"I walked to the central well of the Hall and let myself fall, tumbling down through the model of the universe: it glittered around me, unfamiliar colours and shapes seething and writhing without meaning.
"As I approached the bottom, I beat my wings, slowing my descent, and stepped lightly onto the silver floor. Phanuel stood between two angels who were both trying to claim his attention.
" 'I don't care how aesthetically pleasing it would be,' he was explaining to one of them. 'We simply cannot put it in the centre. Background radiation would prevent any possible life-forms from even getting a foothold; and anyway, it's too unstable.'
"He turned to the other. 'Okay, let's see it. Hmm. So that's Green, is it? It's not exactly how I'd imagined it, but. Mm. Leave it with me. I'll get back to you.' He took a paper from the angel, folded it over decisively.
"He turned to me. His manner was brusque, and dismissive. 'Yes?'
" 'I need to talk to you.'
" 'Mm? Well, make it quick. I have much to do. If this is about Carasel's death, I have told you all I know.'
" 'It is about Carasel's death. But I will not speak to you now. Not here. Go to Zephkiel's celclass="underline" he is expecting you. I will meet you there.'
"He seemed about to say something, but he only nodded, walked toward the door.
"I turned to go when something occurred to me. I stopped the angel who had the Green. 'Tell me something.'
"'If I can, sir.
" 'That thing.' I pointed to the universe. 'What's it going to be for?'
" 'For? Why, it is the universe.'
" 'I know what it's called. But what purpose will it serve?'
"He frowned. 'It is part of the plan. The Name wishes it; He requires such and such, to these dimensions and having such and such properties and ingredients. It is our function to bring it into existence, according to His wishes. I am sure He knows its function, but He has not revealed it to me.' His tone was one of gentle rebuke.
"I nodded, and left that place.
"High above the City a phalanx of angels wheeled and circled and dove. Each held a flaming sword that trailed a streak of burning brightness behind it, dazzling the eye. They moved in unison through the salmon pink sky. They were very beautiful. It was-you know on summer evenings when you get whole flocks of birds performing their dances in the sky? Weaving and circling and clustering and breaking apart again, so just as you think you understand the pattern, you realise you don't, and you never will? It was like that, only better.
"Above me was the sky. Below me, the shining City. My home. And outside the City, the Dark.
"Lucifer hovered a little below the Host, watching their manoeuvers.
" 'Lucifer?'
" 'Yes, Raguel? Have you discovered your malefactor?'
" 'I think so. Will you accompany me to Zephkiel's cell? There are others waiting for us there, and I will explain everything.'
"He paused. Then, 'Certainly.'
"He raised his perfect face to the angels, now performing a slow revolution in the sky, each moving through the air keeping perfect pace with the next, none of them ever touching. 'Azazel!'
"An angel broke from the circle; the others adjusted almost imperceptibly to his disappearance, filling the space, so you could no longer see where he had been.
" 'I have to leave. You are in command, Azazel. Keep them drilling. They still have much to perfect.'
" 'Yes, sir.'
"Azazel hovered where Lucifer had been, staring up at the flock of angels, and Lucifer and I descended toward the City.
" 'He's my second-in-command,'" said Lucifer. 'Bright. Enthusiastic. Azazel would follow you anywhere.'
" 'What are you training them for?'
" 'War.'
" 'With whom?'
" 'How do you mean?'
" 'Who are they going to fight? Who else is there?'
"He looked at me; his eyes were clear, and honest. 'I do not know. But He has Named us to be His army. So we will be perfect. For Him. The Name is infallible and all-just and all-wise, Raguel. It cannot be otherwise, no matter what-' He broke off and looked away.
" 'You were going to say?'
" 'It is of no importance.'
" 'Ah.'
"We did not talk for the rest of the descent to Zephkiel's cell."
I looked at my watch; it was almost three. A chill breeze had begun to blow down the LA. street, and I shivered. The man noticed, and he paused in his story. "You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine. Please carry on. I'm fascinated."
He nodded.
"They were waiting for us in Zephkiel's celclass="underline" Phanuel, Saraquael and Zephkiel. Zephkiel was sitting in his chair. Lucifer took up a position beside the window.
"I walked to the centre of the room, and I began.
" 'I thank you all for coming here. You know who I am; you know my function. I am the Vengeance of the Name, the arm of the Lord. I am Raguel.
"The Angel Carasel is dead. It was given to me to find out why he died, who killed him. This I have done. Now, the Angel Carasel was a designer in the Hall of Being. He was very good, or so I am told…
" 'Lucifer. Tell me what you were doing before you came upon Phanuel, and the body.'
" 'I have told you already. I was walking.'
" 'Where were you walking?'
" 'I do not see what business that is of yours.'
"'Tell me.'
"He paused. He was taller than any of us, tall, and proud. 'Very well. I was walking in the Dark. I have been walking in the Darkness for some time now. It helps me to gain a perspective on the City-being outside it. I see how fair it is, how perfect. There is nothing more enchanting than our home. Nothing more complete. Nowhere else that anyone would want to be.'
" 'And what do you do in the Dark, Lucifer?'
"He stared at me. 'I walk. And…There are voices in the Dark. I listen to the voices. They promise me things, ask me questions, whisper and plead. And I ignore them. I steel myself and I gaze at the City. It is the only way I have of testing myself-putting myself to any kind of trial. I am the Captain of the Host; I am the first among the Angels, and I must prove myself.'
"I nodded. 'Why did you not tell me this before?'
"He looked down. 'Because I am the only angel who walks in the Dark. Because I do not want others to walk in the Dark: I am strong enough to challenge the voices, to test myself. Others are not so strong. Others might stumble, or fall.'
" 'Thank you, Lucifer. That is all, for now.' I turned to the next angel. 'Phanuel. How long have you been taking credit for Carasel's work?'
"His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
" 'Well?'
" 'I…I would not take credit for another's work.'
" 'But you did take credit for Love?'
"He blinked. 'Yes. I did.'
" 'Would you care to explain to us all what Love is?' I asked. "He glanced around uncomfortably. 'It's a feeling of deep affection and attraction for another being, often combined with passion or desire-a need to be with another.' He spoke dryly, didactically, as if he were reciting a mathematical formula. 'The feeling that we have for the Name, for our Creator-that is Love…amongst other things. Love will be an impulse that will inspire and ruin in equal measure. We are…' He paused, then began once more. 'We are very proud of it.'
"He was mouthing the words. He no longer seemed to hold any hope that we would believe them.
" 'Who did the majority of the work on Love? No, don't answer. Let me ask the others first. Zephkiel? When Phanuel passed the details on Love to you for approval, who did he tell you was responsible for it?'
"The wingless angel smiled gently. 'He told me it was his project.'
" 'Thank you, sir. Now, Saraquaeclass="underline" whose was Love?'
" 'Mine. Mine and Carasel's. Perhaps more his than mine, but we worked on it together.'
" 'You knew that Phanuel was claiming the credit for it?'
"'…Yes.'
" 'And you permitted this?'