An Unholy Redemption Chapter 17.1 continued

Samson was frantically pacing the length of his cage and roaring, then all of a sudden Lucifer felt that all too familiar feeling coming from his heart. Someone was approaching and he knew who it was. Mary’s heart was also beating fast as she heard the roars getting louder and closer. She could now see the lion walking side to side in its cage, and as she got closer she could see a silhouette of a man in the cage watching her. The lion now looked aggressive. His ears were pinned back and he was watching her every move.

“What do you want?” Lucifer asked with contempt.

“I have −” She stopped talking as the lion threw itself at the fence with an almighty roar. She thought she was going to faint. After a while she managed to compose herself and waited for the lion to become quiet.

“I have come to meet with you. Remember we spoke on the phone and I said that we have to meet again and then you will know love.” Samson roared again, foam was coming from his mouth and his claws revealed themselves as he swiped at the fence.

“Yes, and I distinctly remember asking, how could someone like you show me love?”

“I don’t know, but I was just told by an angel speaking through my brother John that I must come here and meet with you in a test of faith and courage. Then and only then would you understand.”

“You say an angel? Did the angel tell you his name?”

“No, he said that was of little importance, but he did have the most beautiful blue eyes.”

Lucifer groaned. “Michael, still the puppet of the Most High. So Mary, what is this test of faith and courage you have to perform?” When Samson had stopped roaring again, she looked into the lion’s eyes who stared intently and aggressively back at her. She almost fainted again at the thought of what she was about to say and do.

“Well, I have been given a key to this lion’s cage. I guess I have to join you in there.” Samson seemed to give her a look of defiance, as if to say Just you dare.

“Are you crazy? He’d rip you to bits in seconds. Look at him. Only I am allowed the privilege of being here in his company. But if you’re crazy enough to believe a deceitful Michael and his lies, be my guest. But I won’t save you.” She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as her whole body shook with fear and as she struggled to speak, Samson let out another roar. For an instant she thought about running away as far as possible, then she remembered seeing Michael’s eyes earlier. “All I know is that God cured my brother from a dreadful illness and the evidence I have seen up to this point has renewed my faith and taught me everything is possible. Now I am willing to blow my world of doubt apart and see truth again.”

Mary could see the metal door vibrating from the intensity of Samson’s roars. She put the key in to its hole and closed her eyes. Then with a deep breath, she turned the key. Before pushing the gate open, she said a little prayer in her head: God all that I am and all that I have ever been, make this known to me now, for now I surrender my beliefs in an act of faith. Let thy will be done, for me and the sake of mankind. Then, still with her eyes closed, she pulled the handle and opened the door. Her body shook at the sound of the roar of the lion in front of her as she walked in. Just then she heard a voice in her head commanding her to open her eyes and see the truth for the first time in her life. Immediately she opened her eyes and saw the lion six foot in front of her. Lucifer was standing behind him, watching the scene being performed in front of him. The same voice sounded in her head, again instructing her with courage in her heart to walk the path of faith. She took one step forward and the lion roared even louder, standing his ground. And yet he didn’t attack. Mary took another step. Tears ran from her eyes at the thought of being devoured. This could be the last moment of her being alive. Samson took a massive swipe at the floor in front of her, throwing up dust and straw. Lucifer began laughing as Samson edged even closer. He became quieter with anticipation as Mary took another step, then another and then Samson took another swipe with his large claw, tearing at her clothes with his claws, impatiently he shouted, “What is the matter with you? Why don’t you attack?” He could not contain himself any longer. “What are you waiting for? Kill her!” On hearing this Mary looked at Lucifer, standing there with so much hate for her. She smiled and said in a whisper to Lucifer, “I love you.” She closed her eyes and said, “God, into your arms I commit my soul.” She then dropped to her knees in front of the lion. In despair Lucifer threw himself at the lion and pushed him. “God dammit, I order you to kill her!” Samson leapt forward, mouth wide open and his claws ready to rip, but as Samson got closer to Mary her blue light started to emanate from within. The aura began to shine all around her body like a force field. The perfect blue sapphire colour reflected in Samson’s eyes as he made contact. In a moment which seemed to last a lifetime, everything stood still. Samson was repelled off Mary in a shower of sparks of light and bounced off her to the edge of the cage.

