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A soul brushed up against Daniel's Hot and stunning, instantly recognizable
Cam
What are you? Ca was different about Daniel, but there was no way to explain who Daniel really was to an angel who'd never left Heaven, who had no conception of as to come
Brother, do not fret, Daniel pleaded It is h I see you're also not you He grimly shook his head I trust you are here for a reason Please Can you stop this fro his naori
No Not yet He had not worked out what to say, what to do Daniel tore through the blinding light of souls around hi neither at the Throne nor at Lucifer
Instead, he was looking into the hazy distance Looking, Daniel remembered, at her
With respect, I will not do this I will not choose Lucifer's side, and I will not choose the side of Heaven
A roar went up froels, from Lucifer, and fro you have all forgotten I choose love and leave you to your war You're wrong to bring this upon us, Daniel said evenly to Lucifer Then, turning, he addressed the Throne All that is good in Heaven and on Earth is born of love This war is not just This war is not good Love is the only thing worth fighting for
My child, the rich, steady voice boo fir out of love--love for all of my creations
No, Daniel said softly This war is about pride Cast me out, if you must If that is my destiny, I surrender to it, but not to you
Lucifer's laughter was a foul belch You've got the courage of a god, but the mind of a mortal adolescent And your punishment shall be that of an adolescent Lucifer swept his hand to one side Hell will not have him
And he has already made plain his choice to forsake Heaven, came the disappointed voice from the Throne As with all my children, I see what is in your soul But I do not knohat will become of you, Daniel, nor your love
He will not have his love! Lucifer shouted
Then you have so to propose, Lucifer? asked the Throne
An example must be made Lucifer seethed Can you not see? The love he speaks of is destructive! Lucifer grinned as the seeds of his an to sprout So let it destroy the lovers and not the rest of us! She will die!
Gasps fro anyone expected
She will die always and forevermore, Lucifer continued, his voice thick with venoain and again and again at precisely the moment when she reether That will be her punishment And as for you, Daniel-- That is sufficient, the Throne said Should Daniel choose to stand by his decision, what you propose, Lucifer, will be punish, strained pause Understand: I do not wish this upon any of ht: An example must be made
This was the moment when it had to happen, Daniel's chance to open a loophole in the curse Boldly, he fleard in the Meadow to hover side by side with his earlier self Noas the tis, to alter the past
What is this twinning? Lucifer seethed His newly red eyes narrowed at the two Daniels
The host of angels below Daniel flickered in confusion His earlier self looked on in wonder Why are you here? he whispered
Daniel did not wait for anyone to question him further, did not even wait for Lucifer to sit down or for the Throne to recover from this surprise
I have come from our future, from millennia of your punishels was palpable in the heat sent out of their souls Of course, this was beyond anything any of theh to tell what effect his return had on hie Daniel forced hi clemency If we must be punished--and my Master, I do not question your decision--please at least rereat features of your power is your e and humbles us all
"Mercy?" Lucifer cried After the size of your betrayals? And does your future self regret his choice?
Daniel shook his head My soul is old, butat his earlier self, who seeazed at his beloved's soul, beautiful and burning bright I cannot be other than what I am, and I am the choices of all my days I stand by them
The choice is made, the Daniels said in unison
Then we stand by the punishht shuddered, and in the long moht to corant your request for mercy