Lemuria by Burt Clinchandhill (most popular novels of all time .txt) 📗

Ramiel’s talons moved fast and cut deep. Staggering back, I clutched the throbbing cut on my chest. I knew Ramiel was trying to get close to me, something I could not let happen at all costs.

The battle continued to rage above, and angels fell all around us. Too many of my brothers were falling, giving our wayward brothers the upper hand. Somehow Rampel had gotten the best of Sandolphan and electrocuted him with waves of lightning. Sandolphan let out agonizing screams, but we were incapable of helping him. Raphael still tangled with Forcas, and I had my hands full with Ramiel.

Help soon arrived in the form of a fully-recovered Michael who blindsided Rampel with a tremendous blow. Rampel tumbled in the sand but rolled back to his feet quickly. My wayward brother looked a little uneasy about retaliating once he figured out Michael had hit him, but Rampel never backed down from a fight. Michael easily avoided his attack and kicked him to the ground once more.

“Rampel, stay down!” Michael ordered. “I do not want to hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” Rampel repeated. “There is nothing you can do to hurt me more than you already have, traitor!”

Michael shook with anger. “I did not betray you, brother! I am only doing what I must, what I was commanded to do.”

“Spoken like a true servant.” Rampel spat as he stood. “I am sure this Adam will be satisfied with you.” He vanished and a moment later reappeared behind Michael. Before he could strike, Michael backhanded him. As Rampel stumbled back, he grabbed the glaive from underneath his robe and threw it. Michael caught the black weapon with his free hand and dropped it on the ground.

“Enough, Rampel!” Michael shouted. “Regardless of how angry you are with me, the fact still remains that you cannot beat me!”

“Beat you?” Rampel wiped the blood from his nose. “Who said I had to beat you?”

Rampel vanished as a sphere of fire soared toward Michael from behind. My brother dropped to the ground, barely avoiding it.

“Did you believe it would be that easy?” Lucifer’s tone was calm but loud enough for us to hear as he walked off the water and onto the island.

We were in serious trouble now. Michael quickly retrieved his sword and charged Lucifer. They clashed near the center of the small island, entering into a deadlock. Not too far away, I fired an arrow towards Ramiel that split into dozens as it soared towards him. Ramiel could not dodge them all. I quickly turned my attention to Lucifer and tried to line up a perfect shot.

I was so focused that I barely noticed Douma sneaking up on me. Douma struck me in the head with the blunt end of his colossal axe. My massive wayward brother could have placed a halo on me then. Instead, Douma lifted me up, holding me tightly. I was not sure what he was doing until Ramiel landed in front of me, laughing.

“Gabriel!” He laughed. “You are not looking so good, brother.” I knew exactly what he was trying to do.

“Gabriel... Gabriel!” Ramiel’s voice echoed throughout my head. “Now which one of our brothers shall we hurt first? Raphael, Sandy, or should we use that bow of yours to take down all the traitors fighting above us? No!” He laughed. “We shall help our big brother bind Michael!”

I tried resisting him, but I slowly felt him gaining control of my body. I was slipping into oblivion.

Ramiel said something I would never forget. “Stop resisting me, brother. Father is not coming to save you.”

Throughout the entire battle that was the only fixed thought in my head. At any moment, our Father would come and halt the fighting.

However, he never came, and I was scared. We were all scared. Even my big brother, who I once believed to be fearless, was scared. If only he had waited instead of acting so rashly. Maybe everything would have been different.

Everything went black as I slipped into oblivion. The darkness was heavy, but in it I saw a golden flash of light. Immediately, I thought Father was coming to save me. The nothingness , the flash of light—all of it reminded me of the very beginning.

***

Now that I think about it, all of this must be confusing. It may be better if I restart this story from the very beginning. Before the war, before we heard His name, even before the creation of the Heavens and Earth. Please let me begin again.

In the beginning, there was my father and nothing else. Now, I cannot tell you where my father came from or how long he was by himself, since time did not exist at this point. What I can tell you is that before my father created the Heavens and the Earth, He created us. We were known by many names, but you may know us best as Archangels. I remember hearing my name being called and seeing a bright, bright light, and then there I hovered in the middle of a void before my father. Father went by many names too: the Alpha and Omega, the Creator, the Almighty. We usually preferred to call him Father or Jehovah. I cannot explain in words what it felt like to be in His presence. One day, you will get a chance to experience that for yourself.

After calling my name, Father did not say anything else to me. As I looked around, I noticed we were not alone. Two others had been created before me. The being directly next to me was Michael, and on the other side of him was Lucifer. I understood why I was so familiar with Jehovah, since He was my creator, but I did not know how I knew the two beside me so well.

I studied and compared their features to that of my own. Lucifer’s pale complexion was similar to mine, and his long black hair cascaded down his back. Michael, slightly darker than us, stared at me with his