“How can this be? Lucifer said as he looked at Mary who was now glowing the brightest possible blue. He then turned to see Samson sitting bolt upright calm as if he were a statue. Samson looked at Mary and bowed his head in submission. Lucifer couldn’t believe his eyes when Samson started to glow a golden colour like the colour of the sun.

“What’s going on?” He shielded his eyes as both of their lights became even brighter, then the light started humming and resonating, vibrating in Lucifer’s ears. Just when Lucifer thought he could stand it no longer, Mary’s and Samson’s lights shot into one another. They were joined together by a beam of light like a laser pulsating between them. They both opened their eyes and looked at Lucifer lovingly.

“What? What do you want from me? I can’t give you what you want. In fact, I don’t know what it is you want.” In his frustration Lucifer became angrier. His own red light started to shine from within until his whole body was surrounded in a ruby red glow.

“Why are you both looking at me that way? Please stop it, I’m in agony.” He fell to his knees in pain and rolled on the floor, screaming. On hearing Lucifer’s cries for help, Mary and Samson looked at each other and nodded in mutual respect and agreement. Mary then opened her arms while Samson tilted his head and looked towards the heavens. He opened his mouth and let out an almighty, deafening roar. Lucifer watched with a mixture of awe and pain as the evening clouds above parted and a white beam of the purest light shot down into Samson’s mouth. The light continued from Samson’s mouth into Mary’s left arm which was outstretched. It raced through her body and left via her right arm which was now pointing at Lucifer. “No, no!” He screamed as the light entered him. It pulsated around him then continued out of his body, re-entering Samson’s mouth. The three of them were now joined together in a perfect triangle of light originating from above. Mary’s eyes were now totally blue, Samson’s were flickering golden yellow and Lucifer’s eyes were shining totally red. All three were in a silent trance. The more Lucifer tried to impose himself and his red light, the more the blue colour fought against him. It was like the beginning of time again, when the two atoms of matter and antimatter fired against each other.

“No, get away!” Lucifer shouted in his mind as he concentrated and surged his red energy forward. I am winning, he thought when he saw Mary recoiling on the ground in pain. Mary managed to focus, and in a last desperate act, she spoke to God in her mind. Although I am feeling the pain, I still love Luther even to the point of my own death. In an instant Mary was bolt upright on her knees again and energy flowed from her. Her blueness lit up the whole cage and the dark trees surrounding it. Lucifer felt his pain getting stronger and his power faltering as he struggled to control what was happening. The vibration of the light resonating around them got stronger and the noise hurt his ears. In one final attempt, Lucifer pushed his last bit of energy forward to Mary, then it all went black. Lucifer started to dream about what had just happened. His mind went back to Mary as she first entered the cage. Why didn’t Samson attack her? Was Samson afraid? No that could not be so, he could have killed her easily. But he seemed afraid. What was he afraid of? So many questions went through Lucifer’s head. What did Mary have inside her and why would she put her own life in danger? The dream moved to the memory of Mary just before kneeling in front of Samson. He could see Mary moving her lips in slow motion and his heart became heavy when he read her lips saying, “I love you”. Lucifer felt his soul begin to weep. She did it for me, she was willing to sacrifice herself for me, but I have shown her nothing but contempt and hate. Why would she do that? I am not worthy of saving, you only have to see all the evil acts and deeds I have done in my existence. Visions of burning and mutilated bodies were played in his mind. The sad faces of those who had lost their loved ones through evil were crying in front of him. As these images faded, Lucifer saw the image of a grotesquely wicked angel. How could Mary love that? If she could love me, then she must truly love everything, and her selfless love knows no bounds. As he was trying to register all this in his mind, his heart began to slow until it eventually ceased. For a moment he was reunited with that mysterious veil which the eye of human reason cannot penetrate. There was silence. Then out of the silence, Lucifer’s heart began to beat again. This time it now started to beat a different beat, one that was not painful but joyful. The new feeling he was experiencing started to excite him. His mind was beginning to open and as it did the vision of himself dissipated in a flash of light. The memories of the mutilated and burnt bodies returned to his mind. I am sorry, please forgive me. I still do not know why I did these things to you, but I am truly sorry about what I bestowed upon you. I hope in time, when I truly find out who I am, you will find it in your own hearts to forgive me. The visions began to fade. Lucifer’s heart started to feel lighter, no longer heavy or burdened with a guilty conscience, freeing his mind for new visions to enter. He saw images of people in love and mothers lovingly looking at their children. Lucifer found these acts of love were giving him a different kind of power. With the help of Mary and Samson’s love, courage and strength now rushing through his veins, he could find himself again. He smiled as he said, “I love you too”. The dreams started to fade and Lucifer began to regain consciousness.

