Lemuria by Burt Clinchandhill (epub e ink reader TXT) 📕

pitch-black eyes. The sound of my wings spreading gained Lucifer’s attention too. The feathers appeared soft but were coarse and completely black, like Michael and Lucifer’s eyes.

Before I could speak to the two of them, Jehovah’s deep booming voice broke the silence. “Raphael, Ramiel!”

Then that nearly blinding light, the same one so familiar to my existence, flashed in two separate spots beside me. When the lights dissipated, two more of my brothers stood there instead. The two newly-created angels looked around just as I had when I first appeared. These two new archangels were around our height but leaner than we were. Raphael had a dark complexion and short brownish hair while Ramiel had a paler complexion with brown hair that tumbled to his shoulders. Raphael, the closest one, caught me staring at him and gave me a friendly nod, yet none of us said anything to each other. Raphael and Ramiel were not there long before Father broke the silence again.

“Douma, Sandolphan!”

Just as it had happened before, two bright lights flashed next to Ramiel, causing all of us to shield our faces. These two flashing lights were massive compared to the ones that spawned Raphael and Ramiel. When the lights dissipated, I understood why. Sandolphan and Douma were giants. Neither of them had hair, and they were both more muscular than the rest of us.

Our father did not stop with the pair. He repeated this process two more times, creating Rampel, Forcas, Metatron, and Xaphan. Each one of them had unique features. It was Rampel who really caught my attention. His long, twisted hair was quite different than the rest of ours. There was something else about Rampel that intrigued me, but I did not know what it was.

Next to him was Forcas. Pure white hair partially shrouded his face. Both of them shared a muscular build similar to mine. Metatron and Xaphan posessed a leaner physique, and they both had slightly gray hair. Xaphan was lighter in complexion than Metatron and had longer hair too. Father paused after creating Metatron and Xaphan. The eleven of us hovered there for a moment before Jehovah broke the silence once again.

This time, Father spoke to us. “My children, you shall do my bidding and watch over all within my kingdom.”

We all knelt down. Well, all of us except for Raphael who considered this the perfect opportunity to speak up.

“Kingdom... what kingdom? All I see is you, us, and a whole lot of nothingness.” There was only darkness as far as I could see. Most of us chuckled at Raphael’s comment, but Lucifer thought our brother was speaking out of line.

“Raphael, you have forgotten your place,” Lucifer said calmly.

Raphael laughed at Lucifer’s comment, which seemed to irritate Lucifer. “I mean no disrespect. I am just trying to figure out what kingdom Father is referring to. Maybe it is just me, but I do not see anything.”

“I do not see anything either.” Ramiel stood up.

I assumed Jehovah would have agreed with Lucifer, however, Father found Raphael as amusing as the rest of us. “The kingdom I speak of will be before you soon, my son.”

“Before me soon?” Raphael replied as if he did not understand.

Metatron spoke for the first time. “I believe Father is talking about something that has not occurred yet.” From the beginning I could tell that Metatron was more intelligent than the rest of us. I would soon learn my brother Xaphan was just as brilliant.

“Oh...” Raphael pondered the idea. “So you can see things that have not happened yet?”

“I am all that has happened and all that has not yet happened,” Jehovah answered.

After hearing that Father could see the future, I became curious. In fact, we all did. We had so many questions for Father, but he would not, or could not, answer them.

“I am unable to tell you that, my sons,” Jehovah replied to our countless questions.

“Why?” we all asked simultaneously.

Jehovah let out a calm laugh. “I have given each of you the ability to make your own choices. The choices you make will ultimately send you down different paths, and even though I see the results of each choice, they are still yours to make.”

Even though Father could see the future, he would not predict it. Most of us were satisfied with Jehovah’s answer. Ramiel, on the other hand, was not. “Father, would it not be easier if you just tell us what choices to make?”

“I could,” Jehovah vanished into thin air. A moment later, he appeared in front of Ramiel. “But if I did, life would not be as fun, and that is our main objective.”

Ramiel chuckled as Jehovah rubbed the top his head. I see now that Father knew us better than we knew ourselves. Having fun was the only thing Ramiel ever wanted to do. Raphael too, which was probably why they grew close.

I figured the conversation about Father’s future-telling abilities was over, but one of my brothers was still not satisfied.

“Father,” Lucifer called out to get Jehovah’s attention. “I would be happier if you just told me what lies ahead.”

We all stared at Lucifer who had a serious expression on his face.

“Is it really that important?” Michael asked with a grin. “You do not want to be surprised like the rest of us, big brother?” Since Michael and Lucifer were created before me, I was unsure which one came first, but I knew now. Big brother, the title along with many others, would stick with Lucifer.

Lucifer turned to Michael, and an arrogant smile replaced the serious expression, one we would all grow accustomed to. “I do not like surprises, little brother.”

Little brother—what Lucifer always referred to us as. Although condescending at times, I usually enjoyed when Lucifer called me his little brother.

I followed Father with my eyes as he glided over to my big brother. He stared at Lucifer for a moment without saying anything. It was awkward.

Instead of telling Lucifer what he wanted to know, Jehovah called out four more names. “Uriel,