“Demon. Evil. Satan. Lucifer. Winter. All of that and some more. I’ve been called so many names, that now it’s hard to recall the first one, the one I was baptized with. But man, I was powerful! I was the most powerful of all God’s creation, the only one that would hold Heaven with one hand and never get tired. I was the only one whose powers could compete with God’s and even defeat him if I wanted to do so.”

“That’s why you’re sitting there like that now, huh?”

“Boy, you were but an idea when I was first released on Earth. You – you are made of mud and spit, so you have no right to address me in any other way but in a prayer while kissing the floor. And even so, it would have taken eons before I would answer to your insipid calling. So, mind your tongue in my presence, will you?”

“You talk of days that died thousands of years ago. We do not worship you anymore, demon!”

“Oh, but you’d be surprised to know how many ‘fans’ I still have. Millions. More than half of Earth’s population. Oh, but you can’t find them! They’re so well hidden, perfectly blended into society, that you won’t be able to identify them. Of course, you might find one or two, but you’ll be dead before getting to the core of my secret society, dear Kim Sunggyu. Trust my words for I have seen the future. Tell him… brother.”

“I’m not your brother!” The celestial sword rested its tip in the skin of my neck. “I will kill you! I swear on all Heavens that I will kill you and take your head to Father!”

Looking towards the dark ceiling, I began laughing so hard that the chains around my beaten body shook, sending electric shocks through all the fibers of my muscles. “Oh, Michael, Michael! I almost forgot how much of a warrior you are. Tell me something: being around these unworthy beings affected your hearing? Because I can still hear Heavens cry even now, after being locked out for so long.”

“What is he saying, Mike?”

That human! That worthless being! That maggot in the of a worm!

But even so, I laughed. It didn’t matter that my body was being burned from inside out, it didn’t matter how much it hurt – everything was ephemeral. Everything but my rage.

“Tell him, Mike,” I looked the archangel in the eyes, not minding the thunderstorm inside the dark irises.

“Tell me what?” Kim Sunggyu, the Marked One trembled on the angel’s side. It was time to reap the whirlwind.*

“There is a rumor that…” Michael was starting to doubt his own purpose. I could see it. I could feel it like the hound can smell the rabbit, I could smell my brother’s fear digging into his holy bones. “That God has left Heaven.”

“Has left Heaven?! B-But how can that be?! He’s… God! How can he leave Heaven?!” The human’s eyes finally opened, rounding up. The Marked One was ready.

“Has left Heaven is a very weak way of explaining the facts,” I looked into Kim Sunggyu’s eyes, hiding my disgust under a gentle smile. “I would put it this way –”

“Don’t you dare!” Michael hissed, his sword’s blade pressing against my skin.

“What, brother, are you afraid your protege will choose a different path? Stop kidding around! He should know the truth before choosing his side, don’t you think so?”

“Lucifer!” He growled and a drop of blood trickled down the blade of his celestial weapon. “You’re forcing my hand here, ‘brother’.”

“Oh, should I be scared? Oh, let me check my pants and see if I in them. Surprise, surprise, they’re all clean,” I smirked, blowing my wet bangs away from my eyes. “Now, where were we? Oh, yeah! I was about to tell our dear, dear Kim Sunggyu that God is dead. Oops! Have I revealed too much, brother?”

“See you in Hell, brother!” He swung his sword and I almost saw myself beheaded.

“Stop, Mike!” Kim Sunggyu’s intervention must have came from Heaven, ‘cause there’s no way I want to be indebted to him otherwise. “Demon, if what you’re saying is true, then how come Michael is here to protect me?” He approached my luminous cage, not minding the freezing cold of the thunder bars.

I yanked my head backwards, laughing like there was no tomorrow. “You know, for a human, you’re quite a funny fellow. Didn’t he tell you why he’s here? Didn’t you, Michael?” I turned to the archangel who was all thunders and lightning. “He’s not here to protect you, Kim Sunggyu. You think too highly of yourself. He’s here to keep me away from turning into what I used to be.”

“What you used to be?”

I looked at the angel outside my cage and I remembered everything that was imprisoned inside my mind. And then I knew that God was indeed dead.

“You know, for an angel, you think a little too much, brother,” I stared at him, following the wet trail a drop of sweat was leaving down his temple and harden jaw. “What happened to ‘obey or suffer’? I think you’re a little to attached to this human, Michael.”

“It was Father’s will to protect this human,” he spat back. “But what would you know about obeying, demon? You’re nothing but a worthless demon now. I mean, look at you: imprisoned by a mere thunder cage, your bones broken and your flesh burning like that of low demons. Congratulation, Lucifer, you’ve become what it was written you’d be!”

My whirlwind was ready to be reaped.

“And you, brother Michael, you’ve became what you were afraid of – another me,” I smirked and yanked my chains that broke, falling in the black hole under my feet while my wings unveiled themselves black as the darkness of Oblivion, sending the thunder bars of my cage flying in all directions. “You know, there’s a reason why God hid all of my memories,” I appeared behind Michael, restraining him with my arm around his neck. “Because you’d feel inferior to my mighty powers, dear Michael. Or should I call you ‘Suho’, like the ancient people were calling you? Or maybe, just maybe I should call you like Father used to since I’m next in line to the throne… Kim Joon Myun.”

“Lucifer!” The human called. “Begone, demon!” He splashed holy water in my face as soon as I gave in temptation and turned around. And on top of all that, he even pressed a cross against my forehead, babbling a prayer in Latin.

“As much as I hate to interrupt you, you should know that an exorcism can’t kill angels. Or hurt them. Or make them disappear,” I wrinkled my nose as I pushed his hand aside, wiping away the water dripping on my face. “And I had a bath right before this – this great capture.”

“B-But… it’s impossible!” He stepped backwards, quickly taken under the wing of Suho. “You’re a demon! Everyone knows you’re a demon! You were chased away from Heaven because of your pride! You rebelled against God’s will and you fell. You’re… no angel.”

It’s curious how rage can make one even more powerful.

In an instant, Suho was flying across the room and I had Kim Sunggyu trapped in my grasp. Humans! So easily to crush! I could have killed him right then and there! But then again…

“I am an angel to the bone! I am the first creation of God, the one and true son of the Supreme Father! I am Kim Woo Bin, the Commander of all Heavens. You know my name, not my story. So don’t pretend you know me just by reading those stupid book you call Bible. ‘Cause you know nothing about me. Nothing!”

And I knocked him out…