The redness had started to fade as he opened his eyes to see Mary and Samson looking at him. The light from above had disappeared. Mary was still glowing a glorious blue, Samson was still an elegant statue surrounded by an aura of gold. Lucifer then looked down at his own body. Instead of glowing red, he was now shining a beautiful violet colour with a beautiful gold border of light emanating out of the edges of the purple. When he looked at his chest he could see his heart. It was shining with the same beautiful light that had previously descended from the sky above. The beauty of the light reflected on Lucifer’s hands as he held them out in front of him. He looked back at Mary who was smiling at him. As a tear rolled down Lucifer’s face, his own colour shone the brightest of all. The three of them sat for a while enjoying each other’s energy, then there was nothing. All the lights had vanished and they were left in darkness surrounded by the noise of the animals at the zoo.

“I can’t believe that just happened.” Mary was the first to speak. “I feel I truly know myself for the first time in my life.”

“Yes I feel the same, I feel like I have been reborn and yet this all seems so familiar to me.”

“I know what you mean. It’s like we have done this before and not just the once.” Samson walked up to Mary and nudged her with his muzzle in an apologetic gesture for his previous aggression. “I understand, big fella,” she said and threw her arms around him. After a while she turned to Lucifer, “Well, are you going to join us?” Awkwardly, he moved towards them.

“You have to be patient with me. I’m not used to this. I’m just starting to remember all those feelings I lost a long time ago. I have not felt like this for more than a millennia.” He slowly moved towards them both and put his arms around them both. The three were as one again, at peace with each other and the world. They stayed embracing for a while, then Samson pulled away and walked to the end of the cage where he bent his head forward and took something up in his teeth and returned to them.

“What’s that?” Mary asked.

“That is my coat given to me by a friend and now it is being returned to me by a true friend. Thank you.” He ruffled his hand through the lion’s mane and took the black coat from his jaws.

“Well, I must say it could do with a clean,” Mary said with a giggle.

“Yes,” Lucifer answered after moving the coat away from his nose to avoid the unpleasant smell. “I think it’s time we headed back home. It’s getting cold,” Lucifer lifted the coat to put it around her cold shoulders.

“No it’s okay, thank you,” she laughed again, “but you can put your arm around me as you walk me home.” They both left the lion’s cage and locked the door and they stopped at the fence where Samson was resting with his head turned to face them.

“I bid you farewell my friend and thank you for making me see the light.” Lucifer put his fingers through the cage and played with the beast’s ear. Samson rubbed his head against Lucifer’s finger in response.

“Goodbye Samson, love to you my friend,” Mary blew Samson a kiss. Samson let out a deep breath of warm air, looked up at the moon in the night sky blinked and started to close his eyes for a good night’s sleep. “Come on Luther, let’s get home. We need to speak to John about what has just happened and what to do next.”

“Okay, I’m coming. I’m just wondering if I will ever see Samson again.”

“I think you most probably will.”

“Yes, you’re right, let’s go.” He climbed the safety fence and helped Mary over it and started walking.

“Well?” Mary said. Lucifer looked at her puzzled. She was standing with her hand on her hip and her elbow sticking out. “Oh yes,” he awkwardly put his arm around Mary’s shoulder and placed the coat in his other hand.  They both headed home.