Consider the Inferno

By Cameron McCurry

**Flaming
Feather**

All in all, I must admit that the past few thousand years have served to reinforce my position. Every day, each new disaster, each new cruelty has screamed out to Heaven that we were in the right to try and change things.

Just a shame that Heaven can't see things so clearly.

When I lived in Heaven, I was there to help shape the world. David, Malphas, Gabriel and I began to help with the world's forging. I coaxed the lava up from the center and sent it out on the land. The Earth was so hot then. Centuries later, I would pattern my Principality after that. The land was pure and molten and cleansed everything before it.

I always appreciate having that reminder here.

The millennia came and went. The earth cooled and life emerged. Gabriel was granted the Word of Fire and I went to his service. At first, I was happy for her. I did want the Word of Fire, but it was decided that she was the better caretaker. I wasn't jealous of her at all. It never occurred to you to feel that way. And she chose me to cleanse the world in fire from time to time. Not against the humans; no no...that part of the Word hadn't even been considered yet. But there was dead growth in the forests that needed to make room for new plants, volcanoes needed to be encouraged to erupt to encourage growth.

Fire is the most effective agent of change that God ever saw fit to create.

After the Eden disaster, I felt the stirrings of discontent. I wasn't happy with the whole notion that people were placed above us. Gabriel was suddenly charged with weeding out the cruel amongst them. I took to that task with enthusiasm but was reigned in by that bootlicking Soldekai. We were not meant to wipe out the whole race, we were only supposed to target the cruel, blah blah blah.

It was shortly after that when Lucifer summoned me. The Archangel of Light saw my misery. At first I was afraid that he was going to point out my failings to Gabriel and have me destroyed for going against her laws. But he talked to me. For the first time in my life, someone else was talking to me as an equal. Someone listened to the questions I had, someone understood.

And when we overthrew God, he whispered to me, I would have the Word of Fire.

Most people taunt me with that, saying I was deluded to think that we would overthrow God. While they slowly burn to death, I remind them that we were in Heaven at the time, where you cannot lie.

I threw myself into the Revolution completely. I slaughtered the weak angels that bowed down to Gabriel. I attacked him directly, seeking to burn him up and out. But fear and desperation give you a strength that is tough to match. He stripped me of many of my Forces, and slew my loyal followers. Yes, I did flee the Volcano and his presence then. I wasn't stupid. I wanted to live, if only to finally prove Gabriel wrong.

I jumped with the others and we plummeted to Hell. I saw the Lightbringer come up to me days later, still healing from his wounds. He smiled at me as I knelt before him and he touched my shoulder.

"Stand now, Belial, Demon of Fire. You have much work ahead of you."

Then he walked away from me. I joyfully heard the Symphony shriek in pain as I sang myself a Song of dedication to Fire. Even now, my word throbs in counterpoint to Gabriel and it festers like an open wound in that bitch's mind. I know she wants to kill me. But it doesn't matter.

I am free to cleanse the world in flames. And until the Last Trumpet sounds, there is nothing she can do to me.

**Flaming
Feather**

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