery will finally be over for everyone. When it's time for Raffa to show up, Michael will have Lucifer's battle gear laid out in readiness. Will you ask our absent-minded healer to be sure to bring it?"
He gave her another gentle kiss on the cheek and she was gone again.
It remained silent for a moment. Alexander had plopped down in his seat. Celine reached for his drink after which she took his hand in hers and squeezed it encouragingly for a moment.
"Are you ready Lucifer the Light Bringer?"
He asked as he looked tightly at his father. The latter nodded slowly and then did something he hadn't done since his fall. He stood up and knelt:
"Yes My Lord, I am ready. I will follow you to the death if necessary!"
"While we still have time. Would you like to go rest? I know humans need more sleep than us Celestials. There are rooms prepared for you."
Ella laughed for a moment:
"Alexander if you think any of us can sleep now you are crazy. In a few hours there is going to be a coup in Heaven and if it fails everything and everyone will be gone in less than 48 hours. No I think we can go a few hours without sleep."
In a small voice Beatrice said:
"I would love to hear the rest of the story but..."
Alexander laughed:
"Yes I know, you're still young and sleepy. I could fix that."
He looked at Daniel and asked:
"Is it okay if I give her a little energy boost? It is not dangerous at all, she will just be fully awake and on her feet for a while."
Daniel pondered this for a moment and concluded that Alexander had not done anything all evening that could endanger them, on the contrary he had done an extraordinary amount to keep them safe. If there was anyone he could believe blindly it was him. He nodded accordingly. Alexander laid a finger for a moment on Trixie's hand who had to giggle because it seemed a slight tingling had gone through her whole body.
"That was strange and pleasant at the same time. Again!"
She laughed with a broad smile that welcomed Alexander after all the evening's emotions. He said:
"Sorry Sunflower can't, otherwise you'll be hopping around here like a mini kangaroo."
An elongated
"Cooool"
escaped the girl which also made the others present smile.
"Okay the rest of the history of my predecessors Nefilim. The community was Godfry's first experience with the existence of Nefilim. Angels and humans could not have children together since that debacle. Strangely enough, as if out of nowhere, Nefilim still show up. The next time he observed one or two, and we the small group of conspirators have not yet figured that out, and the answer to that will have to wait until I am on the throne, he could not precisely locate him or them. Or he was able to locate them exactly. The answer again depends on whether there were one or two. Godfry knew that the child or children could be in one or two specific places."
He looked at Ella:
"Any idea Ella which two places that might have been?"
Without hesitation she replied almost pleadingly:
"Please don't say Sodom and Gomorrah!"
"Alas Ella. It was indeed those two cities. Not comparable of course to our present-day metropolises like LA with millions of inhabitants. But it was still quite large for that time. Several thousands of inhabitants together because he was afraid of one child, one Nefilim. And we already know that the last Nefilim appeared on the scene about two thousand years ago and how that ended. Unfortunately, the real father of Jesus could not be a constant presence because Godfry began to watch his angels more and more as his paranoia increased. This lack of guidance and training created two very undesirable side effects. First, he fell like a log for the Godfry as described in the Torah, and he remained loyal to that image. Second, he began performing miracles left and right, making the blind see again, the lame walk again, turning water into wine, and so on. At the end, when Jesus was pulled into Heaven by God, he was euphoric at first because he was finally in the presence of his God and every Angel. He thought he would be rewarded for his good works in the name of Godfry but soon came up cold. He was simply swept out of existence straight into nothingness. No afterlife, no Heaven, no Hell, just nothingness. And the father of this Nefilim? This one had to watch his son being destroyed without being able to give a single sign."
A few tears ran down Ella's cheeks and Lucifer had pulled her into an embrace. Softly Alexander said to Ella:
"I've always been happy to be there and do something for The Magdala, Sarah and David. Especially seeing you sitting here and now Ella."
She looked at him and asked:
"So did you follow and help their entire bloodlines?"
"No, that would be impossible. The first few generations yes, after that it became increasingly difficult. With each new generation there was exactly one child in Sarah's bloodline to whom the inner power was transmitted. The more side branches arose in the family tree the more difficult it became to follow everything exactly. But when I come across a descendant I notice it immediately because I had given Sarah a marker and it also passes on to the next blessed one. With Decker it is unfortunately different because she really should not have existed since her mother was barren and her father was not the blessed in the bloodline. Because Godfry intervened directly through Amanadiel, she remained off my radar. You Ella are different, Rae Rae recognized you immediately and informed me via via so I could keep an eye on you and steer you a bit away from the darkness to the light. Sarah was the first in your bloodline, you the last for now."
"Moment, Rae Rae said she was startled because I could see her and that was why she kept visiting me."
"Quite right. You, like everyone else, shouldn't have been able to see her. Now we know it's probably a side effect of the bloodline, of the blessing and that marker. Rae Rae had never had a false alarm before in your bloodline hence her shock and her idiotic reaction."
"What about you?"
Asked Ella:
"You are the son of Lucifer. But then who is your mother? Is she also from one of the bloodlines?"
"Very clever miss Lopez. Indeed my mother was from the bloodline of Sarah. Which brings us again to a riddle I have yet to solve. You were born while my mother was still alive and so you both received the blessing and marker."