Thursday, October 6, 2011

Tritones and the Fall

[Originally posted at Slacktivist (page 2).]
[There is a belief that Lucifer was Heaven's music director, I believe it puts the whole rebellion in a different light:]


It was a beautiful day in Heaven. Then again, being Heaven, it was always a beautiful day. Lucifer was off by himself, composing a song to be used in his next production. Lucifer had high hopes, Belial had been helping him with the script, Raphael and Beelzebub had already started practicing their duet, and Mulciber was already working on making the set. Lucifer just needed a few more songs and everything would be perfect.

He strummed his lyre and tried out a few lines, "It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major-"

"Luci!"

Lucifer was startled by the interruption. And angry. He thought he'd hit on something good but now he'd lost it. The feeling of where the line was taking him had vanished. He turned to the angel who interrupted him, "Yes, Mike?"

"God wants us."

Lucifer didn't mind having seven different jobs. He didn't mind being the light bearer and the music director and the composer and the lyricist, and whatnot. He enjoyed all of it. What he didn't like were the constant interruptions. 'Look, I've made an aardvark, kneel before it,' or, 'I separated the waters above from the waters below, isn't that good.' Sure, fine, whatever, but how the [untranslatable, "Hell" is a sufficient substitute] was he supposed to get anything done if he never had any time to do it?

"Well, quit screwing around and hurry up," Michael added.

When they arrived God's latest product had wandered off. God was still there, and that meant a ritual greeting. It required free hands so Lucifer set down his lyre. God said his usual spiel, after which Lucifer asked, "So where is this thing we're supposed to bow to?"

Michael said, "Luci," in a menacing way. Lucifer hated when Mike did that, his name was not a threat.

Then came the sound of splintering wood behind them. God's new creature had stepped on Lucifer's lyre. Before Lucifer could respond Michael grabbed Lucifer by the arm and, again, said Lucifer's name menacingly.

Lucifer forced himself to calm down. He said, "What a lovely animal. What do you call it?"

Michael released Lucifer's arm, and God said, "I call it 'Man'. Isn't it wonderful?" Lucifer tried to ignore his ruined lyre and nodded. "I've decided to cancel your little music thing to make room for a ceremony where all the angels bow before man at the same time." Lucifer managed to avoid an outburst. "Oh, and I've decided to outlaw tritones."

It wasn't just what God had said, it was also the way he had said it. It was an afterthought, as if it were inconsequential. As if destroying so beautiful a part of music was something that didn't matter.

Lucifer had had enough. He drew his sword and charged. Michael tried to stop him, and flaming sword clashed on flaming sword. Feathers were seared and severed, and soon a war had started.

Lucifer hadn't really expected anyone to take his side, but many had even though they didn't know what the fight was about.

When Belial reached Lucifer and asked what they were fighting for, Lucifer simply said, "Tritones."

-

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